 The Buckwheat, by Hans Christian Andersen. This is the LibriVox Recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Buckwheat. Often, in passing by a field of buckwheat after a thunderstorm, we see it all look quite black and drooping. We might almost think a flame of fire had swept over it, and it is then that the farmer is used to say, ah, the lightning has done all that to it. But why has the lightning done all this, will be asked, perhaps by some solitary traveller, who seeks a natural cause, or at least a simple reason, for all that nature does. I will now tell you what the house-barrow told me about it. The house-barrow had it from an old willow tree that once stood, and indeed is now standing, close by just such a field of buckwheat. It is a large, grave willow tree, mulled and rich in years, that seems to have burst in the middle, and from whose gaping clefts grow the grass and the bramble, and seem quite at home there. Its trunk bends over very much, as if it wanted a prop, and its branches hang down to the ground, like long green hair. On all the fields round about grew beautiful grain, rye and barley and oats, yes, the pretty oats, which, when they are quite ripe, look just like a flight of little cannery birds on a bow. The growth of the corn had been blessed, and the heavier it was, the more humbly the good plant bowed its slowly head. But there was a field of buckwheat, too, and this field stretched its health out on one side till it reached the old willow tree. The buckwheat did not bow its head at all, like the other sorts of corn, but towered up in the air as proudly and stiffly as it could. I am as rich as the greatest of them, it said, and much prettier, too. My flowers are as beautiful as the rosy apple blossom, and the delightful treat it is to look at me and my companions. Do you know of anything more beautiful, more noble, or, in short, anything that can vie with us, you old dreamy willow tree? And the mould-ring stem nodded its mossy head as if to say, oh, yes, indeed, that I do. But the buckwheat tossed up its head in pure disdain and said, the foolish tree, he is so old that grass and weeds are creeping out of his body. In the meanwhile a very heavy storm came on. All the flowers of the field folded their leaves together, or modestly bowed their tender little heads to the ground whilst the wind whistled over them. The buckwheat was the only one that stood sorsily erect in its pride. Bend down as we do, whispered the other kind flowers. What need have I to do that? said the buckwheat, who would not easily be taught. Bend down as we do, cried the corn. The angel of the storm is coming. He has wings that reach from the highest cloud to the bottom of the lowliest veil, and he will dash you down before you can ask him to have pity on you. Once for all I will not make so little of myself, answered the buckwheat. Shut up your flowers and draw in your leaves, said the cautious old willow tree. Look not up at the lightning when the cloud opens. Even men dare not do so, for when it lightens they can see quite through into heaven, though the light strikes them blind. What then would not befall us, the herbs of the field, if we in our littleness dare to do so? In our littleness, echoed the buckwheat mockingly, No indeed, I will look straight through into heaven. And he did so in his guilty pride. It lightened so brightly that the whole world seemed to be in flames. As soon as the storm had raged its last, the flowers and the corn were seen standing in the still pure air, refreshed with the rain, and happy as the spring. But the buckwheat, the poor buckwheat, had been burned as black as a coal in the lightning. It was nothing more now than a dead, useless wheat of the field. And the old willow tree waved its branches in the wind, and large drops of water fell from the green leaves as if the tree were weeping, and the sparrow said, Why do you weep? It is so beautiful here. Look how the sun is shining and the clouds sailing along. Do not you breathe the sweet scent of the flowers and the bushes? Why do you weep, then, you old willow tree? And the willow tree told of the pride and the haughtiness of the buckwheat, and of the punishment which, sooner or later, always follows upon crime. I, who now tell this story over again, had it from the chattering sparrows. They twittered it to me one evening, when I asked them for some pretty tale. End of the Buckwheat by Hans Christian Andersen Read by Sonja Cats and Dogs Author Unknown This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Read by E.J. Wally Cats and Dogs Such a snowy day as it was. Rob stood at the window with a frown on his forehead, for it was not this the day on which he and Will and Jack and Ned were to go after school to Long Lake Skating. It was only the day before this that the ice had been pronounced strong enough to be safe, and here it was snowing as if it never meant to stop. It was too bad. To be sure, Rob had been able to skate nearly every day for a fortnight, but that was only on the Meadowbrook, a mere puddle, he said, in comparison with Long Lake, where one could go three miles without a curve where they could find plenty of dead wood about the shores to build fires with. But there seemed to be no help for it. The snow came down thicker than ever. It must have commenced soon after dark the night before, for it was now more than a foot deep. Well, there is one comfort anyway, thought Master Rob, as he turned from the window. I can't go to school, and so I shall have a holiday. What shall I do? Shall I work with my tools, or shall I go out to the barn and see the dogs? I think I will go and see the dogs. Rob was a great dog lover, and there was not a dog anywhere about that did not love him. Every friendless cur came to him at once, and found a place in his heart. His father used to say that if he could have had his way he would have more dogs on the farm than all kinds of cattle put together. As it was, he had a good many. First and foremost was Fleet, a great shaggy, scotch-deer-hound, whom he had found sitting thin and unhappy outside the door when stormy winter's day. He was a very different looking dog now. His bones were all covered, and his unhappy days were over. Whenever Rob mounted his pony for a gallop, Fleet was ready to go with him, and many and many was the mile that they had raced along together. But Fleet was the first of many, and they were all in the barn where the Rob was now going. I wonder where Grace is, he said. Perhaps she'd like to go, too. He found Grace down on the floor in front of the kitchen fire, and extended to her the invitation to go with him. She was watching her cat drink a saucer of milk, and did not appear very enthusiastic at the idea. I've seen the dog so many times, Rob, dear," she said. And it is so very stormy, that if you don't mind, I think I won't go. All right, said Rob. The snow is pretty deep, and the paths are only partly made. Would you mind taking Pussy with you? asked Grace. I think she would like to catch a mouse for her breakfast. Not a bit, said Rob. So Pussy was put on his shoulder, and he set out. She seemed to be quite used to being carried in this way, and to find it much better than dragging through the snow, for she balanced herself very nicely as he plunged along through the drifts. He was yet some distance away from the barn when his friends within knew that he was coming, and a course of barks and wines arose. And when he opened the door he was the center of a jumping and whining pack. There were only two old dogs besides Fleet, but there were puppies without number. Jip, a Scotch collie, had six. They were not yet able to leap up and take care of themselves generally, so that in the hurly-burly that took place when Rob came in, they were stepped on a good deal, and there were several loud squeals of pain from them. At this their mother suddenly stopped fawning upon her master and seizing them one at a time in her mouth, deposited them with a little shake in their box, as much as to say, Stay at home, you small puppies. You are much too little to be out by yourselves. Then she settled herself in their midst, beating her tail with great violence on the floor whenever Rob looked her way. When Jip went back to her box the floor seemed quite clear. Two half-grown pups, however, still tumbled over and over one another at his feet. Rob did not waste any time over them, but taking down a stone mug that hung on a nail, he walked around to where the cows stood in their stalls, went to one, and commenced to milk his mug full. Pussy, meantime, jumped off his shoulder onto the cow's back and stood there purring while he milked, apparently regarding the whole proceeding with great satisfaction. The cow did not seem to mind having such a strange rider, no doubt Pussy had been there before. When Rob had filled the mug he held it up and the cat took a dainty sip or two. But the milk she had drunk in the kitchen seemed to have been all that she wanted, so she soon stopped. Just at that moment she caught sight of a rat that was boldly smelling about in a distant corner and giving a flying leap was after him like a dart. But Master Rat had seen his danger, and the last of his tail disappeared through a crack on the floor, just as Puss arrived at the spot. That was a pretty close shave for you, old rat, said Rob, and he picked up the mug, which he had laid down to watch the performance, and going around where he had left the two pups poured some of the milk into a saucer for them. Then he went on to see the last litter of all. The mother was a little Scotch terrier, and her three little puppies were coiled up in a basket of straw beside her. She had not rushed with the others to greet Rob when he first came in, for she had never had puppies before and did not care to leave them for a single minute. She had wind and barked and wagged her little tail with all her might, but leave her puppies she could not. Rob went over to her and took up one of the little fellows in his arms. Saucy, for that was the terrier's name, looked on very anxiously. She did not know what might be going to befall one of her precious children. By and by Rob grew tired of the dogs, so then he strolled over to where John, the hard man, was busy at the hay-cutter. John was not in a pleasant mood this morning, and so Rob, finding the barn grow a little tedious, decided to go back to the house. The snow was still coming down as fast as ever, so he went to the kitchen door and stamped and shook himself clear. Then he opened the door and went in. A bright fire was filling the whole chimney-place with this red