 Chapter 1 of The Mermaid's Message and Other Stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Betty B. Chapter 1 The Mermaid's Message by Maude Lindsey. Down, down, down in the deep blue sea lived a mermaid. Mermaids are seafarys, and they have beautiful homes under the deep waters, with sponges and sea anemones growing in their gardens instead of flowers like our lilies and roses. They are very happy too, and this little mermaid was merry all the time as she darted here, there, and everywhere, joining the shining fishes in their play of swimming around to stir the ripples into circles. Then, when she was tired, she would sit and sing while she made her crowns of coral and shells, or strung a chain of pearls which the oysters gave her. Sometimes too, when the stars were out and the moon was bright, she would come up and ride on the backs of the great waves as the winds blew them far out after the ships or rolled them in to the shore. One night, as she rode so gaily there, the ripples ran back to the shore with pleasant news to tell. Today, said the ripples, we chased each other up on the beach, and there, playing in the sand, were the dearest little children, and when they saw us dancing with the sunbeams, they stretched out their hands to us and, oh, how we wanted to slip up and kiss their little feet, but we dared not do it. Dear little children, said the mermaid, and the waves repeated it over, dear little children, in such a big voice that it sounded along the shore with a boom. Then the ripples ran away and the waves rolled on, but the mermaid still thought of the children and wished again and again that she could tell them that she loved them. At last she thought of something that pleased her very much, and she slipped down from the wave and back to her home in a great hurry, for she remembered her stores of shells and wanted to send them as a present to the children. So she selected the prettiest ones, smooth and twisted, lined with pink and purple, and to one, the largest of all, she whispered a message, and she hastened up just in time to catch a great wave on its way to the shore. The wave was glad to carry the shells, so she gave them into his keeping and he tossed them far up on the yellow sand and they lay there waiting through the quiet night until the sunbeams came and brought the children out. The children spied the shells immediately, and then there was such a rejoicing. Mama's nurses and everybody had to look at each new treasure as it was found, and one mama told about the wee creatures that had lived in each one long ago, while the children peeped into the pretty shell houses and wondered how it would feel to have a shell for a home. Then there were gardens to make with broad shell bordered walks and seaweed to plant in the round sand beds, but at last a little boy found the shell that carried the mermaid's message, and when he held it to his ear, it repeated the message, soft and low, like the sound of the sea. Over and over it told the message as each child listened, and they knew that it was a message, and though they could not guess who sent it or what it meant, they were sure it was a sweet one, and so it was where the mermaid had said, I love you. Let's whisper something to it ourselves, said the children, the very nicest thing we can. And so it happened that a little girl whispered the words her mama loved best, and they threw the shell far out into the water, and it dropped down, down, down to the bottom of the blue sea, where the mermaid found it, and when she heard the message, she knew the meaning. And it was just as sweet as her own had been, for the child had said, we love you. End of chapter one. Chapter two of the mermaid's message and other stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sia Tuinae. Chapter two. The Wooden Horse by Lily Parks Gunnell. Hundreds and hundreds of years before the Christ Child came, so the legends tell us, when the people believed there were many gods who were so interested in the affairs of men, that they often came down to help them fight their battles, and sometimes, alas, to punish them for their wrongdoings. There lived in a Grecian city called Sparta, the brave king Menelaus, and his beautiful wife Helen. She was so wondrously beautiful that many people traveled from afar to see her, for the Greeks loved the beautiful, and particularly did they love to see a beautiful man or woman. The poets wrote songs of her, some of which have come down through all the years to us, celebrating her surpassing beauty. There came one time to visit Menelaus the king, Paris, the son of Priam, king of Ileon, which is known also as Troy. Paris admired Helen so much that he wanted to take her away with him to his father's city. So one dark night, some of his men helped him carry her off to his ship, and then they sailed away across the blue agency to Ileon. When King Menelaus found that his beautiful wife was gone, and that the ships of Paris were nowhere in sight, he knew at once what had happened. The guest whom he had entertained and made welcome had done him this cruel wrong. Then Menelaus was very angry. He called his trusted friends and brave soldiers together, and lost no time in going aboard his own ships, for he was at the port, and setting sail for Ileon in order to punish the wicked Paris and bring back the fair Helen. When they arrived at Ileon, they could not get inside the city, so they pitched their tents nearby and waited. In those days, the cities had high walls built all around them, except Sparta, whose men were so brave and more like that they defended their city many years without the aid of a wall. And these high walls had great strong gates through which the people passed out and in. The gates regarded day and night, and sentinels were always looking in every direction for any enemies who might come that way. Though the Spartans watched and waited, they could not gain an entrance through any one of the six gates of Troy. At last, after besieging Troy for ten long years, someone thought of a plan. They built a great wooden horse, hollow inside, and large enough to hold several men. Then they told the Trojans that they had decided to return to their own country. The wooden horse, they said, was built as an offering to the sea god to ensure them a safe voyage home. And if, after they had left, the Trojans would take it inside their walls, the sea god would always take care of them and keep them safe whenever they went sailing on the seas. The Trojans were glad the seas was to be ended at last, and believing what was told them about the wooden horse, they were very glad to have it. After the Spartans had put some of their bravest men inside the wooden horse and made believe that they had gone away, the Trojans came out and dragged it inside and locked the gates. When all had become quiet and the people were sound asleep, for they thought that all danger was passed now and that they could sleep in perfect safety. The Spartans came out of the wooden horse very quietly, overcame the sentinels and unlocked the gates. All the Spartans who had turned round and come back again as soon as it was dark came in through the gates. The Trojans, being taken by surprise, were beaten, and Menelaus was very happy when he had his beautiful wife once more. He took her to his ship and they all sailed safely back to Greece. They were very glad to be at home again after having been away for so many years, and the Spartans were glad too to have with them their own Helen, the most beautiful woman in the whole world. End of Chapter 2, Recording by Sia Tuinae. Chapter 3 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Josh Kibbe. Chapter 3 Up to the Sky and Back by Catherine Orr. One day, just a little while ago, the great sun far up in the sky said to his little helpers, the Sunbeam fairies, Dear fairies, I shall need a great many clouds next week, and I should like to have you help me make them. This made the fairies very happy. They were so happy that they ran back and forth from the sun to the earth a great many times. They were very happy little fairies, and they were always happy when they were helping someone. The sunbeam fairies had helped the sun so many times that they knew just how to go to work. Some of the fairies ran down to a great hot city, and they found some drops of water on the stones, and on top of some of the houses, and they carried them right up to the sun just as fast as they could. Some of the other fairies went down into the country early in the morning, and they gathered some drops of dew in the fields and some drops of water that were down by the grasses feet. The rest of the little fairies ran down to a little brook and carried just as many drops from it as they could. By and by the great sun said, Dear little sunbeams, you have brought me so many drops of water that I have enough to make a great many clouds, for you know that the clouds are made of a great many drops of water. After the great sun had the clouds all ready, he thought, Now if the wind were here, I am sure that he would blow the clouds just where I want them to go. Soon the sun heard the wind coming, and then he said, Can you help me today? I have a great many clouds to send out, and I want them to go to different places. The wind said that he would be very glad to go. Then the sun said, Away over in the city the streets are very hot and the trees are thirsty, so please take these clouds over there and give the city a drink. By and by the clouds were right over the city, and soon the little raindrops went falling down on the houses and the trees and the streets. And they were all glad to have a drink. And the same little drops of water that the sunbeam fairies had carried from the city were now back in their old places just where they were before. Then the wind went back to the sun and said, Dear sun, I have taken those clouds to the city. Now where shall I take the other? And the sun said, The farmers in the country would like the rain to make their grass grow. So take these clouds over into the country. The wind blew very hard and soon the clouds were up over the fields. In a few minutes the raindrops were hurrying down on the fields. And do you know the same raindrops which the fairies carried from the fields fell in the same fields again? So the little drops of water were just where they were before the fairies touched them. While the wind was away this time, the sun looked down upon the earth and saw a little brook in which was just a little water. And he thought, The fishes in that brook need more water so I will send a cloud over there. When he heard the wind he said, Please take these clouds over by that brook. And the wind did so. And the rain fell down on the brook and the fishes had plenty of water. And it is so funny, those same little drops of water which the fairies took from the brook fell right back into it again. So you see, the little drops went up by the sun and then came back again. And this was all because the little sunbeam fairies carried the drops of water up by the sun and because the wind blew the clouds just where the sun thought they ought to go. So you see, we have to thank the sun, the sunbeam fairies, and the wind for giving us and everything on the earth a drink. There once lived an old man whose name was Time, and he had four children, two boys and two girls. The boys' names were Winter and Autumn, and the girls' names were Spring and Summer. Now Father Time was very