The Violets THE sun came out and shone down on the leafless trees that cast hardly any shadows on the pathway through the woods. “Surely the spring is coming,” the birds said; “it must be time to wake the flowers.” The thrush, and the lark, and the linnet sang sweetly. A robin flew up from the snow, and perched upon a branch; a little ragged boy at the end of the...

The Poor Little Doll IT was a plain little doll that had been bought for sixpence at a stall in the market-place. It had scanty hair and a weak composition face, a calico body and foolish feet that always turned inwards instead of outwards, and from which the sawdust now and then oozed. Yet in its glass eyes there was an expression of amusement; they seemed to be looking not at...

In the Moonlight   HE picked a buttercup, and held it up to her chin. “Do you like butter?” he asked. “Butter!” she exclaimed. “They are not made into butter. They are made into crowns for the Queen; she has a new one every morning.” “I’ll make you a crown,” he said. “You shall wear it to-night.” ” But where will my throne be ?” she asked. “It shall be on...

On the way to the Sun HE had journeyed a long way, and was very tired. It seemed like a dream when he stood up after a sleep in the field, and looked over the wall, and saw the garden, and the flowers, and the children playing all about. He looked at the long road behind him, at the dark wood and the barren hills; it was the world to which...

The Sandy Cat THE sandy cat sat by the kitchen fire. Yesterday it had had no supper; this morning everyone had forgotten it. All night it had caught no mice; all day as yet it had tasted no milk. A little grey mouse, a saucerful of milk, a few fish or chicken bones, would have satisfied it ; but no grey mouse, with its soft stringy tail behind it, ran across...

Writing a Book “LET us write a book,” they said; “but what shall it be about ?” “A fairy story,” said the elder sister. ” A book about kings and queens,” said the other. “Oh, no,” said the brother, “let’s write about animals.” “We will write about them all,” they cried together. So they put the paper, and pens, and ink ready. The elder sister took up a fairy story and...

The Light on the Hills “I WANT to work at my picture,” he said, and went into the field. The little sister went too, and stood by him watching while he painted. “The trees are not quite straight,” she said, presently, “and oh, dear brother, the sky is not blue enough.” “It- will all come right soon,” he answered. “Will it be of any good?” “Oh yes,” she said, wondering that...

The Wooden Doll THE wooden doll had no peace. My dears, if ever you are a doll, hope to be a rag doll, or a wax doll, or a doll full of sawdust apt to ooze out, or a china doll easy to break anything in the world rather than a good strong wooden doll with a painted head and movable joints, for that is indeed a sad thing to be....