glow. He stopped in front of it for a minute to get warm. Then, turning to the old housekeeper, who sat on one side of it, he asked if she knew where Grace was. I think she's in the library, said the housekeeper. So Rob went on to the library, and there he found Grace reading. Let's have some kind of a game, he suggested. Grace was in the midst of a most delightful fairy tale. Wait until I finish this, Rob, dear, she said. It is only forty pages. Forty pages, said Rob, why it will take you an hour. He went out of the room, and I'm afraid banged the door just a little behind him. I'll find Mama, he thought. Mama was easily found. She was sitting in a great high-backed chair in front of the fire with her lap full of stockings, whose holes she was darning. Rob pushed them all out of her lap onto the floor and climbed up in their place. Do tell me a story or something, Mama, he said. What shall it be about? asked his Mama. Dogs, I think, said Rob, after considering a little. Did you know, said his Mama, that dogs were sometimes used instead of horses. Away to the North, where the snow lies deep nearly all year, horses could never make their way. There are no roads, and even if there were, they would be so blocked with snow that no one could find them. So dogs are used. There are a different breed from any here about. Their long, thick coat, which keeps them so warm in the cold winter's nights, would be a dreadful burden in our hot summer. These dogs are taught to haul and harness, and they are very tough and strong, and could go far, further, and more quickly than any horse. They are hitched to a sled, of course, in single file. The sled is made of a long board, turned up at one end for a sort of dashboard. Then, wrapped up in his thick fur rugs, the driver takes a seat on it, cracks his whip, and away they go. Sometimes, though, they do not get away so easily, for some cross dog refuses to have his harness put on, and he has to be beaten thoroughly before he will submit. At times, long trains of dog sledges loaded with provisions set out for some far distant fort. At such times as these, the drivers do not ride, but run alongside on snowshoes. They go at great speed on these, and easily keep up with the dogs. Before daylight, they start out. At noon, a halt is made for an hour, and the men take a scanty lunch. Then they set off again. The twilight comes early in those northern lands, and as soon as it is too dark to see clearly, they halt for the night. The dogs are loose from their harness, and stand around looking on with great interest, for now they are to have the only meal they are allowed in the whole day. Two pounds of dried fish are given to each. It takes them only an instant to swallow it down. Then they walk about a little, hoping perhaps that there may be an unnoticed peace somewhere, or growling at one another, and settling any little disputes that may have risen during the day. But soon they call themselves up into a bunch, and are fast asleep. The men, meanwhile, have been busily at work. One has cut down a tree for wood for fire. Another with his snowshoe has scraped away the snow, so as to leave a large round place in the center of which the fire is made. Then the supper is cooked. This is over, the men smoke their pipes until stories, but before long they wrap themselves up in their robes, and with their feet to the fire go off to sleep. What fun that must be, said Rob. I would like to drive a dog team ever so much. How jolly to go sliding over the snow! It is not such good fun, as you might think, said his mama, for one sits on the very bottom of the sled, and if it goes over any ice hummocks, every jar shakes you, till you feel before night that every bone in your body will drop to pieces. Sometimes, too, the dogs give great trouble. They find out at once whether the person who is driving them knows his business, and if he does not, whoa, betide him. Perhaps, while he thinks all is going on beautifully, they come suddenly upon some gain. The startled deer raise their heads in astonishment for a moment, and then dash away. The sight is too much for the dogs, with barks and howls they dash away after them, in vain does the driver ply his whip. The dogs know that he is a green hand, and on they rush. The deer fly like the wind across the open clades, and through the woods, and after them come the dogs. At last they come too near the edge of some hill. The sled loses its balance and slips, and away they go, dogs, men, and sledge all head over hills, and bring up in some snowbank at its foot. I wonder how the Eskimo and their dogs keep warm in the fearful winters they have, said Rob, as he looked at the blazing fire before him. The men and women are pretty thoroughly clothed in furs, said his mama, and the dogs, as you know, carry their own furs. Besides, their houses are very warm, for they are built of ice, and the dogs, I fancy, share them with their masters. But I should think a house built of ice would be very cold, said Rob. Not at all, said his mama. The Eskimo cut out blocks of snow and ice, and build their homes in the shape of a dome. When it is warm, they leave out one block for a window, but if it be cold, they close it up. But how does the smoke get out, asked Rob. There is not much smoke, said his mama, for they use a sort of lamp to heat the room, and as there is no ventilation, the heat of their bodies, added to that of the lamp, soon makes the house very hot and close. But how do they cook their food, he asked. They very seldom cook it at all, said his mama, but eat it raw. They think there is nothing so delicious as a piece of raw blubber. If a well is thrown up on the beach by any chance, they fall upon it with their knives and eat without waiting for any cooking. Then they cut off what they can and carry it back to their houses. The dogs are always on hand at such times, for in those faraway lands food is not plenty, and the poor beasts often fare scantily. Often the men go to hunt walrus. They make their way out on some frozen bay until they find a hole in the ice, which one of these animals has made in order to come to the top to breathe. Each man has a long spear in his hand and stands motionless with it ready to take the moment the walrus comes to the surface. Pretty soon he comes, down falls the spear and they dine that day on walrus. Well, for my part, said Rob, I am glad that I am neither an Eskimo nor an Eskimo dog. For my part, said Grace, who had come in and had heard the latter part of what her mama had been saying, I prefer cats to dogs. Cats are all very well, said Rob, very sagely, but I fear that most of them deserve the fate of Mother Tabbyskins. Who in the world was Mother Tabbyskins? asked Grace. Did you never hear of her? said Rob. It's a piece of poetry and quite long, but this is a story. Mother Tabbyskins was an old cat and a very wicked one. She used to spend her time in teaching kittens to spit and swear, which of course was very bad. One day she felt very ill and said she was near her end. She got into bed and begged them to send for a doctor. So Dr. Mouse was called in. But Tabby no sooner saw who her doctor was than she recovered at once and swallowed him at a gulp. Very soon after she was taken ill again and wanted the doctor called as before. This time Dr. Dog came. When Tabby saw him she was seized with fear and she had good cause to be for he ate her up in no time just as she had done Dr. Mouse. O Pasha, said Grace. That's just a make-believe story. No real cats do such things as teach kittens to swear. Why, when my pussy has young ones, they're as well-behaved as can be. Often I have seen her box their ears when they didn't do as she wished. Yes, said Rob, but cats never do the clever things that dogs do. There are lots of stories telling of how they have saved their master's lives. When some sudden snowstorm has come on the moors and persons have lost their way and overcome by the cold have lain down to die. Their dogs have made their way to some house and showing by their actions that their friends were in trouble have brought them help. And only a day or two ago Papa read us out of the paper how a dog caught a burglar. The thief was a fast runner and was getting away from the policemen who was chasing him. Went all at once, a big newfoundland, rushed out from a brewery and seizing the thief knocked him down and stood growling over him until the policeman came up and seized him. Well, cats sometimes do clever things, said Grace. I know of a cat who lived on a farm. She was always fed at noon. To call the men to dinner they used to ring a great bell. Pussy found that this bell meant dinner and so whenever she was hungry she used to go and reach up to it with her paw and ring it. Holo! said Rob suddenly. I do believe it has stopped snowing. Yes, he said, going to the window. It surely has. But the clouds are darker than ever. And there's a sleigh with a man and it stopped at our door. I'm going out to see what he wants. So saying he ran out of the room and seizing his hat from a peg in a haw crammed it on his head and opening the front door ran out on the porch. When he was there he saw that the man in the sleigh was the doctor's man. Are the roads bad? He asked. Yes, said the man. We had to walk all the way but when we left the village they were just getting out the teams to break roads. Where is the doctor? asked Rob. In the house, talking with your father, said the man. Very soon the two gentlemen came out into the sleigh and drove slowly on. While Rob's father went back indoors to work at his sermon for Sunday. How white everything looked. The trees were bent down under their load and on the long hill the houses seemed to be half buried. The clouds were beginning to break away in the west. The storm was without doubt over. Rob stood on the porch undecided what to do. On the hill he could see gangs of men with teams of oxen and heavy sleds breaking the roads. It would have been good fun to have been with them but it was pretty cold work standing still and watching from a distance and he was just about to go in when he saw John come out of the barn leading the two horses each with his harness on. Where are you going John? he called. To the woods for a load of wood called back John who seemed to have recovered his good temper you can come and drive if you want to. Nothing could have been more to Rob's mind than this so dashing into the house for his coat and gloves he ran and clambered up on the sled gathering up the reins ready to start. In a moment they were off the horses stepping along briskly though the snow was deep. Presently they left