fond of his boys and girls, and he was always doing something to make them happy. But he believed that it was best for children to have some work to do and not to play all the time. So he told Winter, who was the oldest, that he should expect him to look after the snow and the ice Northwind and Jack Frost. Winter was delighted with his work, for he was very fond of the snow, and Northwind and Jack Frost were particular friends of his, and many a merry time these three had together after their work was done. One of the things that they loved very much to do was to freeze over the rivers and ponds so that the boys and girls might have skating. Summer, Winter's eldest sister, had a great deal to do, for she had all of the flowers and vegetables to care for, but it was a pleasure for her to take care of the flowers, because she loved them so much. She would coax the sun to shine warmly in the rain to fall softly upon them. Then the little flowers would lift their heads, and when the morning breeze passed them by, they would give him their very sweetest perfume, which was their way of saying thank you. Spring was the little baby's sister, and everyone loved her very much, because she was always so happy and glad. One day Father Time told Spring that she might take care of the little seeds that were lying fast asleep in the ground, and the buds on the trees. Then Spring was happy indeed, because she had been afraid that perhaps Father Time might think she wasn't old enough to do any work, and she wanted very much to help, so she made up her mind to do the best she could. And she sent the April showers to awaken the little seeds, and then she sent the sunbeams to help them come to the light. And the sunbeams and the showers helped the buds to blossom. So when the trees were all in bloom, everyone said that Spring Time was the most beautiful time of the whole year. Autumn Time, the youngest brother, was a very busy little fellow. He was very fond of bright colors, and sometimes wore a scarlet and yellow jacket. His work was to help the grains, the fruit, and the nuts to ripen. Now Autumn knew that this work was very important, and that the farmers depended on him for their harvest. So he said to himself, I'll do the best I can, and I'll get the sun to help me. The sun was glad to help Autumn, and they worked very hard together, so that when the harvest time was over, and the farmers had filled their barns with the grain and fruit, they found that they had enough to last them until Autumn came again. Father Time was very much pleased with his children's work. They all did so well that he never could tell which one did best. End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5 of The Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Josh Kibbe Chapter 5. Frost Faries and the Water Drops By Anna H. LaTel Sparkle, bubble, and ball were the three little water drops who lived down by the shore of the lake. When Mr. Wind came to see them, they had a very lively play. They would jump up high and chase one another. Then all the brother and sister water drops and a great many of the cousins would take hold of hands, jump up as high as they could, and tumble over on the white, clean sand on the beach. Then they had a nice slide back into the lake. Sometimes they played hide and seek and slipped down under the pebbles on the beach and had a happy play. But best of all, they loved to play with the children. Little boys and girls with pales and spades dug many a well in the sand. Then the water drops had fine fun playing, falling into the wells then running away in the sand. One bright sunny day, when Mr. Wind was asleep, the little water drops grew sleepy too and lay very still. Then two of the children, Robert and Ernest, took their rowboat from the boat house to have a ride on the lake. The oars dipping into the water awoke some of the water drops and they began to sing softly around the boat. Ripple, ripple, ripple was what they sang. Then the sunbeams, who had come to visit the water drops, smiled so brightly that the little drops sparkled like diamonds. As they said, oh sunshine, we wish we could go far up to the sky with you. Not as high as we could, but we always fall back again. Sunshine said, do you want to go away from such a happy home? If you go with me, you must travel a very long distance, but you will see a great many beautiful things and learn to do many helpful deeds. Perhaps you may go to see the flowers and help some thirsty plant to smile and grow. Yes, we want to go, the little water drops said. Please do take us with you. Yes, I will, said Sunshine, if Mr. Wind will come to help us. The little water drops felt themselves rising slowly upward toward the sky, and the children on the sand looking at them said, oh, see the steam going up? Then the water drops laughed, the children call us steam, what fun! But Ernest's mother said, no, that is not steam, though it is something like it. It is our little friends the water drops taking a ride with the sunbeams. They are scattered into such fine bits that they look like steam. Someday they will come back to visit us. Goodbye, little water drops, the children said. We shall watch to see you come back. Higher, higher up went the water drops. I think we must be almost up to the sky, said one little drop. We are near the top of a mountain. See what the big white cap he has? The cap was a big snow cloud, and the wind carried some of the water drops close to the cloud. It was so cold that all the cloud children were busy making pretty white coats that were soft as wool. The water drops began to do the same work, just as the teacher who was a frost fairy taught them to do. Up at the top of the mountain were some green fir trees and some little plants and vines with red berries. It was so very cold that the water drops, with white coats, flew down to help keep the roots warm. They looked like little white birds flying through the air. The children saw them flying down and shouted, here come the snowflakes, see what pretty stars. Here is one with six points and there is one with six sides. Oh, laughed Sparkle and his cousins. Now the children call us snowflakes. When we came away they called us steam. I wonder if they know that we are the same old playmates who used to sing and play by the shore of the lake. Bubble and ball and a great many of the cousins were blown far away from the top of the mountain to the rain clouds home. The little water particles clung closer and closer together till they formed round drops again. Then they began to fall. Oh, said little bubble, here we go. I wonder if we shall see the flowers when we reach the ground. I should like to give them a nice drink. But it was cold weather and the flowers were fast asleep. Some of the raindrops jumped into the lake and others on the rocks and sand on the shore. They had a very busy time when the frost fairies came to teach them to make pretty white crystals that looked like stars. The drops that had fallen into a crack of a rock found they needed more room to play at star making. They pushed until the crack was wider to make room for their star points. Some water drops fell into a bottle on the sand. They were so crowded that they did not have room enough to make perfect star crystals. They tried to do their best and pushed against the sides of the bottle until it broke. Then they had plenty of room. The raindrops that fell into the lake began to dance and play with the little friends they met there. Where did you come from, asked all the little friends. From the cloud land, said the little raindrops. We lived in the lake before we went to live in cloud land. We went on a long journey with the sunbeams. The frost fairies came to the lake too and soon all the water drops were busy making crystals. They worked away all night and when the sun shone brightly in the morning it looked down upon a hard, smooth floor on the lake that seemed like glass. Robert and Ernest came with their sleds and skates. When they saw the lake they shouted, Hurrah! How smooth and hard the ice is! Oh, said bubble and ball, the children call us ice now. I wonder if they know that we are the same old playmates who used to sing and play on the shore of the lake in the summertime. End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6 of The Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibreBox recording. All LibreBox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibreBox.org Recording by Charlie Data Chapter 6 March is called by Mod Elbets. Hoo! March was certainly calling someone. Who could it be? The children came out and flew their kites and rolled their hoops laughing when the wind blew their hats off and made them race down the hill after them. But still he went on calling. It must be someone else he wanted. The birds were too far away and most of them to hear him. Who could it be? Down under the ground there was quite a commotion. Little rootlets were spreading out this way and that and there was such a whispering and laughing going on. What was the matter? Why March had been calling the flowers and they were all awake, beginning to grow with all of their might and having such fun over it that you would have thought it was all play. There were in a great hurry to push their way through the ground and brighten the world with their blossoms. Are you ready? It's time we were starting called Snowdrop. Her voice fairly bubbly over the laughter at the thought of the surprise she would be when she popped her head out. Yes, yes, called the others. Go on, we'll follow you. It's too cold for me to go just yet, said Crocus. But I'll be there as soon as dear old bluebirds begin singing. I'll bring my silver and gold blossoms, cried Narcissus. And my bells will be ringing before your blossoms fade, laughed high synth. And even while she was speaking, two rootlets found a chance to creep down into the cool earth to find some food for the little plant. Violet was so busy, Lee, at work, rowing that she did not talk as much as the others. But the very first morning she popped her head into the violet bonnet above the ground, she whispered, I'm here. The whole air grew sweet with her fragrance. And the children said, spring has come for violets here, dear brave little flowers. They never grumbled all through the long cold winter that they had to stay under the ground. They were sure that the loving father who gave them their work to do knew what was best for them. Their long resting time helped them to work better. So when March called, they were ready to jump up and go happily and busily to work growing, so that soon they might brighten the world with their blossoms. No wonder they laughed and were so happy. