A Kindergarten Story Book.

by Jane L. Hoxie.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

A number of the stories in this little book have been told to thousands of children in the kindergartens of Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburg, and other cities. The delight with which they have everywhere been listened to is an a.s.surance of their appeal to child thought and sympathy. I know no equally simple, varied, and interesting collection of stories for children between the ages of four and six; and I earnestly hope that A KINDERGARTEN STORY BOOK may rapidly win the popularity it merits.

SUSAN E. BLOW.

PREFACE.

It is the author's aim in this collection to furnish stories for the child that shall be short, simple in form and familiar in subject, that shall contain much repet.i.tion, rhythm, dramatic possibility, alliteration, and also onomatopoetical and imaginative qualities, all of which the young child craves in the literature which is presented to him. The writer has striven to avoid elaborate introductions, long and intricate descriptions, and all those characteristics from which the child instinctively turns.

The matter here presented naturally falls under three heads: first, original stories; secondly, favorite childhood stories rewritten; thirdly, adaptations of popular tales.

Nearly all of the purely original stories are based upon some of the more vital motifs to be found in the best of our fairy lore.

Of the favorite childhood stories, "Billy Bobtail" is evidently founded upon "The Bremen Town-Musicians"; and, as it is given here, it is an adaptation of a story heard frequently during the writer's childhood.

It will readily be seen that "Kid Would Not Go" is only another form of "The Old Woman and Her Pig," and that "Fox Lox" is identical with the tale of "Chicken Little." "The Wee, Wee Woman" is supposedly an adaptation of the old English story of "Teeny Weeny." It is given here in the form in which it was told to the author by a friend. "The Little Long Tail" will be recognized by many as a prime favorite of their early childhood.

In the three stories from Grimm it has been the aim to simplify, to shorten, and to eliminate all objectionable qualities; as, for instance, the cruel step-mother element to be found in the original Cinderella.

The two stories from Mrs. Ewing and the adaptation of Saintine's "Picciola" have proved fascinating to the childish audiences to which they have been presented.

Simplicity of form and language makes it possible for the teacher not only to tell the stories contained in this collection, but also to read them to the children, with good effect. Some of the tales, notably the favorite childhood stories rewritten, may be placed in the hands of the children themselves, to be used in the primary grades as supplementary reading material.

This little volume is the result of several years of practical experience, and it is hoped that it will prove a valuable addition to the story repertoire of kindergartners and primary teachers.

J.L.H.

DUNNY.

Once there were three children, three brothers, who played together in the sunshine about their father's door. Now the youngest of them all was not as large and strong as his brothers; and for that reason they often teased him, saying: "You are not as tall as we. You cannot run as fast. See! we can jump farther and swing higher than you." If ever they wrestled together, the youngest was the first to be thrown to the ground; and no matter what he tried to do, the others always laughed, and called out: "Oh! you are so stupid. That is not the way. Let me show you how, you dunny!" So after a while they called him nothing but Dunny.

One day a traveler, with a wonderful pony, stopped at the door of the cottage. His little animal not only could perform all manner of curious tricks, but he was the most gentle little beast in the whole world and, withal, as sleek and pretty a creature as one could wish to see.

The three brothers were wild with delight at the pony's antics, and gave their father no peace until at last he consented to buy the little animal. At first they were very happy with their new play-fellow, but soon they quarreled.

"He is my pony!" said the eldest.

"He is not!" said Dunny.

"Father bought him for me,", said the second brother, "and neither of you shall play with him at all!"

"It is not so! He is all mine!" said the first, as he caught the little beast by the rein and tried to drag him away.

But his brother s.n.a.t.c.hed the bridle also. "You shall not have him!" he cried.

"Boys! boys! What does this mean?" said their father. "Why are you quarreling? The pony belongs to all three."

But the boys would not have it so; and, at last, the father said: "He shall be given to the one of you who will bring this basket to me filled full with the water of yonder pond." Now the basket was very old and full of holes, but the three brothers eagerly consented to the plan.

"You shall be the first to try your luck," said the father, placing the basket in the hands of his eldest son. As the boy walked quickly toward the pond, a little bird hopped along the path in front of him, and in a sweet voice sang:--

"Fill it with moss and fill it with clay,[*]

And carry a basketful away."

[*]From an old folk tale.

The boy did not know what the bird was saying. "Out of my path, you stupid creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. But the little bird flew away into the forest, where he was quite safe. When at last the boy reached the pond, there sat a great green frog who croaked in a great hoa.r.s.e voice:--

"Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away."

But the boy did not know what the frog was saying. "Out of my way, you ugly creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. The great frog jumped back into the water, where he was quite safe. The eldest boy covered the bottom of the basket with sand, thinking that that would keep the water from running out; then he filled it to the very brim.

But, though he ran all the way home, not a single drop of water was left inside the basket when he reached his father.

Then it was the second son's turn. As he walked quickly toward the pond, the same little bird hopped along the path in front of him, and in the same sweet voice sang:--

"Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away."

The boy did not know what the bird was saying. "Out of my path, you stupid creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. But the little bird flew away into the forest, where he was quite safe. When at last the boy reached the pond, there sat the same great green frog who croaked in the same great hoa.r.s.e voice:--

"Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away."

But the boy did not know what the frog was saying. "Out of my way, you ugly creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. The great frog jumped back into the water, where he was quite safe. The second boy covered the bottom of the basket with leaves, thinking that they would keep the water from running out; then he filled it to the very brim.

But, though he too ran all the way home, not a single drop of water was left inside the basket when he reached his father.

Now, at last, it was Dunny's turn; but the two elder brothers teased him, saying, "Of what use is it for such a stupid as you to try, when we, who are so much more clever than you, have failed?"

As Dunny walked quickly toward the pond, the same little bird hopped along the path in front of him, and in the same sweet voice sang:--

"Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away."

Now Dunny was very fond of all the wild creatures of the woods and fields, and often spent long hours in their company; and he knew what the little bird was saying. And he was never happier than when playing with the frogs and fishes in the pond; so when the great green frog, in his great hoa.r.s.e voice, croaked:--

"Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away."

Dunny knew what he was saying, and, gathering moss and clay from the bank of the pond, he carefully stopped all the holes and cracks in the basket. Then filling it with water to the very brim, he carried it safely home to his father and did not lose even a single drop. So the pony was given to him, and his brothers never called him Dunny again.

LUDWIG AND MARLEEN.