the highway and turned through a pair of bars into a large piece of woods. The snow had not drifted here at all pretty evenly covering up all the dead leaves and giving little white trimmings to all the tender shoots that raised their heads through it they stopped before a great pile of logs and the man, pushing off the snow with his foot, began to load them on the sled. Hello! said Rob just as the last log was in its place there goes a rabbit I wish I could catch him. I caught many of one How? asked Rob. In traps, said the man I had traps all through the wood I and another lad we made quite a little money one winter selling the game we caught a time like this would be fun for catching rabbits all their food is covered up, you see and they would be so glad to see a nice little sweet apple that they would never stop to see whether there was a trap near it or not What fun it must have been, said Rob Yes, said the man but there was a vast deal of walking to be done some mornings I trapped nearly 10 miles in the spring though we got rather tired of trapping it was much more fun than to go with the men sugaring that was prime they built a log hut for sometimes they had to stay all night we boys used to think that if we could only stay all night we should have nothing more to wish for Did you ever do it? asked Rob oh yes but we didn't care to after the first time for the bunks were very hard and we liked a comfortable bed at home better I was reading a book the other day said Rob and it told about bird catching in the far north it must be exciting work a man sits across a stick on which a rope is tied and then is lowered over the edge of a cliff by his friends on top 1,000 feet clear above the sea if his head should get dizzy and he should fall it would be the end of him he has a basket with him and when he has filled it with eggs the men above let down a light cord to which he ties the basket and so they draw it up again sometimes he lands on a narrow ledge and with a net on a long pole captures the sea birds that fly past that must be exciting enough yes said the man but here we are at home and there is your mama calling you end of cats and dogs author unknown the child and the pine tree by Ethel Arthington Fieldon this is a LibraVox recording all LibraVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibraVox.org many many years ago there was in a distant land a great kingdom which was governed by a powerful ruler who was so constantly waging war with other nations that he was very seldom in his own country this king had a very beautiful wife who was shy and timid and almost afraid of her stern husband he loved her dearly in his rough manner but he never thought that she might be lonely at home alone while he was far away fighting in distant lands once when he returned after a great victory he found that during his long absence his gentle wife had quietly passed away and that a dear baby girl was his own little daughter the king grieved for his wife but after a short time went abroad to other countries fighting always and seeming to forget all about his little baby at home years passed by and the king did not return the baby grew to be a gentle child whose face always wore an expression of sadness for she had never known either father or mother never had a playmate of her own age in all her life and had always lived alone in the cold stone castle which crowned a high hill surrounded by forests these forests were the delight of the child for she knew and loved the first little spring violet which bloomed in the edges of the grim old woods during the long summer days she really lived among the trees until the golden rod and sumac came to tell her that summer was nearly gone and that winter would soon come and shut her up a prisoner in the gray old castle again of all the trees of the forest the child loved one little pine tree best I believe it was because it grew in such a delightful spot with soft green moss all covering the ground underneath it and because it overlooked the distant ocean where occasionally a great ship with white sails would go by the pine tree and the child often talked together and she hurling up in the moss at the foot of the pine would put her arms around its trunk and tell it of her dreams and fancies and the pine would whisper back stories of its own life how on the cold cold winter nights when the ground was all white with snow and the whole world was still the clear stars came out and twinkled in the dark sky and told the little pine stories of other places and the things they saw as they shone down into the different parts of the world so as time went on the child and the pine tree became more and more fond of each other the birds fed out of the child's hand and the frisky little squirrels often played about her without the slightest fear one evening at the close of a hot summer day the child came into the forest intending to stay only a few moments to bid the trees and flowers good night she had never been in the forest at that time before and everything seemed strange she had not gone far however when she heard a voice in the breeze saying to her I am the spirit of the pine tree come little playmate to the gathering of the flowers and leaves and grass the child followed as if she were in a dream when she reached the pine tree there was the most wonderful sight she had ever dreamed of gathered around the little tree were fairies, elves and flower spirits they were all having such a merry time that for a moment she stood unseen watching them while she was standing thus a tiny fairy and a gown a violet petal saw her and at once all the merry party came and took her to a beautiful little throne under the pine tree and bade her sit upon it then suddenly a hush fell upon them all and the spirit of the pine was heard saying this child shall evermore be queen of the trees and flowers she shall never be lonesome again for fairies, elves and sprites shall always be ready to do her slightest bidding her every wish shall be granted and the trees of the forest shall always be her dearest friends when the voice had finished speaking all the fairies danced around the child and crowned her with a crown of violets and put into her hand a golden scepter with a tiny glittering star on the end and after this the child was never lonely again end of The Child and the Pine Tree by Ethel Arthington Fieldon the alphabet was made from just those stories by Radyard Kipling this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the week after Taffy Mai Matoola Mai we will still call her Taffy Best Beloved made that little mistake about her daddy's spear and the stranger man and the picture letter and all she went carp fishing again with her daddy her mommy wanted her to stay at home and help hang up hides the dry on the big drying poles outside their neolithic cave but Taffy slipped away down to her daddy quite early and they fished presently she began to be giggling and her daddy said don't be silly child but isn't it exciting said Taffy don't you remember how the head chief puffed out his cheeks and how the funny nice stranger man looked with the mud in his hair well do I said Taffy I had to pay two deer skins soft ones with fringes to the stranger man for the things we did to him we didn't do anything said Taffy it was mommy and the other neolithic ladies and the mud don't talk about that said her daddy let's have lunch Taffy took a marrow bone and sat mousy quiet for ten whole minutes while her daddy scratched on pieces of birch bark with a shark's tooth then she said daddy I've think of a secret surprise you make a noise any sort of noise ah will that do to begin with yes you look just like a codfish with its mouth open say it again please ah ah ah said her daddy don't be rude my daughter I'm not mean and rude really and truly said Taffy it's part of my secret surprise think do say ah daddy your mouth open at the end and lend me that tooth I'm gonna draw a carp fish mouth wide open what for said her daddy don't you see said Taffy scratching away on the bark that will be a little secret surprise when I draw a carp fish with its mouth open in the smoke at the back of our cave if mommy doesn't mind it would remind you of that ah noise then we can play that it was me jumped out of the dark and surprised you with that noise same as I did in a beavers swamp last winter really said her daddy in the voice that grownups use when they are truly attending go on Taffy oh bother she said I can't draw all of a carp fish but I can draw something that means a carp fish's mouth don't you know how they stand are their heads ruining in the mud well here's a pretend carp fish we can play that the rest of him is drawn here's just his mouth and that means ah and she drew this that's not bad said Tegomai and scratched on his own piece of bark for himself but you've forgotten the feelers that he draws his mouth but I can't draw daddy you needn't draw anything of him except just the opening of his mouth and the feeler across then we know he's a carp fish because the perches and trouts haven't got feelers look here Taffy and he drew this now I'll copy it said Taffy will you understand this when you see it perfectly said her daddy and she drew this and I'll be quite as surprised when I see it anywhere as if you had jumped out from behind a tree and said ah now make another noise said Taffy very proud yah said her daddy very loud hmmm said Taffy that's a mixie noise the end part is ah mouth but what can we do about the front part ear ear ear and ah yah it's very like the carp fish mouth noise let's draw another bit of the carp fish and join him said her daddy he was quite excited too nooo if they're joined I'll forget draw it separate the tail will come first sides I think I can draw tails easiest said Taffy a good notion here's a carp fish tail for the ear noise and he drew this I'll try now said Taffy remember I can't draw like you daddy will I do if I just draw the split part of the tail and the sticky down line for where it joins she drew this her daddy nodded and his eyes were shiny bright with excitement that's beautiful she said now make another noise daddy oh said her daddy very loud that's quite easy said Taffy you make your mouth all round like an egg or a stone so an egg or a stone will do for that you can't always find eggs or stones you'll have to scratch around something like one and he drew this my gracious but a lot of noise pictures we've made carp mouth, carp tail and egg now make another noise daddy sss said her daddy and frowned to himself but Taffy was too excited to notice that's quite easy she said scratching