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sia Tuine. Chapter 7, Joe's Rose Bush by Helen Meader. You can see Joe every day standing on the corner selling papers. Now, who is Joe? Why a little news boy? And I want to tell you a story about him. One day, as Joe was passing along the street with his papers under his arm, he saw in the florist's window a rose bush growing in a box. It was not a very large bush, but its leaves looked very green, and peeping out of the middle was the loveliest pink rose. It looked so proud and seemed to gaze right in Joe's eyes, as much as to say, See how clean and fresh I look? Well, you, yes, I can count two buttons gone from your coat, and I see dirt on your face. Poor little Joe, he looked long at that pretty rose, and only left when he heard the other boys calling, Buy your papers! Papers for sale! He knew he must sell his papers, for if he didn't, where would his dinner come from? When the whistle blew at twelve o'clock, he had sold just eight papers, and then he knew he could buy donuts for his dinner. As he was going to the bakery, he stopped to take one more look at his rose friend. As he lingered before the window, a gentleman came up and stood beside him and asked him if he thought the rose bush pretty, and if he would like it. Joe told him how he had wished for it that morning, but had no money to buy rose bushes. The gentleman, how kind it was of him, paid a dollar to the florist, and then put the box with its pretty bush in Joe's arms. The rose nodded its head, as much as to say, Glad you've got me, glad you've got me. It was hard for such a little fellow to carry the box up two long flights of stairs, but he went very slowly, and when he reached his room, he put his rose friend on the windowsill, then sat beside it to eat his donuts. One morning, Joe opened his sleepy eyes to look at his pretty rose friend, but this time, how sad it looked! No bright face, all the leaves had dropped and faded in the night. What was the trouble? As soon as Joe's little legs could carry him, he ran to tell the florist his troubles. Now listen to what the man said to Joe. First water, then fresh air, then sunshine is what we give our roses. Did you give these three things to yours, Joe? Yes, said Joe, off of the sunshine, and how could I give it that when it never comes in my room? sub the poor little fellow, What can I do? he thought. I know, I know the roof, the roof, I can put it on the roof. Out he ran so fast that everyone laughed. He found a nice sunny corner up on that high roof, away from everything but the sky and God's sunshine. In the next morning, the pink rose lifted up her pretty face and once more looked at Joe. And when the April showers came, how nice it was to have the green leaves all washed so clean and bright. One morning, Joe had a great surprise. There among the pretty leaves was the dearest pink baby rosebud, all wrapped in its green blanket. You can see Joe's happy face every day on the corner and if you ask the other news boys why he looks so happy, they will tell you it is because he has a new baby rosebud on his roof at home. End of Chapter 7 Recording by Sia Tweeney Chapter 8 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Chapter 8 The Giant and the Fairy by Evelyn Lincoln Once upon a time there lived a giant in the land where giants live. There lived also a fairy among the flowers of the garden and by the mossy places in the woods down by the brook. Now the giant was big and strong and powerful. He thought he had only to speak and everybody would do just what he wished. He always said won't when anyone asked him for help. After a while he stopped smiling because he said I won't so many times that his mouth was drawn down at the corners. The fairy was tiny and not very strong but she was always smiling brightly and saying will if people wanted her to help them. Little I Will went to visit boys and girls and she liked to see them smile and say will just as she did. One day the fairy I Will lay down under a violet near the brook which tinkled over the stones like sweet music. She was soon fast asleep. Soon after the giant I Won't who was taking a walk sat down beside the violet where I Will was lying. The brook soothed him to sleep also. That same day a little boy named Frank came with his nurse and sister to the brook to play. Let's play that we are fishes said his sister. No I Won't exclaimed Frank. The giant opened his eyes looked at the boy and said to himself he is one of my kind his mouth is drawn down at the corners and he will be as cross as I am when he gets to be a man. Then Frank said to a sister may I am going to paddle in the brook will you. Oh yes said may I Will that will be great fun. The fairy I Will opened her eyes and looked at May. She was such a dear sweet little girl that everybody loved her. She liked to help other people and nearly always said Will. While the children were playing the giant had had great thought. He had no boys of his own and wanted one very much to teach him to be another I Won't. So he sprang up Frank in his arms and with great strides walked off to giant land. But I Won't screamed Frank. That's just what I want you to say said the giant. Whenever giant I Won't asked Frank to do anything Frank would say I Won't, I Won't, I Won't I want to go home. Then the giants would laugh until the tears ran down their cheeks. Oh no you can't go home said the giant. You are too much like us and nobody wants a boy at home who was always saying I Won't. So Frank had to stay with the giants. One day he was crying very hard and wishing he could go home to see his kind father and mother and little May. Oh dear he sobbed. I will do anything they want me to if I can only go home. Just then a small voice whispered in his ear I am the fairy I will. This is the first time you have said I will. Now if you are sure you will help your papa and mama and do what they ask you to do without saying I Won't you shall go home with me. Frank did not stop to look at the giant I Won't but put his hand in I Will's and was soon at home. Happy. End of chapter 8 Chapter 9 of the Mermaid's Message and other stories. This is a LibreVox recording. All LibreVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibreVox.org Recording by Jacqueline Harp Chapter 9 by Anna B. Badlam What do you think I found today up in the loft among the hay? What but old tab with her kittens three purring away so causally? Puss had been gone for a day or two where she was visiting nobody knew nor had she left a single trace yet I had found her hiding place she glanced at me and gave a sleepy purr and gently stroked her soft gray fur then turned with a look of motherly pride to glance at the treasures by her side she plainly said did you ever see any lovelier babies than my three sweet and gentle and loving too they're the dearest children ever grew there's white paws with his fur so fine there's gray back with a coat like mine snowball soft as silk with fur as white as old mooly's milk all this I heard in her joyful purr as I stood in the loft and looked at her looked at her and her kittens three cuddled away so causally down by the brook a willow grew and in its depth a shadow threw low on a twig so small and slight my eyes beheld the queerest sight three little pussies in coats of brown lined with fur as soft as down what I said in quick surprise as I gazed at the twig with startled eyes dare mother tabs babies run away and have they come to the brook to play but the wind came whispering to my ear mother tabs babies are not here her pussies are cuddled safe in the hay the willow buds at play they are fairy pussies under a spell listen and I'll the secret tell soon they'll throw off their coats of brown lined with fur of soft as down soon everyone will a cat can be the dainty child of the willow tree end of chapter 9 recording by jacklyn harp chapter 10 of the mermaids message and other stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org chapter 10 The Fox and the Stork by Alan F. Wigan one morning a fox having finished his breakfast started for a walk in the woods in the hope of finding some friend to talk with and as he walked along he met on the shore of a pond the stork resting on one foot the stork was quite willing to answer all the questions which the fox wished to ask and as he had a good deal of curiosity he asked a good many after they had said good morning and talked a little while the fox asked how can you walk on one leg the stork laughed why said she I never do walk on one leg here is the other one tucked up here as she showed it to him drawn away up under her body it rests me to draw one leg up sometimes she explained well said the fox that is a queer way to rest but don't you find it rather hard to manage two such long slim red legs your legs are much taller than I am oh no answered the stork now I could wait out ever so far into that pond without wetting my feathers and you with your little short legs would wet your fur coat if you tried to cross a brook but said the fox what do you want such a long broad bill for none of the other birds have one why that is my fishing net exclaimed the stork don't you see I put that way down under the water and when I take it up the water runs out of the strainers here on each side of it but the fish are left and I eat them some animals called men fish with nets which they use in just the way that I fish with my bill the fox was so charmed with his new acquaintance and her instructive conversation that he invited her to dine with him the next day and she very politely accepted the fox went home and while he was thinking what he should have for dinner the next day the thought came to him wouldn't it be funny to play a joke on the stork the more he thought about it the more he wanted to do it and at last although he knew it was not a polite thing to do he decided that he would play the joke and he worked very busily and the next day when the stork arrived he was already he invited her out to dinner and what do you suppose that hungry storks saw why nothing but soup served in flat dishes now you see with her long bill she could not even get her mouth full but had to sit looking on and trying to eat while the fox with his little tongue lapped out all the dishes she saw that he had planned this to tease her without thinking how uncomfortable she would feel having to go without her dinner but she was not in the least angry she tried to be very pleasant and when leaving invited the fox to dine in on a certain day with her she thought that the best way to punish him for his joke was to let him feel too how uncomfortable it is to go without one's dinner when one has been invited to take it with a friend but what do you think she did I free you could never guess so I shall have to tell you on the day that she planned to have the fox to dinner she rose early and flew about a great deal so as to have everything ready by the time he arrived and when she asked him to her table I fear that he felt very much as the stork did when she saw his there was no soup in flat dishes this time but instead there was some very nice chopped meat which the fox was very fond of but it was served in tall narrow-necked bottles and the fox could only look at the meat he could not eat it for his nose was too short so he hooked down into the bottles the stork seemed to enjoy her dinner very much indeed those bottles were well suited to her bill and when she had finished she smiled and said I hope you enjoyed dining at my table as much as I did at yours the other day the fox felt very much ashamed and when he left he said he wished very much that she would come to dinner with him once more he would try to make it pleasant for her she consented and at that dinner the fox was careful to serve what was meant for the stork in long-necked dishes and only his own dinner in the shallow plates End of Chapter 10 Recording by Ruth Lagrano Chapter 11 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a leverbox recording all leverbox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit leverbox.org Recording by Charlie Data Chapter 11 Tim's Cat Tim was a little boy with blue eyes and brown hair and such rosy cheeks that grandma used to say he put her in