on the back uh what said her daddy I meant I was thinking and didn't want to be disturbed it's a noise just the same it's a noise a snake makes daddy when it is thinking and doesn't want to be disturbed let's make the sshhh noise a snake will this do and she drew this there that's another surprise secret she said when you draw hissy snake by the door in the back cave where you mend the spears I'll know you're thinking hard and I'll come in most mouthsy quiet and if you draw it on a tree by the river where you are fishing I'll know you want me to walk most most most mouthsy quiet so as not to shake the banks perfectly true said degoomai and there's more in this game that you think Taffy deal I would notion that your daddy's daughter has hit upon the finest thing that there ever was since the tribe of tegoomai took to using shark's teeth instead of flints for their spa heads I believe we found out the big secret of the world why? said Taffy and her eyes too shone with incitement I'll show said her daddy what's water in the tegoomai language yeah of course there's river too like the wugai river what is bad water that gives you fever if you drink it black water swamp water yo of course now lurk said her daddy suppose you saw the scratched by the side of a pool in the beaver swamp and he drew the cocktail and round egg two noises mixed yo bad water Taffy of course I wouldn't drink that water because I know you said it was bad but I needed to be near the water at all Taffy drew the snake and the drying pool then she stopped we must make a new picture for that n sound wasn't we shoo shoo said her daddy why it's just like the round egg sound made thin then suppose we draw a thin round egg and pretend it's a frog that hadn't eaten anything for years no said her daddy if we drew that in a hurry we might mistake it for the round egg itself shoo shoo shoo I tell you what we do we'll open a little hole at the end of the round egg to show that the o-noise runs out all thin ooo ooo ooo like this and he drew this oh that's lovely that's better than a thin frog go on said Taffy using her sharp stoop her daddy went on drawing and her hand shook with excitement he went on till he had drawn this don't look up Taffy he said try if you can make out what that means in tegu mai language if you can we found the secret snake pole broken egg by Taffy shoo ya sky water rain just then a drop fell on her hand for the day had clouded over why daddy it's raining was that what you meant to tell me of course said her daddy and I told it to you without saying a single word didn't I well I think I would have known it in a minute but that raindrop made me quite sure you'll always remember now shoo ya means rain or it is going to rain why daddy? she got up and danced around him suppose he went out before I was awake and drawed shoo ya in the smoke on the wall I knew it was going to rain and I take my beaver skin hood wouldn't mummy be surprised tegu mai got up and danced as well daddy's didn't mind doing those things in those days more than that he said suppose I wanted to tell you it wasn't going to rain much and you must come down to the river what would we draw? say the words in tegu mai talk first shoo ya lass ya maru sky water ending river come too what a lot of new sounds I don't see how we can draw them but I do I do said tegu mai just a tender minute Taffy say more today we've got shoo ya alright haven't we but this lass is a teaser la la la and he waved his shark tooth there's the hissy snake at the end and the carp mouth before the snake ass ass ass we only want la la la say Taffy I know it but we have to make la la and we're the first people in all the world who've ever tried to do it Taffy mai well said Taffy yawning for she was rather tired lass means breaking or finishing as well as ending doesn't it so it does said tegu mai to lass means there's no water in the tank for mommy to cook with just when I'm going hunting too and he lass means your spear is broken oh if I only thought of that instead of drawing city beaver pictures for the stranger la la la said tegu mai waving a stick and frowning oh bother I couldn't drawn she quite easily Taffy went on then I have drawn his spear all broken this way and he drew the very thing said tegu mai that's la all over it isn't like any of the other marks either and he drew this now for ya oh we've done that before now for maru mom shuts one's mouth up doesn't it we'll draw a shut mouth like this and he drew then the carp mouth open that makes ma ma ma ma but what about this earthing Taffy it comes out all rough and edgy like a shark tooth saw when you're cutting out a plank for the canoe said Taffy you mean all sharp at the edges like this said tegu mai and he drew exactly said Taffy but we don't want all those teeth only put in two I'll only put in one said tegu mai if this game of ours is gonna be what I think it will the easier we make our sound pictures the better for everybody and he drew now I've got it said tegu mai standing on one leg like a string like fish can we better put a little bit of stick or something between each word so they won't rub up against each other and jostle just the same as if they were scarps oh I'll leave space for that said her daddy and very excitedly he drew them all without stopping on a big new bit of birch bark shu ya las ya maru said Taffy reading it out sound by sound that's enough for today said tegu mai besides you're getting tired Taffy never mind dear we finish it all tomorrow and we'll be remembered for years and years and years after the biggest trees you can see are all chopped up for firewood so they went home and all evening tegu mai sat on one side of the fire and Taffy on the other drawing yas and yos and shoes and she's in the smoke on the wall and giggling together till her mummy said really tegu mai you're worse than my Taffy please don't mind said Taffy it's only a secret surprise mummy dear and we'll tell you all about it the very minute it's done but please don't ask me what it is now or else I'll have to tell so her mummy most carefully didn't and right and early next morning tegu mai went down to the river to think about new sound pictures and when Taffy got up she saw yas las water is ending or running out chopped on the side of the big stone water tank outside the cave um said Taffy these picture sounds are rather a bother daddy is just as good as come here himself and told me to get more water for mummy to cook with she went to the spring at the back of the house and filled the tank from a bark bucket and then she ran down to the river and pulled her daddy's left ear the one that belonged to her to pull when she was good now come along and we'll draw all the left over sound pictures said her daddy and they had a most inciting day of it and a beautiful lunch in the middle and two games of romps when they came to tea Taffy said as that was her name and her daddy's and her mummy's and they all began with that sound they should draw a sort of family group of themselves who they can there was already well to draw once or twice but when it came to drawing it six or seven times Taffy and Tegu Mai drew it scratchier and scratchier till it last the tea sound was only a long thin Tegu Mai this arms out to hold Taffy and Teshu Mai you can see from these three pictures you can see how it happened many of the other pictures were much too beautiful to begin with especially before lunch but as they were drawn over and over again on Birch Park they became planer and easier to let last even Tegu Mai said he could find no fault with them they turned the hissy snake the other way around for the zz sound to show it was hissing backwards in a soft and gentle way they made just a twiddle for E because it came into the pictures so often and they drew pictures of the sacred beaver of the Tegu Mai for the sound and because it was a nasty nasty nosy noise they drew just noses for the N sound till they were tired and they drew a picture of the big lake bike smouth for the greedy G sound and they drew the bike smouth again with the spear behind it for the scratchy herty K sound and they drew pictures of a little bit of the winding Vagai river for the nice windy windy W sound and so on and so forth and so following till they had done and drawn all the sound pictures that they wanted and there was the alphabet all complete and after thousands and thousands and thousands of years after hyelographics and demotics and niloptics and cryptics and qfics and runics and dorics and ionics and all sorts of other ricks and tricks because the wounds and leguces and acunes and repositories of tradition would never leave a good thing alone when they saw it the fine old easy understandable English and the rest of them got back into its proper shape again for all best to learn when they are old enough but I remember taekumai bobsulai and tafimai metulimai and taishumai tovindro and all the days gone by and it was so just so a little time ago on the banks of the big Vagai of all the tribe of taekumai who cut that figure in unremain on merrows down the cuckoos cry the silence and the sun remain but as the faithful years return unwounded sing again come snaffy dancing through the fern to lead the saray spring again her bros are bound with bracken fronds her golden elf locks fly above her eyes are bright as diamonds and bluer than the skies above in moccasins and deerskin cloak and fearing free and fair she flips and lights her little damp wood smoke to show her daddy where she flips for far or very far behind so far she cannot call to him come stay gu maya alone to find the daughter that was all to him end of how the alphabet was made from just so stories by radiat Kipling how the first letter was written from just so stories by radiat Kipling this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to find out how you can volunteer please visit LibriVox.org how the first letter was written once upon a most early time was a neolithic man he was not a jute or an angle or even a Dravidian which he might well have been best to beloved but never mind why he was a primitive and he lived cavily in a cave and he wore very few clothes and couldn't read and he couldn't try it and he didn't want to except when he was hungry he was quite happy his name was and that means man who does not put his foot forward in a hurry but we, o best beloved will call him and his wife's name was and that means a very many questions but we, o best beloved will call her Desu Mai for short and his little girl doctor's name was and that means small person without any manners who ought to be spanked but I'm