mind of the winter apples that were gathered on her farm in the fall Tim was quite a little man he had worn knee pads for a whole year and the next winter he was to have boots rubber boots so that he might go to kindergarten even if it did snow Tim's birthday had come he was six years old grandma, grandpa, uncles, and aunts had sent him a number of presents but the only one that pleased the little boy most was Papa's gift and what do you think it was? a kitten a soft white fluffy little thing where to look like a ball of cotton as it lay asleep in its basket Kitty had to have a name and after many talks with mama and papa about it Tim thought fluff would be just the thing so nice and soft so Kitty was named fluff fluff was a wonderful cat you should have seen her skip and jump in a short time she followed Tim just like a little dog and when Tim whistled for her you should have heard Tim whistle fluff would come to Tim as fast as she could fluff had quite a number of play things but the one she loved best was a ball tied to a string she would take her paw and bat at it to and throw jump and try to catch it and have lots of fun one day as fluff was playing with the ball Tim who used his eyes learned something fluff had only four toes on each hind foot Tim thought it very funny indeed he knew that he had five toes on each of his feet and five fingers on each of his hands so away he ran to tell papa about it why Tim said papa bats only have four toes on each hind foot and five toes on each front foot then said Tim they have 18 toes instead of 20 yes said papa bring fluff to me and let us look at her paws Tim put fluff on papa's knee and papa told Tim to squeeze her paws gently why said Tim here are five sharp claws yes said papa within soft paws sharp claws are found fluff thought Tim wanted to play so she made believe to bite him for fun oh oh said Tim as soon as fluff heard Tim's voice she started to lick his hand my said Tim how rough her tongue is I wonder what makes it so rough you know how sharp fluff's teeth are Tim all animals that have claws and sharp teeth like live on meat are flesh eating animals now about fluff's tongue run to the kitchen and ask mama for some milk while I mine fluff Tim started and before papa could take hold of fluff the kitten was at Tim's heels and went into the kitchen too but she came back when Tim did and was very glad to get some nice sauce of milk which Tim's mama had given him for her how quickly fluff drinks her milk said Tim that is because her tongue is full of little cups that are so small we can't see them said papa when fluff put her tongue in the milk the little cups get full and so kitten is able to drink her milk quickly these same little cups made her tongue so rough when she licked her hands a few minutes ago suddenly fluff who had seemed to be fast asleep on papa's knee sprung up and jumped through the hole after a piece of straw that was blown about the yard I never thought fluff could get through that hole said Tim suppose she had stuck fast fluff knows better than that answered papa how can she tell exclaimed Tim why my boy that is what her whiskers are for if fluff can get her whiskers through any place she is pretty sure to get her whole body through too her whiskers are to her what our fingers are to us she feels with them this time fluff had come back and she stretched herself on the rug at Tim's feet watch fluff's eyes Tim said papa and tell me how they look why I said Tim the little opening in the center of the eyes is long and narrow not round like ours that little opening is called the pupil said papa and now Tim go and play with fluff as I have letters to write away ran Tim for a rump in the garden with fluff who was as lively as possible when Tim was older his papa gave him a dog and his uncle sent him a pair of rabbits but there was no pet so dear to Tim as fluff End of Chapter 11 read by Charlie Data Chapter 12 When Stanley went out to Brookline to live it was late in the fall the trees had on their bright dresses and the nuts were dropping fast the little boy was very fond of nutting every day he added to his store in the attic and talked of the fine times he and grandpa would have cracking the nuts on winter nights one day mama saw him dragging his little express cart up the avenue laughing and shouting with delight oh mama he cried bursting into the parlor I did find such a heap of nuts right in the hollow tree low down why they almost filled my cart mama told Stanley to take off his coat and cap and put them away then he climbed up into her lap and they sat looking into the fire such a lot of nuts sighed the little man won't grandpa be glad I wonder how they got there so many nuts in a heap said mama dropped down from the tree didn't they I don't believe so many nuts could drop in a heap just there replied mama perhaps some other little boy put them there I think some other boy would carry them home just as my Stanley did why who did and Stanley's voice was perplexed it must have been a little gentleman in a brown striped dress who lives in a tree do you mean the squirrels mama yes the squirrels I think Mr. Chippy and his little mate gathered those nuts and laid them away for the winter with the greatest care I can hear Chip say see what a fine supply we shall have this winter for our four babies now they won't have any Stanley's voice was most sober if you find another squirrel's storehouse remember the hungry babies that must be fed just then the little boy's nurse came to call him to supper the next morning Stanley was seen trotting down the avenue dragging his cart behind him about half an hour later he ran into his mama with such a happy face I put every single nut back he cried with dancing eyes now the squirrel babies won't be hungry will they wasn't it a good plan mama a very good plan I think replied mama wouldn't it be a good plan to put some corn in the hole too an excellent plan Stanley asked Jonas to give you half a dozen of the small ears so Stanley added the corn to the squirrel's hoard one day he saw Mr. Chippy on the bow overhead with a piece of the cob between his little paws a bright-eyed squirrel came down near him and the two chattered away see that kind little boy down there my dear he is the one who put our nuts back and gave us this delicious corn this is what mama thought the squirrel might have said End of Chapter 12 Chapter 13 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Betty B Chapter 13 A Story in a Cup of Coco by Alice Mae Douglas I never saw such an old world as this is said Miles seems to me I've heard all the stories there are in this world and I'd like to move to another why I know the whole of Mother Goose and I can say almost every story in our reader by heart why Miles I am surprised exclaimed mama this world is full of stories you can find a story in everything in this world suppose you begin with a cup of cocoa you are drinking but mama that can't tell me a story laughed Miles oh no replied mama but I can tell you the story it is this one beautiful morning a sweet boy baby came to live in this world he came to a home in Venezuela that very day his papa was starting a cocoa plantation he planted the beans from which he was to get his cocoa in a nursery not in the baby's nursery but in a place where young plants spend their first years until they are old enough to go out into the world as the papa placed plantin leaves over the cocoa beans he said ah here is the bean which I have not planted yet I will plant this bean by itself and call it baby's plant I will see which grows the faster baby or the plant seven days later the baby's papa visited the nursery and saw that the cocoa bean had sprouted he also visited baby's nursery and he declared that baby smiled at him the plant and the baby are both growing very fast he said two years later the papa was holding baby one day and the darling jumped out of his arms and rushed into the garden the pet is quite a child now said the papa of course I can't keep him in one place I suppose my cocoa plant wants to be moving about also now that it is two years old I will go and see it so the papa took baby's cocoa plant and all the other cocoa plants and planted them out of Doris he watered them carefully for two years and a half then they began to blossom and the finest blossoms were on baby's plant or rather on baby's tree four months later the blossoms turned into fruit in due time baby's papa gathered the fruit it was about an inch long and of a violet color the fruit had white meat and contained 25 seeds baby had the first cup of cocoa that was made from those seeds and who knows but that you are drinking the last perhaps I am said Miles End of Chapter 13 Chapter 14 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Chapter 14 Pauly's Clock by Mary C. Sol this clock was a real friend to little Pauly and probably you suppose it was in her home but no it was not one of those little mantle clocks that tick so very fast that they seem to say not tick tick but quick quick or time flies time is passing neither was it a tall old-fashioned clock much taller than Pauly herself with a round rosy face and large figures which tell the time neither was it a clock with a cuckoo coming out every hour this friend of Pauly's was on the steeple of a town hall near her house and the hands were so large and the figures so clear the one could see the time even if he were off in the hills which surrounded the town and at night an electric light burned behind the clock face and made the figures as plain as in the daytime Pauly's friend saw much that was going on in the world for the town hall stood opposite the church and behind the church was a large school house and the hands pointed to 12 o'clock such a troop of noisy children as passed up the street and on Sunday when the church bell began to toll the clock looked down on old and young going to the service many in the morning on weekdays came men with dinner pales going to their work and sometimes at noon boys and girls carry these pales to their fathers in the shops that they might have a warm dinner in winter the slaves went flying by right under the clock and the bells tinkled merrily as if to say we can make music too old clock even who can't make it every hour in the summer the carriages passed under the clock the horses with their fly nets on while the sun poured down on the people's heads the clock to Pauly seemed to say never mind black beauties when my hands point straight down at you at half past six the air will be cooler the bank was next to the town hall and so the clock saw money going in and out although of course it couldn't see the bank bills and the silver dollars that the people put in their pockets every Thursday morning a team came from one of the factories and carried away a big bag of money which was to be paid to the workmen Pauly used to watch all these things that the clock saw and she would look up to see what it was thinking about for to Pauly with a childish imagination the clock seemed a real person and its round glass face was her friend's face if you have never seen an illuminated clock you would have been surprised indeed to look from the window in the evening and see the dark street the stars up above and between them this round face hung in mid-air now Pauly, as I told you, had much imagination perhaps she had a little more than most children she saw many things in her mind and the longer she watched the clock the more friendly it grew to her if she so far forgot herself as to make up a face when the weather was stormy and she could not go out to play she would look up at the clock and his calm face seemed to say for shame Pauly, you making up a face at this nice rain which is going to make your flower seeds grow when your papa's lettuce come up for shame to put on a pouting face because you can't go out what do you think of me I can never go down in the street to look carefully at the pigeons picking up their crumbs I always have to look at them from way up here and you can do as much as that today by looking out of your window why, you can stand at your window and see enough to make any girl happy suppose that I should put on a rye face because I am out in the rain with the drops splashing against my face what would you think and what would the children think as they hurried along to school this was a long speech for the clock to make and Pauly was glad that it stopped to strike the hour for she felt a little ashamed of herself and by the time the clock had finished striking her face had cleared one day little Pauly could not see her old friend as she looked out of the window nothing had happened to the clock I can assure you the trouble was with Pauly herself her eyes were full of tears and yet if you had known what was the matter you could not have felt so very very sorry for her for though Pauly was usually a brave girl and seldom lost her temper today she was crying more for temper than for sorrow no, the old clock looked as kind and amiable as ever and yet Pauly did not see her friend if she had I'm sure it would have brought back her better self at once Pauly only cried and cried and complained about her seatmate at school who had done something which made Pauly angry it was only a slight thing but Pauly let it fret her and the more she thought about it the worse she felt but her friend the clock was to be the good angel to bring her to herself while Pauly had been crying it had been growing dark and as she wiped her eyes and happened to look toward the window the face of the clock became bright from the electric light behind it and Pauly clapped her hands with the light why you dear old friend what am I thinking of crying in this way and you seeing me I am ashamed indeed and Pauly wiped her face and tried to smile and I know what you're going to say to me old clock she added you want me to go and make up with my seatmate and I mean to at once and as if to say yes the clock struck one for the half hour I knew you would say yes said Pauly and you are a friend worth having for your face always seems to show me the brightest side of everything End of Chapter 14 Recorded by Ruth Lagrano little Marjorie came running into the house one cold November morning her cheeks aglow and her eyes big with wonder oh mama she cried what do you think I saw a dear little squirrel out in the woods picking up beach nuts and he ate them whole mama and then ran away and she cried what do you think I saw a dear little squirrel out in the woods picking up beach nuts I saw a dear little squirrel mama and then ran away as fast as he could what made him do so mama smiled at her daughter and said Marjorie if you will take off your bonnet and cloak we will sit by the fire and I will tell you a story about the squirrels so Marjorie ran to put away her wraps and in a few minutes was causally huddled in mama's lap to listen out in the woods began mama in a hollow tree a little house where lives a very happy family consisting of papa squirrel mama squirrel and their two children fly and fleet the door of their house is a hole in the side of the tree and just inside they have a cozy parlor carpeted with the softest leaves and a storehouse where they store away food for the long winter all through the summer papa and mama squirrel with fly and fleet played merrily in the woods running on the ground climbing trees jumping about on the branches and scampering very fast to their snug home at the sound of dogs or mischievous boys at night they slept safe and warm on the soft carpet of their parlor and so the weeks and months of summer passed quickly by and autumn came one morning papa squirrel went out to take a run before breakfast he found something white spread over the ground the air was not soft and warm put raw and chili and it stung his toes as he ran along so he hurried home and said to mama squirrel my dear jack frost has come and we must all go to work with a will for he has shaken the nuts from the trees and if we do not gather them before he brings the snow we shall have nothing to eat during the cold winter the ground is covered with frost already so after they had breakfasted on a few old nuts papa squirrel mama squirrel fly and fleet started gaily out to find their winter store of food they did not need to carry bags as you have to do when you go nutting for right inside their cheeks were little pockets made on purpose to carry nuts they all scampered to the nearest nut tree and each squirrel worked busily until he had filled his pockets just as full as he could and his cheeks stuck out big and round on either side then he ran and emptied the nuts from his pockets and a pile on the ground in front of his house then with a sharp teeth he gnawed the hard shell from the nuts and put the clean white meats away in the little storehouse so they all worked busily till the sun sank low in the west and they were so tired that they were glad to go into their house and sleep soundly till the morning many days through the chilly autumn they worked until at last their storehouse was filled with walnuts and beech nuts and papa squirrel said now we have enough food to last through the winter and we can rest that very night papa squirrel waked from his sleep and heard the wind blowing and thought to himself we shall soon have snow and sure enough when he went to the door to look out in the morning the ground was covered with snow snowflakes were flying in the air and the wind was blowing a big drift right up in front of their door oh said mama squirrel I'm so glad we have gathered our nuts yes said papa and we are warm and comfortable now we can take a long nap and when we wake up hungry we shall have plenty to eat and fly and fleet danced about on the soft leaf carpet of their parlor and cried what a nice home we have little Marjorie lifted two shining eyes to mamas when the story was finished and said that was such a nice story mama I did not know that the squirrels had a home does the good father who gives me my home take care of the squirrels too yes said mama God cares for everything that he has made and the squirrel that I saw in the woods was putting the beach nuts into his pockets to take home isn't it funny said Marjorie End of Chapter 15 Recording by Nan Dodge Chapter 16 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Betsy Walker The Robin's Home by Evelyn Lincoln One day in the springtime when the little flowers were waking up Mr. Robin called to Mrs. Robin who was sitting high up in the apple tree He said, come, let's sing a song and then begin to build a nest in this apple tree The song was full of sweet notes and dainty trills and Mr. Robin ended up with cheer up, cheer up Then they flew all around the tree to find the safest place for their little home No, this place will not do, saying Mrs. Robin for it is too low It is cozy, turning her gray head about but the cats can come up here Another place that Mr. Robin liked was too far out on a branch where the wind could blow their nest off on the ground Such a pretty place as they chose at last not too far out on a branch They had a beautiful time building the little home They looked all over the fields for twigs and dried leaves They flew to the barnyard near the apple orchard and found ever so many long horse hairs that had come out of Tom's and Dobbin's tails In the farmhouse yard they got some nice feathers and pieces of string and from the woods some moss All these things they carried one by one in their strong bills to the tree working and tugging away until the nest was done Oh, how soft and round and cozy it was The sticks, leaves and string made the outside firm and strong The horse hair, woven round and round with the moss and feathers in it made the inside nice and warm for Mother Bird and for something that came in at one day If we could have looked in the little home that day we should have seen three pretty little blue eggs lying close together Mr. and Mrs. Robin were very happy Mrs. Robin would not leave the nest but sat on the eggs to keep them warm while Mr. Robin sat near her on the tree and sang his sweetest song Then he spread his wings and flew away over the treetops When he came back he had something nice in his mouth for Mother Bird to eat Sometimes Father Bird sat on the nest so that Mother could stretch her wings and fly away through the air One day when Mother Robin was on the nest she heard a faint peep peep and looking down she saw a little bird under her warm breast Soon another peep peep and a second little bird was out Then she heard a gentle tap tap against the shell of the third egg so she tapped on the outside of it and out came a very small bird She cuddled them under her nice and warm for they were not very strong and she did not wish them to catch cold But in a little while they began to grow stronger because their father and mother had taken good care of them They began to move about and tried to hop while in the nest but they fell over each other So finally one day Harry who had come out of the shell and said peep peep first said peep peep again very loud Oh don't exclaim Fluffy the last one out you will fall You see Harry meant to tell his brother and sister that he was going to hop up on the side of the nest Up he went and back he fell into the nest for he had looked down through the leaves on the tree to the ground Oh it seemed miles and miles away and made him dizzy The next day he wanted to try again So he and Reddy hopped up out on the branch Poor little sister Fluffy was frightened and screamed peep peep peep The two brothers had just stretched their wings out to try and fly like father Wait a few days little bird's mother said your wings are not strong enough yet They hopped back into the little home again and father brought Fluffy a pretty red cherry to eat Soon after all this all three hopped out but when a big dog said bow wow under the tree they went back again as fast as they could go When mother bird came home that day she sat on the edge of the nest and told her children that they must learn to use their wings The dog had gone into the house the cats were not in sight and now was a good time to try Father bird sat on the other side of the nest and showed them how to raise their wings to beat against the air Harry was out first He raised his wings and let himself go Down he fell on the lower branch Oh it was such fun he called out to feel yourself going through the air Reddy and Fluffy were not in so much haste and learned to fly sooner than Harry who tried again and landed on the ground beneath the apple tree Father and mother bird shrieked cheap cheap which meant lift your wings and come back quickly They flew down to him and begged him to try but poor little Harry was so tired that he could not stir Oh dear said mother what shall we do Just then a big man came into the orchard and hearing the bird's call he looked to see what was the trouble He found Harry on the grass Poor birds were more