going to call her Tafi and she was and her own mummies best beloved and she was not spanked half as much as was good for her and they were all three very happy as soon as Tafi got run about she went everywhere with her daddy Tegumai and sometimes they would not come home to the cave till they were hungry and then Desu Mai Tevindro would say where in the world have you two been to to get so shocking dirty really my Tegumai you're no better than my Tafi now attend and listen now one day Tegumai Bob Salai went down to the beaver swamp to the Wagai river to spear carp fish for dinner and Tafi went too Tegumai spear was made of wood with sharks' teeth at the end and before he had caught any fish at all he accidentally broke it clean by jabbing down too hard on the bottom of the river they were miles and miles from home of course they had their lunch with them in a little bag and Tegumai had forgotten to bring any extra spears here's a pretty kettle of fish said Tegumai it'll take me half the day to mend this there's your big black spear at home said Tafi let me run back to the cave and ask mummy to give it to me it's too far for your little fat legs said Tegumai besides you might fall into the beaver swamp and be drowned we must make the best of a bad job he sat down and took out a little leather mendee bag full of reindeer sinews and strips of leather and lumps of piece wax and resin and began to mend the spear Tafi sat down too with her toes in the water and her chin in her hand then she said I say daddy it's an awful nuisance that you and I don't know how to write isn't it if we could then we could send a message for the new spear Tafi said Tegumai how often have I told you not to use slang awful isn't a pretty word but it would be a convenience now that you mention it if we could write home just then a stranger man came along the river but he belonged to a far tribe the Tevaras and he did not understand one word of Tegumai's language he stood on the bank and smiled at Tafi because he had a little girl daughter of his own at home Tegumai drew a hank of deer sinews from his mendee bag and began to mend his spear come here said Tafi so where my mommy lives and the stranger man said ummm deer you know a Tevara silly said Tafi and she stamped her foot because she saw a shoal of very big carp going up the river just when her daddy couldn't use his spear don't bother grown ups said Tegumai still busy with his spear finding that he did not turn around he ironed I only want him to do what I want him to do and he won't understand then don't bother me said Tegumai and he went on pulling and straining at the deer sinews with his mouth full of loose ends the stranger man a genuine Tevara was he sat down on the grass and Tafi showed him what her daddy was doing the stranger man thought this is a very wonderful child she stamps her foot at me and she makes faces she must be the daughter of that noble chief who is so great that he won't take any notice of me so he smiled more politely than ever said Tafi I want you to go to my mommy because your legs are longer than mine and he won't fall into the beaver swamp and ask for daddy's other spear the one with the black handle over our fireplace the stranger man and he was a Tevara thought this is a very very wonderful child she waves her arms and she shouts at me but I don't understand a word of what she says but if I don't do what she wants I greatly fear that that haughty chief man who turns his back on collars will be angry he got up and twisted a big flat piece of bark off a birch tree and gave it to Tafi he did this best beloved to show that his heart was as white as the birch park and that he meant no harm but Tafi didn't quite understand oh said she now I see you want my mommy's living address of course I can't write but I can draw pictures I think shark to scratch with please lend me the shark's tooth of your necklace the stranger man and he was a Tevara didn't say anything so Tafi put up her little hand and pulled at the beautiful bead and seed shark tooth necklace around his neck stranger man and he was a Tevara thought this is a very very very wonderful child the shark's tooth on my necklace is a magic shark's tooth and I was always told that if anyone touched it without my leave they would immediately swell up or burst but this child doesn't swell up or burst and that important chief man who attends strictly to his business has not yet taken any notice of me at all and doesn't seem to be afraid that she will swell up or burst I had better be more polite with Tafi the shark's tooth and she lay down flat on her tummy with her legs in the air like some people on the drawing room flow when they want to draw pictures and she said now I'll draw you some beautiful pictures you can look over my shoulder but you mustn't shovel first I'll draw daddy fishing it isn't very like him but mommy will know because I've drawn a spear or broken well now I'll draw the other spear that he wants the black handled spear it looks as if it was sticking in daddy's back but that's because the shark's tooth split and this piece of bark isn't big enough that's the spear I want you to fetch so I'll draw a picture of me myself explaining to you my hair doesn't stand up like I've drawn but it's easier to draw that way now I'll draw you I think you're very nice really but I can't make you pretty in the picture so you must be fended are you fended? the stranger man and he was a Tawara he thought there must be a big battle going to be fought somewhere and this extraordinary child who takes my magic shark tooth but does not swell up a burst is telling me to call all the great chief's tribe to help him he's a great chief or he would have noticed me look, said Buffy drawing very hard and rather scratchily now I've drawn you and I've put this spear the daddy wants into your hand Justin remind you that you ought to bring it now I'll show you how to find my mommy's living address you go along till you come to two trees those are trees then you go over a hill that's a hill and then you come into a beaver swamp I haven't put in all the beavers because I can't draw beavers but I've drawn the heads and that's all you'll see of them when you cross the swamp mind you don't fall in then our cave is just beyond the beaver swamp it isn't as high as the hills really but I can't draw things very well that's my mummy outside she is beautiful she is the most beautifulest mummy there ever was but she won't be fended when she sees I've drawn her so plain she'll be pleased with me because I can draw now in case you forget I've drawn the spear that daddy wants outside our cave it's inside really but you must show the picture to my mummy and she'll give it to you I've made her holding up her hands because I know she'll be so pleased to see you isn't it a beautiful picture and do you quite understand or should I explain again the stranger man was Atawara looked at the picture and nodded very hard he said to himself if I do not fetch this great chief's tribe to help him he will be slain by his enemies who are coming up on all sides with spears now I see why the great chief pretended not to notice me he feared that his enemies were hiding in the bushes and would see him therefore he turned to me his back and let the wise and wonderful child draw the terrible picture showing me his difficulties to get away and get help for him from his tribe he did not even ask Tafi the road but raced off into the bushes like the wind with the birch bark in his hand and Tafi sat down most pleased now this is the picture that Tafi had drawn for him what have you been doing Tafi said Te Gumai he had mended his spear and was carefully waving it to and fro it's a little arrangement of my own daddy dear said Tafi if you won't ask me any questions you'll know about it in a little time and you'll be surprised you don't know how surprised you'll be daddy promise you'll be surprised very well said Te Gumai he went on fishing the stranger man did you know he was a tevara hurried away with the picture and ran for some miles till quite by accident at the window of a cave talking to some other neolithic ladies who had come in to a primitive lunch Tafi was very like Te Gumai especially about the upper part of the face and eyes for the stranger man always a pure tevara smiled politely and handed Te Gumai the birch bark he had run hard so that he panted and his legs were scratched with brambles but he still tried to be polite as soon as Te Gumai saw the picture she screamed like anything and flew at the stranger man the other ladies at once knocked him down and sat on him in a long line of six while Te Gumai pulled his hair it's as plain as the nose on the stranger man's face she said he has stuck my Te Gumai all full of fears and frightened poor Tafi so that all her hair stand on end and not content with that he brings me a horrid picture of how it was done he showed the picture to all the neolithic ladies sitting patiently on the stranger man here is my Te Gumai with her arm broken here is a spear sticking into his back here is a man with a spear ready to throw and here is another man throwing a spear from a cave and there are a whole pack of people they were Tafi's beavers really but they didn't look rather like people coming up behind Te Gumai isn't it shocking most shocking said the neolithic ladies and they filled the stranger man's hair with mud at which he was surprised and they beat upon the reverberating tribal drums and caught together all the chiefs of the tribe of Te Gumai with the headmans and dolmans or Neguses, wounds and akhunds of the organization in addition to the warlocks Anglicox, Juru men Bonzes and the rest who decided that before they chopped the stranger man's head off he should instantly lead them down to the river and show them where he had hidden poor Tafi by this time the stranger man in spite of being a tewada was really annoyed he had filled his hair quite solid with mud and they had drawn him up down on nobby tebbas they had sat upon him in a long line of six they had thumped him and bumped him till he could hardly breathe and though he did not understand their language he was almost sure that the names the neolithic ladies called him were not ladylike however he said nothing till all of the tribe of Te Gumai was assembled and then he led them back to the bank of the Waghai river and there they found Tafi making daisy chains Tafi said, Tafi why did you bring so many people daddy, this is my surprise are you surprised daddy very, said Te Gumai but it has ruined all my fishing for the day why the whole dear kind nice clean quiet