frightened than ever but lifting the little bird very gently the man put him on a branch of the home tree When he was rested he flew up to the nest again Father, mother, Reddy and Fluffy were so glad to have him home again that they sang and peeped Then he cuddled down in the warm nest and was soon fast asleep End of chapter 16 Chapter 17 of The Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Betty B Chapter 17 Grandma's Thanksgiving Story by Alice Lotherington It was getting toward bedtime in the house on the hill and the children had gathered about the fire for a talk with Grandma before going to bed Listen said Willie how the wind blows down the chimney I think Jack Frost must be out tonight Just then Jane came in to put coal on the fire and told the little folks it was snowing Hurrah! cried Joey We'll have snow for Thanksgiving Won't that be jolly? Boy said Sister Nettie as she looked at the clock only 20 minutes more before bedtime If we don't look out it will be too late for Grandma's story and you know we don't want to miss that Indeed we don't said the boys and they drew their chairs closer while little Bess nestled in Grandma's lap What shall the story be about, dears? asked Grandma A Thanksgiving story please answered Joey a really and truly one I'll tell you about a Thanksgiving long long ago said Grandma after a minute's thought Were there any little boys and girls in the story asked Bess? Grandma nodded Once upon a time many years ago there were a number of people who lived in a country called England These people, Puritans they were called were not happy in their old home so they thought that they would come over the big ocean and make another home for themselves in the new world which a man named Christopher Columbus had discovered a long time before The name of the new country was America Now these people had two ships named Speedwell and Mayflower in which they were to sail across the ocean to their new home Just as they were about to start it was found that the Speedwell was not fit to go so far so all the people had to go in the Mayflower One beautiful morning in September after bidding their friends goodbye the little band set sail in the Mayflower For four long months they were upon the ocean but at last they landed on the shore of Massachusetts in December 1620 It was bitter cold so the men left the women and children on the ship while they went on land to build log houses for their families to live in When springtime came the people planted corn but they planted too soon and Jack Frost came pinched the tiny shoots just coming out of the ground and the corn died Still our friends kept cheerful and made the best of what they had for they knew there was a big ship coming from England with more corn and good things on board but the ship did not come and the store of food got less and less How the people watched for that ship Little children would go down to the shore shade their eyes with their hands and look far over the water to see if the ship was coming One morning someone spied a white sail in the distance which grew larger and larger and at last came to anchor in their harbor How happy the people were for it was the ship which they had been looking for so long There would be plenty to eat now The governor had the church bell rung and all the people big and little gathered together and gave thanks to God for sending food to them You may be sure that there were good dinners cooked that day and all the boys and girls had as much as they could eat When the next spring came the people were careful not to plant the corn too soon so Jack Frost could not hurt it and in the fall they reaped a good harvest and had plenty of corn for the next winter Is that a really and truly story grandma asked best? Yes dear, answered grandma Is that the reason we keep Thanksgiving tomorrow? said Joey Not exactly, replied grandma The president of the United States tells the people to have a Thanksgiving on the last Thursday in November to thank God for the harvest and all the blessings he has given to us for the past year But little folks the clock is going to strike nine so give grandma a kiss and a way to bed and dream of the good time you will have tomorrow with your cousins for you know they are coming to spend Thanksgiving with you End of Chapter 17 Chapter 18 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Betty B Chapter 18 The song they all sang by Anna H. Latel Down in the meadow where all the long day ten little frolicsome lambs are at play lived a happy little river It was very busy all day long and even at night time it did not stop to sleep It was so busy doing kind things and helping others always giving of its water drops to thirsty roots of trees and flowers that it never grew tired It was in this river that speckle, splasher, and shiner three happy little fishes lived They loved their home for the cool shining water drops were such nice playmates as they came rushing down the river all ready for a race and singing all the time Help! Help! They loved to sing that song for they had learned it so well When the fishes heard the song they tried to sing it too On the bank of the river lived a family of beautiful frogs They loved to play with the water drops too and sang just as happy songs Every night all the frogs by the river had a concert Each frog had a shining green coat and a clean white vest Sometimes the little frogs would jump from the bank and splash into the water Then they would leap back all ready to sing another song Down near the bank where the frogs lived were some families of violets buttercups, dandelions, and cow slips They had slept safe and warm during the winter and when they heard the river the frogs and the bluebirds singing they waked up to smile and grow The little lambs and the meadows were very glad to see their friends again They loved to run and play about the meadow and lie down on the green grass One morning Ernest and Ruth came out to the meadow with a little boat and a water wheel The lambs were having such a fine frolic that Ernest and Ruth ran too They went down to one corner of the meadow where a little stream of water was busy hurrying its water drops to the river It was such a little brook that Ruth could easily step across it It was a nice place to sail her boat Ernest fastened his wheel so that the water ran over it and turned it swiftly around While they were busy, the little brook sang all the time and ran on very fast giving a refreshing drink to all the violets and buttercups that live near It sang the same song that the river sang Help, help, help I think I know why Mother says the river sings Help, help, help all the time said Ruth, it does help everyone it meets It helps the flowers grow It gives the lambs, the fishes and the frogs a drink It carries the boats and all the people in them It turns the wheel down at the mill over there Listen, I think the wheel is singing the same song Help, help, help Only it sings it louder than this little brook I'd like to learn that song too Ernest and Ruth went home and they did sing that song Ernest took his little red watering can and gave a drink to the plants on a shelf by the window while Ruth helped her mother who was busy in the sewing room and both went to the garden and planted some seeds and pulled up every little weed they saw Then they tried to think of something else that would help Soon Ernest clapped his hands and jumped saying Oh, I know what to do Mother is too busy to come out to the meadow to see the flowers We can bring them to the house to live with her She will be glad to see them Ernest found a wooden box and took it with them to the meadow while Ruth carried a little trowel They looked around to find a big family of violets With the trowel they gently lifted the whole family and planted them carefully in the box They carried them home and put them by the window beside the sewing machine When mother came in and saw them she was very glad She knew what song Ernest and Ruth were learning to sing She called them and said Do you hear what the flowers said when you brought them here? Oh, I know mother, they did not talk at all But said mother, they did talk to me They are very still when they talk If you listen and think carefully you will learn to hear and understand what they say Ernest and Ruth watched the flowers every day and kept singing their song of Help, help, help One morning they found the pretty purple dresses of the violets very much faded and curled They said, oh mother, the violets are almost dead and I have not found out what they say yet Come and look at them Mama looked with her at them and picked up one little violet whose faded dress had dropped away See said her mother, what a nice little green jacket this violet has It is not dead See its little eye looking at us It is getting ready to go to sleep It goes to bed very early It does not need its purple dress anymore Wake up in the spring next year and have a new dress Every time it wakes up from its long nap it has a new dress When it wakes up you can watch it again and listen to find out what it says End of chapter 18 Chapter 19 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Campbell Shelp Chapter 19 Flower Fairies by Anna H. Little One bright morning in May a little 80-year-old boy was wheeling a baby cab along in the sunshine His baby brother Roy was having a happy time in the cab When he waked from his morning nap Mama had asked Ernest to help her by taking baby Roy riding while little Ruth helped her at home After a long ride in the sunshine Ernest pushed the cab under the shade of a large tree near the stream where his water wheel was fastened and sat down on a large stone by the bank of the stream Baby Roy was fast asleep and it was so quiet Ernest felt quite alone out under the trees all by himself He looked at the violets and buttercups near his feet smiling at him Then he watched the water rushing along so swiftly down the stream He saw some shining little fishes swimming and one jumped up from the water and then fell back again Then two frogs with shining green coats leaped from some hiding place and stood looking at him with their bright little eyes Near them he saw a big white snail moving slowly carrying its pretty shell house along with it on its back The violets, the fishes, the frogs and the snail were all so quiet Ernest said aloud I wish you could all talk to me I have so many questions I would like to ask you and if you could talk we should have such good times Just then a bluebird on a branch above Ernest's head sang such a glad song that the little boy thought the bluebird had understood what he said and was speaking to him He said Good morning, Mr. Bluebird Is your home in this tree? Then the bluebird flew far up in the tree and there Ernest saw a little nest fastened to the tree Mama Bird was there and three little birds Two bushy tails rushed up the tree and Ernest saw two brown squirrels run into a hole in the tree and then turn around and look at him Oh, he said What a nice little door you have to your house I think you have a pretty good home in that tree I wonder if your name is Bushy Tail and if you are the squirrel that gathered nets for the poor lame squirrel who had no nets I wish you could talk to me Then the squirrel began to chatter but Ernest did not understand all he said Baby Roy awoke and while Ernest wheeled him through the sunshine a little leaf flew down and Roy clapped his hands with delight Then a bird flew down and stood still for an instant right in front of Roy and he laughed again to see Birdie come to visit him When they reached home Mama said Ernest, what did you do to make Roy so happy? Oh Mama, it was the bird and the leaf and the sunshine that made him so glad He thought they came just to visit him He laughed just as if they were talking to him Do you think they did talk to him Mama? I wish they could talk I have so many questions which I should like to ask them Mama said When I was out in the garden I saw a fairy in every flower and they talked to me The fairies in the flowers out in the woods will speak to you if you will look and listen So Ernest ran out by the stream again to find the fairies He looked closely at every flower to find the fairy in it and thought, I wonder what Mama meant Then he began gathering a bouquet of flowers to take home to Mama Then he thought, I'll gather a big big bouquet and ask Papa to take it with him to the city tomorrow for those little children who have no flowers but love them so When he took them home Mama said Did you find the fairies? I think I did said Ernest and they said our garden versed to me Kind hearts are the gardens, kind thoughts are the roots kind words are the flowers, kind deeds are the fruits Take care of your garden and keep out the weeds fill fill it with sunshine kind words and kind deeds Love is glad sunshine God sends every hour shines away all darkness and awakens each flower Every violet and buttercup seemed to say to me Take me where I can help make someone glad It made me think of so many things I might do to make the flowers grow in my kind heart garden I thought how God sent sunshine to make flowers grow in the woods and in our heart gardens too If love is glad sunshine then love wakes up all kinds of flowers and helps all good things grow When Papa came home Ernest met him with a smiling face and told him all about the fairies he had found in the flowers All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Of my early days I have only a faint remembrance as I nestled in my bed of moist brown earth surrounded by my brothers, sisters and cousins I learned that there was a beautiful upper world which I should one day see That day came much sooner than I expected A pair of chubby hands dug around us and I and a dozen other young bulbs were suddenly lifted up into the light What a beautiful place the world is There was the smiling September sky bending caressingly over all things Beautiful flowers grew near while from the grove back at the house came the sweet song of a lark The face that bent over me was a dimpled one with blue eyes and smiling scarlet lips Why Myra Erb, what are you doing? And another bright-faced little girl crossed the lawn from the street Something lovely, Irene I'll tell you all about it and you can help if you want to You remember Miss Eden telling us about that little lame girl Maggie Clegg, don't you? Mama said if I wanted some pretty presents for her and Grandpa Smith and cousin Willie who was always sick and lots of other folks I could take up some of these tulips and hyacinths bulbs Are you going to put them in those? Irene asked, pointing to a row of tin cans which had been freshly painted Yes, Papa painted them for me Isn't it nice? Of course Irene's tone was a little doubtful My mama always plants bulbs but she sends away and gets nice ones and puts them in pretty pots Yes Myra nodded her head I haven't money to do that so I will give the very best I've got If the flowers are pretty and there's lots of love goes with them don't you think it will be better than doing nothing? Indeed I do Irene cried I shall be glad to help if you want me to I was planted carefully in a can of rich earth then all the cans were placed close together under an apple tree in the backyard and straw from the stable was heaped over them At first I was inclined to rebel but as I thought about Myra's earnest words I began to understand the pleasure there is in making others happy I resolved to be content feeling that a chance to help in this good work might come to me After a time the nights were frosty We shivered even under our warm blanket of earth and were glad when we were carried by Myra to a shelf in a dark cellar Here we stayed for many weeks with only an occasional watering to relieve the monotony However I was aware that changes were going on I knew that I had thrown out strong roots and I was not surprised when on being carried to the sitting-room I was found to have sent up a slender green chute Very pleasant were the days that followed Placed on a shelf in Mrs. Herb's sitting-room I basked in the sunshine Then I enjoyed the happy home life I lived around the open coal fire I was so impressed with the kindly, helpful spirit of the family that I tried hard to grow and so fulfill Myra's expectations You may judge of my delight when I heard her tell Irene who often came to see how we prospered that I was budded The next day I was to be taken to Lame Maggie as an Easter gift I was so carefully wrapped from my ride that I did not feel the keen air My first feeling when I reached my new home was one of disappointment The room looked so bare and shabby But when I saw Maggie's thin, pale face glow with delight at the sight of my rich green leaves and large bud I forgot everything but her happiness I was placed on the window sill where the sunshine could reach me After Maggie had been told how to care for me the two little girls sat down and Myra told the sweet story of the Easter Tide I listened reverently and learned of a wondrous life freely given for others Maggie slept late on Easter morning When she was dressed she limped across the room to my side I was so happy for on the top of my tall green stem was opened a cup-shaped flower whose pale yellow petals were barred and dashed with spots of vivid crimson End of Chapter 20 Read by The Story Girl Chapter 21 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Chapter 21 The Foolish Peach Blossom by Helen E. Wright Little Peach Blossom lived in a big brown house in the very center of a queer old orchard There were so many of the Blossom children that they all looked so very much like that scarcely anyone but their own mother could tell them apart They kept her very busy, too, for there were all the dainty pink little dresses to be made every springtime and all the suits of red and yellow and gold to be worn in the summer days when all the little blossoms had grown out of the Blossom hood into great velvety peaches There were the little brown nightcaps to be made ready for the long winter snap when the sweet dreams came After the Blossoms had been sleeping a long, long while there came a day when a strange thing happened How it ever came about I'm sure I don't know But poor little peach blossom awoke a whole month before it was time and there was the blue sky and the orchard trees just as she left them when she went to sleep Oh, cried Blossom It is spring Not yet, sighed the tree Lie still Not yet, murmured the wind and he said all the little brown cradles rocking again Sleep, sleep, sleep chirped a cold little chicken underneath the tree Blossom would not listen Off came her nightcap and down it tumbled to earth and soon she was dancing on a bare brown bow all clad in the sweetest pink But somehow it was lonely there She wished she had not broken the cradle for the other blossoms were still asleep She wished she had not dropped her nightcap for her ears were so cold and the great rough wind tossed her about and tore her dainty skirts Even the cold little chicken was cuddled up beneath his mother's wing Think, said one tree to another as the shadows deepened Think, Jack Frost will come tonight When the sun rose next morning it set millions of tiny frost diamonds sprinkling in its light Oh, see, cry the children how pretty the world looks and our old peach tree has a whole overcoat of frost But they didn't see the one foolish little blossom hanging dead upon the bow End of Chapter 21 Chapter 22 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by SoftStepGD Chapter 22 The Little Seed by Annie E. Pousland Far down in Mother Earth a tiny seed was sleeping safely wrapped in a warm brown jacket The Little Seed had been asleep for a long, long time and now somebody thought it was time for him to wake up This somebody was an earthworm that lived close by He had been creeping about and found that all the seeds in the neighbourhood had roused themselves and were pushing their roots deep down into the earth and lifting their heads up, up through the soil into the bright sunshine and fresh air When the worms saw this little seed still sleeping he cried, Oh, you lazy fellow, wake up All the seeds are awake and growing and you have slept long enough But how can I grow or move at all in this tight brown jacket? said the seed in a drowsy tone Why just push it off? That's the way the other seeds have done Just move about a little and it will come off The Little Seed tried but the tough jacket wouldn't break and all the time the worm was telling him how happy the other seeds were now that they had lifted their heads into the sunshine Oh dear, oh dear, said the seed What shall I do? I can't break this jacket and I shall never see the beautiful sunshine I'm so sleepy I can't keep awake any longer and he fell asleep again The lazy fellow thought the earthworm but it is strange that the other seeds shed their jacket so easily Who could have helped them, I wonder The Little Seed slept soundly for a long while but at last he awoke and found his jacket soft and wet instead of hard and dry he moved about, it gave way entirely and dropped off Then he felt so warm and happy that he cried I really believe I'm going to grow after all Who could have helped me take off my jacket? And who woke me, I wonder for I don't see anyone nearby I woke you, said a soft voice close by I'm a sunbeam and I came down to wake you and my friends, the raindrops moistened your jacket so that you might find it ready to slip off Oh thank you, said the seed you're all very kind Will you help me grow into a plant too? Yes, said the sunbeam I'll come as often as I can to help you and the raindrops will come too and then, if you work hard with our help you will become a beautiful plant, I'm sure But, said the seed how did you know that I was sleeping here? Could you see me? No, said the sunbeam but my father could he looked down from his home in heaven and he saw you far beneath the earth trying to grow and he called the raindrops to him and said one of my seed children is sleeping down there and he wants to grow go down and help him and tell that sunbeams to follow you and wake the seed so that he may begin to grow as soon as he will How kind is he? said the seed If he had not seen me sleeping here I should have always been a brown seed, I suppose Who is your kind father? He is your father too He is everyone's father and he takes care of everybody Nothing could live without him How can I thank him? said the seed What could I do that would please him very much? Grow into just the best plant that you possibly can said the sunbeam That will please him most of all So the seed grew into a beautiful vine that climbed higher and higher towards the heavens from which the father smiled down upon him to reward his labor End of chapter 22 recorded by SoftStepGD Chapter 23 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Jeffrey Wilson Ames, Iowa Chapter 23 The King of the Orchard by Helen