tribe is here Tafi and so they were first of all they walked they should walk first of all they walked Te Shumai Tevindro and the neolithic ladies tightly holding on to the stranger man whose hair was full of mud although he was a Tewara behind them came the head chief the wise chief the deputy and assistant chiefs all armed to the upper teeth the headmans the heads of hundred the platofs with their platoons and the dolmens with their detachments wounds, neguces and akhuns the rear still armed to the teeth behind them was the tribe in hierarchical order from owners of four caves one for each season a private reindeer run and two salmon leaps the feudal and prognetic villains semi-entitled to half a bear skin of winter nights seven yards from the fire and ad script serves holding the reversion of a script marrow bone aren't those beautiful words best beloved? they were all there frantic and shouting and they frightened every fish for 20 miles and Te Gumai thanked them in a fluid neolithic oration then Te Shumai Tevindro ran down and hugged and kissed Taffy very much indeed but the head chief of the tribe of Te Gumai took Te Gumai by the top knot feathers and shook him severely explain explain explain cried all the tribe of Te Gumai goodness sakes alive said Te Gumai let go of my top knot can't a man break his carp spear without the whole countryside descending on him you're a very interfering people I don't believe you've brought my daddy's black handled spear after all and what are you doing to my nice stranger man they were thumping him two's and three's intense till his eyes turned round and round he could only gasp and point at Taffy where are the bad people who speared you my darling said Te Shumai Tevindro there weren't any said Te Gumai my only visitor has been that poor fellow that you're trying to choke aren't you well or are you ill with tribe of Te Gumai he came with a horrible picture said the head chief quite full of spears said but explain that I gave him the picture said Taffy but she did not feel quite comfy you said the tribe of Te Gumai altogether small person with no manners who ought to be spanked you explain explain explain said the head chief of the tribe of Te Gumai and he hopped on one foot I wanted the stranger man to fetch daddy's spear so I drawed it there weren't a lot of spears there was only one spear I drawed it three times to make sure I couldn't help it looking as if it had stuck into daddy's head there wasn't much room on the birch bark and those things that mommy called bad people are my beavers I drawed them to show him the way through the swamp and I drawed down money at the mouth of the cave looking pleased because he is a nice stranger man I think you are just the stupidest people in the world he is a very nice man why have you filled his hair with money wash him nobody said anything for a long time till the head chief laughed ha ha and then the stranger man who was at least a Te Wara laughed ha ha ha and then the Te Gumai laughed till he fell down flat on the back and then all the tribe laughed more and then the stranger ha ha ha ha ha the only people who did not laugh were Te Shumaita Vindra and all the Neolithic ladies they were very very polite to all their husbands and said idiot, I was so often then the head chief of the tribe of Te Gumai cried and fan oh small person without any manners who was to be spanked you have hit upon a great invention I only want a daddy's black handle spears a taffy never mind, it is a great invention and someday men will call it Triton at present it is only pictures and as we have seen today pictures are not always properly understood but a time will come O Pave of Te Gumai where we shall make letters all 26 of them and we shall be able to read as well as to write and then we shall always say without any mistakes let the Neolithic ladies wash the mud out of the stranger's hair I shall be glad of that said taffy because after all though you've got every single other spear in the tribe of Te Gumai you've forgotten my daddy's black handle spear then the head chief cried loud and said and sang taffy dear the next time you write a picture letter you'd better send a man who can talk with it to explain what it means I don't mind myself because I'm a head chief but it's very bad for the rest of the tribe of Te Gumai and as you can see it surprises the stranger then they adopted the stranger man a genuine Tiwara of Tiwara into the tribe of Te Gumai because he was a gentleman and did not make a fuss about the mud that the Neolithic ladies had built into his head but from that day to this and I suppose it is all taffy's fault very few little girls have ever liked learning to read or write most of them prefer to draw pictures and play about with their daddies just like taffy there runs a road by Merodown a grassy track today it is and are out of Guilford town above the river way it is here when they heard the horsebells ring the ancient Britons to watch the dark Phoenicians bring the goods along the western road and here or hereabouts they met to hold their racial toxin jar to barter beads for which be checked and tin for gay shell talks and such but long and long before that time when Bison used to roam on it the taffy and her daddy climbed that down and had their home on it the beavers built in Broodstone Brook and made a swamp where Bramley stands and bears from sheer would come and look at for taffy Mai where Shamley stands the way the taffy called Wugai was more than six times bigger then and all the tribe of Tigumai they cut a noble figure then end of how the first letter was written by Rudyard Kipling from just those stories how the camel got his hump from just so stories by Rudyard Kipling this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information order volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recorded by Betsy Walker Santa Fe New Mexico now this is the next tale and it tells how the camel got his big hump in the beginning of years when the world was so new and all and the animals were just beginning to work for man there was a camel and he lived in the middle of a howling desert because he did not want to work and besides he was a howler himself so he ate sticks and thorns and tamarisks and milkweed and prickles most excruciating idle and when anybody spoke to him he said umph and no more presently the horse came to him on Monday morning with a saddle on his back and a bit in his mouth and said camel oh camel come out and trot like the rest of us umph said the camel and the horse went away and told the man presently the dog came to him with a stick in his mouth and said camel oh camel come and fetch and carry like the rest of us umph said the camel and the dog went away and told the man presently the ox came to him with a yoke on his neck and said camel oh camel come and plow like the rest of us umph said the camel and the ox went away and told the man at the end of the day the man called the horse and the dog and the ox together and said 303 with the world so new and all but that hump thing in the desert can't work or he would have been here by now so I am going to leave him alone and you must work double time to make up for it that made the three very angry with the world so new and all and they held a palaver and an endaba and a puncha yet and a powwow on the edge of the desert and the camel came chewing on milkweed most excruciating idle and laughed at them then he said umph and went away again presently they came along the gin in charge of all deserts rolling in a cloud of dust gins always travel that way because it is magic and he stopped to palaver and powwow with the three chin of all deserts said the horse is it right for anyone to be idle so new and all certainly not said the gin well said the horse there's a thing in the middle of your howling desert and he's a howler himself with a long neck and long legs and he hasn't done a stroke of work since Monday morning he won't trot phew said gin whistling that's my camel for all the gold in Arabia what does he say about it he says umph and he won't fetch and carry does he say anything else only umph and he won't plow said the ox very good said the gin I'll humph him if you will kindly wait a minute the gin rolled himself up in his dusk cloak and took a bearing across the desert and found the camel most excruciatingly idle looking at his own reflection in a pool of water my long and bubbling friend said the gin what's this I hear of you doing no work with the world so new and all umph said the camel the gin sat down with his chin in his hand and began to think a great magic while the camel looked at his own reflection in the pool of water you've given the three extra work ever since Monday morning all on account of your excruciating idleness said the gin and he went on thinking magics with his chin in his hand umph said the camel I shouldn't say that again if I were you said the gin you might say it once too often bubbles I want you to work and the camel said umph again but no sooner had he said it then he saw his back that he was so proud of puffing up and puffing up into a great big lullaby umph that said the gin that's your very own umph that you've brought upon your very own self by not working today is Thursday and you've done no work since Monday when the work began now you are going to work how can I said the camel with this umph on my back that's made a purpose said the gin all because you missed those three days you will be able to work now for three days without eating because you can live on your umph and don't you ever say I never did anything for you come out of the desert and go to the three and behave umph yourself and the camel umphed himself umph and all and went away to join the three and from that day to this the camel always wears a umph we call it umph now not to hurt his feelings but he has never yet caught up to the things that he missed at the beginning of the world and he has never yet learned how to behave the camel's umph is an ugly umph which well you may see at the zoo but uglier yet is the umph we get from having too little to do kitties and grown-ups too if we haven't enough to do we get the umph chameleus umph the umph that is black and blue we climb out of bed with a frowsly head and a snarly yarly voice we shiver and scowl and we grunt and we growl at our bath and our boots and our toys and there ought to be a corner for me and I know there is one for you when we get the umph, chameleus umph the umph that is black and blue the cure for this ill is not to sit still or froused with a book by the fire but to take a large hoe and a