Edwards Of all the apple trees in Mr. Campbell's Orchard the Robins preferred the Rambo on the hill behind the house It was tall and strong and the rise of the ground was so great that they could sit in its branches and see far over the treetops to the turn where the river disappeared between the hills It had more blossoms too and sweeter ones than the others so the Robins thought and they made their homes there for many springs The tree seemed glad that the Robins loved it and every year held its head higher and put out more leaves that shaded the nests and if Jack Frost did not nip the flowers bore better fruit each year Mr. Campbell's little grandchildren often played under the trees and they liked the Rambo best too and named it the King of the Orchard They used to watch for the Robins' return in the spring and the birds knew that they were friends and built their nests and sang as if nobody was there When I'm big, said Kate one day looking at the pink and white flowers I'll climb up there and play I'm a fairy princess with a flower garden in the air and I'll be the soldier that guards you, said Dick I'll fly round and round the garden on a winged horse and, yes, Dick a pink horse broke in Kate You can really be riding on a branch covered with pink and white flowers, you know A pink horse, shouted Dick Whoever heard of such a thing My horse is going to be black like old Badger with a white spot on his nose Fairy horses could be any color, said Kate and I want a pink one to match the flowers All right, replied Dick If you let him have green eyes to match the leaves and brown legs to match the branches So the children made their plans But the next winter the north wind came rushing down the valley with such force that it almost snapped the apple tree off at its roots and did tip it over so that it lay along the side of the hill instead of standing straight up as before It will have to be taken away in the spring, said Mr. Campbell I am sorry to lose its fine fruit Oh, our poor tree, said Kate It was such a beauty and what will the robins think when they come back and find it gone? I hope they will know we did not cut it down Spring was a very different thing that year to the injured tree Though it was not broken off completely and though the sap ran out into the branches where it could the tree felt as though it was hardly worthwhile to put out any blossoms down there on the ground Still it tried to keep the apple tree law that each one shall do his part for the spring flower show So one morning when Dick and Kate went to look at their old friend they saw instead of bare dried up branches a mass of beautiful apple blossoms the children clapped their hands for joy and ran to bring their grandfather to see it You'll let it stay, won't you, grandfather? said Kate Of course I will, answered Mr. Campbell Brave old tree Kate decided that the fairy princess would like an apple blossom garden on the ground better than up in the air It was so remarkable and the children had such merry times in the branches that the tree found them even better company than the birds The robins built nearby and sang to their friends day after day and as the summer went on the fairy garden, as Kate called it turned into a fairy orchard whose apples were the best of the year I think our tree is more king of the orchard than ever, grandfather said Dick as he came in his hat and pockets full of fruit and grandfather said he thought so too End of chapter 23 Recording by Jeffrey Wilson, Ames, Iowa Chapter 24 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Campbell Shelp Chapter 24 What the Sun Did by C.A.L Back of Farmer's greenhouse was a large cornfield and as soon as the frost was out of the ground in the spring Farmer Green came with his horse and his plow to get the field ready for planting It did not require very much work after the plowing was done to drop the seed for Farmer Green had a good helper in his little daughter, Nell Early in the morning, just after breakfast, she would fill her apron with corn and he would fill the bag that was slung on his arm and off they would go, dropping a handful of kernels first in this little spot and then in that and regular rows until the whole field had been planted Then the warm rain came and the pleasant sun shone on these little kernels until each burst open its little coat and sent up a shoot of green When the corn was nicely started, the Farmer scattered some pumpkin seed in between the little hills of corn and in a very short time they had sent out little green leaves and a pumpkin vine had begun to grow All this time the good old sun had been warming the apple and pear into peach trees and one morning their old brown branches were covered with beautiful blossoms How very proud they were of their new dresses and sweet perfumes They could not help thinking that the corn looked very plain in its work-a-day dress of green and they tossed their heads and looked up at the blue sky Very soon the playful wind saw how vain the trees were and he would come and shake a shower of pink petals down into the cornfield and then run away again until at last their pretty blossoms were gone and only little tiny green fruits were left in their places Then for a long time the trees were as green as the corn in the pumpkin vines and they forgot to think how pretty they looked but just kept growing day after day and enjoying the pleasant warm weather The corn grew so fast that on very still nights you could hear it crackle Soon it was all in castle and the pumpkin vines had big yellow blossoms Then a funny idea came to the little green peaches and pears and apples into the tiny little green pumpkins too They thought, now that the sun has been so kind to us all summer kept us warm and bright and smiled at us nearly every day let us do something to help it So the little green peaches smiled back at the sun and the apples and pears did the same and the little green pumpkins kept getting larger and larger and rounder and rounder every day but they took no notice of what the modest grains of corn were doing under their green husks When Farmer Green came to his field one day, what do you suppose he saw? Each little peach was round and yellow like the sun Each harvest apple and pear had taken on golden hues and the pumpkins had tried so hard to outdo all the rest that they were of a deep orange color On a dark day when the rain berries had hung a curtain in front of the old sun the yellow pumpkins were almost brilliant enough to take its place They looked so bright and cheerful The corn too had not been ungrateful for within its green husks Farmer Green found that the corn was yellow too End of Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Chapter 25 The Swallows Goodbye by Josephine Jarvis One pleasant autumn day Father Swallow said to his pretty mate My dear, it is time for us to be getting ready to go south The nights are chilly already and some of us will take cold if we do not go where it is warmer There is to be a meeting of swallows today to decide when we shall start Mother Swallow looked serious at this I know we ought to go, said she But I shall be sorry to leave those kind children who bring bits of bread and meat out here for us to eat To be sure we can find enough food for ourselves but it is pleasant to have a little gift now and then Do you remember too the time they tried to make a nest for us? They thought it just as good as if a bird had made it But I would not have trusted myself to say nothing of our precious eggs and baby birds in such a nest Besides, I prefer a nest in the barn But the children meant it all kindly Indeed they did, said Father Swallow And I really think that they will be sorry too about our leaving them But we shall see them again in the spring Yes, said Mrs. Swallow, brightening And we will not forget them But my dear, I see that the other swallows are already gathering At this, Mr. Swallow flew off as fast as he could go And that is very fast indeed, as you know if you have ever watched a swallow fly When Mr. Swallow came home, he told his mate that they must start southward the next week I wish we could let those little children know that we are going, said Mrs. Swallow I think they will find out about it, Mr. Swallow replied They are out of doors so much that they will see us when we all meet together on the barn roof The children did see the meeting and were very much interested Before joining the company, Father and Mother Swallow and their young ones Darted here and there in front of the farmhouse, chirping, good-bye And the children waved their little hands and called out an answer Good-bye, good-bye, come back again in the spring End of Chapter 25 Chapter 26 of the Mermaid's Message and Other Stories This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Campbell Shelp Chapter 26 The Willow's Wish by Kate L. Brown When the autumn came the willow tree felt sad and uncomfortable It saw the maple in a gorgeous robe of red and gold, while the oak stood proudly dressed in terracotta Even the walnuts and chestnuts were fine in garments of sunny brown and gold The willow sadly rustled its thin foliage inside bitterly What an ugly old tree I am, it said My trunk is clumsy and twisted, my branches have no grace In the autumn time when every other tree is fairly flaming My leaves are just a sickly faded green Some it is true, have a golden edge, but that hardly shows I believe I'll stop growing When I was younger I did not mind my clumsiness so much Now that I am old I see plainly that I am indeed a poor thing Oh dear, oh dear, peeped the birds perched upon its branches Don't get blue, dear old friend, what should we birds do without you? As long as I can remember we have rested in your branches on our way south every fall And again in the spring as we returned north No other tree would seem so cozy Well I thank you, said the willow That certainly makes me feel better Let me say one word, came from the grass below Where a late wild forget-me-not was nestling We flowers could not do without you You are a strong, grand friend You spread your branches over us, keeping away the rough winds Your leaves drop down and cover us with a warm blanket when it is time to go to sleep I'm sure the cows in summer would miss your shade And the bees in spring the nectar in your blossoms Would not the children miss you too? Think of the hundreds of whistles that have been made from you Are you tired of being the friend of all so many years? No, no, said the tree very quickly I am much ashamed of myself, please forget my grumbling Goodbye, said the birds, we will come again Goodbye, dear willow Goodbye, said the forget-me-not Throw down my blanket for I grow sleepy Cheer up, old friend When the birds came back in the spring the willow was again clothed in gold From every twig hung its lovely catkins Scattering their yellow pollen And filling the air with fragrance The early bees were there having a feast And a whole row of children sat on the fence laughing And blowing their newly-made whistles Isn't the old willow lovely? said one little girl looking upward It is all gold, said another See the pollen floats down And the bees, they are just covered with gold too What did I tell you? said the birds Why, this is just my spring dress that I have on every year, said the willow I am glad if it is lovely I believe I did complain last fall It was very foolish You are all right, peeps the birds So we can leave you with easy minds Goodbye