shovel also and dig till you gently perspire and then you will find that the sun and the wind in the gin of the garden too have lifted the umph the horrible umph the umph that is black and blue I get it as well as you if I haven't enough to do we all get umph chameleus umph kitties and grown-ups too and of how the camel got his hump from just so stories by Rudyard Kipling how the whale got his throat from just so stories by Rudyard Kipling this is LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by Betsy Walker Santa Fe, New Mexico in the sea once upon a time oh my best beloved there was a whale and he ate fishes he ate the starfish and the garfish and the crab and the dab and the place and the dace and the skate and his mate and the mackerel and the pickerel and the really truly twirly whirly eel all the fishes he could find in all the sea he ate with his mouth so till it alas there was only one small fish left in all the sea and he was a small stoot fish and he swam a little behind the whale's right ear so as to be out of harm's way then the whale stood up on his tail and said I'm hungry and the small stoot fish said in a small stoot voice noble and generous cetacean have you ever tasted man said the whale what is it like nice said the small stoot fish nice but nubbly then fetch me some said the whale and he made the sea froth up with his tail one at a time is enough said the stoot fish if you swim to latitude 50 north longitude 40 west that is magic you will find sitting in the middle of the sea with nothing on but a pair of blue canvas breeches a pair of suspenders you must not forget the suspenders best beloved and a jackknife one shipwrecked mariner who it is only fair to tell you is a man of infinite resource and sagacity so the whale swam and swam to latitude 50 north longitude 40 west he could swim and on a raft in the middle of the sea with nothing to wear except a pair of blue canvas breeches a pair of suspenders you must particularly remember the suspenders best beloved and a jackknife he found one single solitary shipwrecked mariner trailing his toes in the water he had his mummies leave to paddle or else he would never have done it because he was a man of infinite resource and sagacity then the whale opened his mouth back and back and back until it nearly touched his tail and he swallowed the shipwrecked mariner and the raft he was sitting on and his blue canvas breeches and the suspenders which you must not forget and the jackknife he swallowed them all down into his warm dark inside cupboards and then he smacked his lips so and he turned around three times on his tail but as soon as the mariner who was a man of infinite resource and sagacity found himself truly inside the whale's warm dark inside cupboards he stumped and he jumped and he thumped and he bumped and he pranced and he danced and he banged and he clanged and he hit and he bit and he leaped and he prowled and he howled and he hopped and he dropped and he cried and he sighed and he crawled and he bawled and he stepped and he lept and he danced hornpipes where he shouldn't and the whale felt most unhappy indeed have you forgotten the suspenders? so he said to the stewed fish this man is very nubbly and besides he is making me hit it up what shall I do? tell him to come out said the stewed fish so the whale called down his own throat to the shipwreck mariner come out and behave yourself I've got the hiccups nay nay said the mariner not so, but far otherwise take me to my natal shore and the white cliffs of Albion and I'll think about it I began to dance more than ever you had better take him home said the stewed fish to the whale I ought to have warned you that he is a man of infinite resource and sagacity so the whale swam and swam and swam with both flippers and his tail as hard as he could for the hiccups and at last he saw the mariner's natal shore and the white cliffs of Albion and he rushed halfway up the beach and opened his mouth wide and wide and wide and said change here for Winchester Eshelot, Nashua Keen and the stations on the Fitchburg Road and just as he said Fitch the mariner walked out of his mouth but while the whale had been swimming the mariner who was indeed a person of infinite resource and sagacity had taken his jackknife and cut up the raft into little square grating all running crisscross and he had tied it firm with his suspenders now you know why you were not to forget the suspenders and he dragged that grating good and tight into the whale's throat and there it stuck then he recited the following sloka which as you have not heard it I will now proceed to relate by means of a grating I have stopped your aiding for the mariner he was also an hibernian and he stepped out on the shingle went home to his mother who had given him leave to trail his toes in the water and he married and lived happily ever afterward so did the whale but from that day on the grating in his throat which he could neither cough up nor swallow down prevented him eating anything except very very small fish and that is the reason why whales nowadays never eat men or boys or little girls the small stoop fish went and hid himself in the mud under the door sills of the equator he was afraid that the whale might be angry with him the sailor took the jackknife home he was wearing the blue canvas breeches when he walked out on the shingle the suspenders were left behind you see to tie the grating with and that is the end of that tail when the cabin portals are dark and green because of the seas outside when the ship goes whop with a wiggle between and the steward falls into the soup terrain and the trunks begin to slide when nursing lies on the floor in a heap and mummy tells you to let her sleep and you aren't waked or washed or dressed then you will know if you haven't guessed you are 50 north and 40 west end of how the whale got his throat from just so stories by Rudyard Kipling read by Betsy Walker Santa Fe, New Mexico read by Chad Horner Little Bo Peep she lost her sheep and didn't know where to find them let them alone and they'll come home and bring their tails behind them so runs the nursery rhyme Little Bo Peep was a very nice little girl her cheeks had a bloom on them like a lovely peach and her voice sounded like a sweet silver bell but though Little Bo Peep was as good as she was beautiful she sometimes met with misfortunes very sad once when she lost her sheep she was very doful indeed and this is how it happened one summer evening when the sun was setting Little Bo Peep who had to rise very early in the morning felt tired and sat down on a bank covered with daisies being very weary she soon fell fast asleep now the bell weather of Bo Peep's flock was a most stupid and stubborn fellow I dare say you know Bo Peep's flock will follow the bell weather and that he always wears a bell round his neck it was a great pity but the bell weather of Bo Peep's flock was very wild and was much given to wonder far away into the wood where of course the rest of the sheep would follow him finding Little Bo Peep asleep the tiresome fellow began by standing on his hind legs and making a great bow to his shadow before him on the grass after this he whirled himself round like a top shaking his head all the time and ringing his bell very soon the rest of the flock began to dance and caper to and when they had whirled round their leader for a time they ran off after him with a bound into the wood away they went to they were quite tired out and then they came to a standstill staring at their leader with very blank faces but the weather weather looked foolish enough now and did nothing but shake his head slowly and ring his bell which seemed to say quite clearly you're lost you're lost when Little Bo Peep awoke she found her sheep gone and hardly knowing what she did she walked on and on far into the wood she met some people with hoes and rakes in their hands and asked them if they had seen her sheep but they only laughed at her and said no one man was very cross and threatened to beat her at last she came to a style on which the old raven was perched he looked so wise that Little Bo Peep had seen a flock of sheep but he cried ka ka ka so Bo Peep ran on again across the fields she wandered on till nightfall and being faint with hunger she was very glad to see a light just before her as she went on she saw that it shone from a cottage window but when she came to the door it looked so dark and dismal that she was afraid to go in and was just going to run away when a cross-looking old woman came out and dragged her into the cottage by the side of her son he was a very ugly youth with a great red face and red hair the old woman told him that she had brought Bo Peep to his wife so Bo Peep, who did not like him at all ran away while they were asleep but she did not know where to go and give herself up for loss when she heard something cry to it too in the tree above her it was a great oil which began flapping its wings with joy Bo Peep was frightened at first but as the oil seemed very kind she followed it it took her to a cottage where there was plenty to eat and drink and then to Bo Peep's great surprise it began to speak and told her this story no dear maiden said the oil that I am the daughter of a king and was a lovely princess but I was changed into an oil by an old woman at the cottage because I would not marry her ugly son but I have heard the fairies say that the oil around her lost sheep should be the means of my gaining my own form again you are that pretty maid and I will take you to a spot where you will find your sheep but without their tails the elves will play with them for this night but in the morning every sheep will have its tail again except the stupid bell weather you must then wave his tail three times over my head and I shall resume my shape again how long she was asleep she could not tell but the charmed spot was suddenly lighted up and she saw the queen of the fairies seated on a bank the queen said the sheep should be punished for running away she then saw all her sheep come tripping into the place and on every sheep there was an elf who held in his hand a sheep's tail after riding them about for some time and having great fun with them the mad sport ceased and each elf restored the tail to his sheep and the bell weathers which their leader hid in a tree when bow people woke she saw the oil flapping its wings as if to remind her of her promise so she fetched the tail and waved it three times over its head when up started the most charming princess that ever was seen the princess gave bow people a beautiful cottage and her sheep never ran away from their kind mistress again and of little bow people by Joseph Martin Cronheim the little match girl Hans Christian Andersen this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org most terribly cold it was it snowed and was nearly quite dark and evening the last evening of the year in this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl bare headed and with naked feet when she left home she had slippers on it is true but what was the good of that they were very large slippers which her mother had hitherto worn so large were they and the poor little thing lost them as she scuffled away across the street because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully fast one slipper was nowhere to be found the other laid hold of by an urchin and off he ran with it he thought it would do capitally for a cradle when he someday or other should have children himself so the little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet that were quite red and blue from cold she carried a quantity of matches in an old apron and she held a bundle of them in her hand nobody had bought anything of her the whole live long day no one had given her a single farthing she crept along trembling with cold and hunger a very picture of sorrow the poor little thing the flakes of snow covered her long fair hair which fell in beautiful curls around her neck but of that of course she never once now thought from all the windows the candles were gleaming and its melts of deliciously of rose scoots for you know it was New Year's Eve yes, of that she thought in a corner formed by two houses of which one advanced more than the other she seated herself down and cowered together her little feet she had drawn close up to her but she grew colder and colder and to go home she did not venture for she had not sold any matches and could not bring a farthing of money from her father she would certainly get blows and at home it was cold too for above her she had only the roof through which the wind whistled even though the largest cracks were stopped up with straw and rags her little hands were almost numbed with cold oh, a match might afford her a world of comfort if she only dared to take a single one out of the bundle draw it against the wall and warm her fingers by it she drew one out rished how it blazed how it burned it was a warm bright flame like a candle she held her hands over it it was a wonderful light it seemed really to the little maiden that so she was sitting before a large iron stove with burnished brass feet and a brass ornament atop fire burned with such blessed influence it warned so delightfully the little girl had already stretched out her feet to warm them too but the small flame went out the stove vanished she had only the remains of the burnt out in her hand she rubbed another against the wall it burned brightly and where the light fell on the wall there the wall became transparent like a veil so that she could see into the room on the table was spread a snow white tablecloth upon it was a splendid porcelain service and the roast goose was steaming famously with its dried plums and what was still more capital to behold was the goose hopped down from the dish reeled about on the floor with knife and fork in its breast till it came up to the poor little girl when the match went out and nothing but the thick cold damp wall was left behind she lighted another match and there she was sitting under the most magnificent Christmas tree it was still larger and more decorated than the one which she had seen through the class door in the rich merchant's house thousands of lights were burning on the green branches in gaily colored pictures such as she had seen in the shop windows looked down upon her the little maiden stretched out her hands towards them when the match went out the lights of the Christmas tree rose higher and higher she saw them now as stars in heaven one fell down and formed a long trail of fire someone is just dead said the little girl for her old grandmother the only person who had loved her and who is now no more had told her that when a star falls a soul ascends to God she drew another match against the wall it was again light and then the lustre there stood the old grandmother so bright and radiant so mild and with such an expression of love grandmother cried the little one oh take me with you you go away when the match burns out you vanish like the warm stove like the delicious roast goose like the magnificent Christmas tree and she rubbed the whole bundle of matches quickly against the wall for she wanted to be quite sure of keeping her grandmother near her and the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than a noon day never formerly had the grandmother been so beautiful and so tall she took the little maiden on her arm both flew in brightness joy so high so very high and then above was neither cold or hunger or anxiety they were with God but in the corner at the cold hour of dawn set the poor girl with rosy cheeks and with a smiling mouth leaning against the wall frozen to death on the last evening of the old year stiff and stark set the child fair with her matches of which one bundle had been burned she wanted to warm herself people said no one had the slightest suspicion of what beautiful things she had seen no one even dreamed of the splendor in which with her grandmother she had entered on the joys of a new year end of the little match girl by Hans Christian Andersen read by Kyle Lavitt this good woman made for her a little red riding hood which became the girl so well that everybody called her little red riding hood one day her mother having made some custards said to her go my dear and see how your grandmother does for I hear she has been very ill carry her a custard and this little pot of butter little red riding hood set out immediately to go to her grandmothers who lived in another village as she was going through the wood she met Gaffer Wolfe we had a very great mind to eat her up but he dared not because of some faggot makers hard buy in the forest he asked her whether she was going the poor child who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and here a wolf dog said to him I am going to see my grandmother and carry her a custard and a little pot of butter from my mama does she live far off said the wolf oh yes answered little red riding hood it is beyond that mill you see there the first house she come to in the village well said the wolf I'll go and see her too I'll go this way and you go that and we shall see who will be there first the wolf began to run as fast as he could taking the shortest way and the little girl went by the longest way I'm using herself by gathering nuts running after butterflies and making new skies of such little flowers as she met with what long before he reached the old woman's house he knocked at the door tap tap tap who's there called the grandmother your grandchild little red riding hood replied the wolf imitating her voice who has brought a custard and a little pot of butter sent to you by mama the good grandmother he was in bed because she was somewhat ill cried out pull the bourbon the latch will go up the wolf pulled the bourbon and the door opened he fell upon the good woman and ate her up in no time for he had not eaten anything for more than three days he then shut the door went into the grandmother's bed and waited for the little red riding hood who came some time afterward and knocked at the door tap tap tap who's there called the wolf little red riding hood hearing the big voice of the wolf thinking her grandmother had a cold answered tis your grandchild little red riding hood who has brought you a custard and a little pot of butter sent to you by mama the wolf cried out to her softening his voice a little pulled the bourbon and the latch will go up little red riding hood pulled the bourbon and the door opened the wolf seeing her come in said to her hiding himself under the bed close put the custard and the little pot on the still and come and lie down with me little red riding hood undressed herself and went into bed where she was much surprised to see how her grandmother looked in her nightclothes she said to her grandma what great arms you have got that is the better to hug thee my dear grandma what great legs you have got that is to run the better my child grandma what great ears you have got that is to hear the better my child grandma what great eyes you have got it is to see the better my child grandma what great teeth you have got that is to eat thee up and saying these words this wicked wolf fell upon little red riding hood and ate her all up end of little red riding hood by Charm translated by Charles Welsh the dreadful story of Pauline and the matches mama and nurse went out one day and left Pauline alone at play around the room she galey sprang clapped her hands and danced and sang now on the table close at hand a box of matches chanced to stand and kind mama and nurse had told her that if she touched him they would scold her but Pauline said oh what a pity for when they burn it is so pretty they crackle so and spit and flame and mama often burns the same I'll only light a match or two as I have often seen my mother do when Miss and Mons the cats heard this they said oh naughty naughty miss meow they cried meow meow you'll burn to death if you do so mama forbids it don't you know but Pauline would not take advice she lit a match it was so nice it crackled so it burned so clear exactly like the picture here she jumped for joy and ran about and was too pleased to put it out when Mons and Mons the cats saw this they said oh naughty naughty miss and raised their paws and stretched their claws it is very very wrong you know meow meow meow you will be burned if you do so mama forbids it don't you know now see oh see a dreadful thing the fire has caught her apron string her apron burns her arms her hair she burns all over everywhere then how the pussy cats did mew what else her pissies could they do they screamed for help twas all in vain so then they said we'll scream again make haste make haste meow meow she'll burn to death we told her so Pauline was burnt with all her clothes and arms and hands and eyes and nose till she had nothing more to lose except her little scarlet shoes and nothing else but these was found among her ashes on the ground and when the good cat sat beside the smoking ashes how they cried meow meow meow meow what will mama and nursery do their tears run down their cheeks so fast they made a little pond at last end of the dreadful story of Pauline and the Matches by Henrik Hoffman