Jack crept indoors, with big tears in his eyes, and told Mother all that he thought he had heard. "He wants to go," he sobbed. "He doesn"t love me a bit."Mother stroked the brown hair. "He doesn"t belong to a cage at all," she said softly. "He belongs to the fields, the hedges, and the big trees."Jack crept out slowly, and opened the cage-door. " Good- bye, Bright-eyes!"Brown Sparrow watched Bright-eyes flutter to the door, look out, and stretch his wings, which had been cramped so long, and he hurried up to his new friend. "What about being hungry, and thirsty, and frightened? " he said.
Bright-eyes stopped in the middle of the gladdest of gladsongs. "I"m free, free, free!" he said.
R. De Witt, in The Prize
Author.-Miss R. De Witt is not known except as the writer of the article quoted, which appeared in an English children"s magazine.
General Notes.-Who was Bright-eyes? How did he help the sparrow?
What were the troubles of Bright-eyes? How did the sparrow help him? Should we keep birds in cages? Discuss the question.
Lesson 27
JACk fROST
Jack Frost looked forth one still, clear night, And whispered, "Now I shall be out of sight; So, through the valley and over the height,In silence I"ll take my way.
I will not go on like that blustering train-
The wind and the snow, the hail and the rain- Who make so much bustle and noise in vain;But I"ll be as busy as they."
Then he flew to the mountain and powdered its crest; He lit on the trees and their boughs he dressedWith diamond beads; and, over the breast Of the quivering lake, he spreadA coat of mail, that it need not fear The downward point of many a spearThat he hung on its margin, far and near, Where a rock could rear its head.
He went to the windows of those who slept, And over each pane, like a fairy, crept; Wherever he breathed, wherever he stepped,By the light of the morn were seen
Most beautiful things: there were flowers and trees, There were bevies of birds and swarms of bees, There were cities and temples and towers, and theseAll pictured in silver sheen.
But he did one thing that was hardly fair: He went to the cupboard, and, finding there That all had forgotten for him to prepare,Now just to set them a-thinking, "I"ll bite this basket of fruit," said he; "This costly pitcher I"ll burst in three;And the glass of water they"ve left for me Shall tchick! to tell them I"m drinking."-Hannah Flagg Gould
Author.-Hannah Flagg Gould (1789-1865) was an American poetess. Pronounce the name goold.
General Notes.-What time of the year was it? How did Jack Frost treat the mountain, the boughs of the tree, the lake, the windows, the fruit, the pitcher? Have you ever seen frost- flowers? Describe them. What is frost?
Lesson 28
THE BlIND MEN AND THE ElEpHANT
A Hindu fable.
It was six men of Hindustan, To learning much inclined,Who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind),That each by observation Might satisfy the mind.
The first approached the elephant,
And, happening to fall
Against its broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl:
"Why, bless me! but the elephant Is very like a wall."The second, as he felt the tusk, Cried, "Ho! what have we hereSo very round and smooth and sharp?
To me "tis mighty clear
This wonder of an elephant Is very like a spear."The third approached the animal, And, happening to takeThe squirming trunk within his hand, Thus boldly up he spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the elephant Is very like a snake!"The fourth reached out his eager hand, And felt about its knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain," quoth he:
" "Tis clear enough the elephant Is very like a tree!"The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said, " E"en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most;Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an elephantIs very like a fan!"
The sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope,Than, seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope,"I see," quoth he, " the elephant Is very like a rope!"And so these men of Hindustan Disputed loud and long,Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong;Though each was partly in the right, They all were in the wrong!
- John Godfrey Saxe
Author.-John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) was an American poet, writer, editor, and lawyer. Most of his poems were meant to make people laugh.
General Notes.-The purpose of this poem is to show that peoplemay differ in their opinions and yet all be right. Truth is many-sided. What was like a wall, like a spear, like a snake, like a tree, like a fan, like a rope? Where is Hindustan? Draw a picture of one of the men. Draw the elephant.
Lesson 29
MISS BROWN BulB AND THE SpARROW
In the heart of a seed, buried deep, so deep, A dear little plant lay fast asleep.
"Wake !" said the sunshine, "and creep to the light "; "Wake I" said the voice of the raindrops bright.
The little plant heard, and it rose to see
What the great, big world around her might be.
R. L. Brown
"Who are you, I should like to know? "said the sparrow, as he gave a sharp peck at the rough, round brown ball lying on the window-sill. "Are you good to eat? "And he gave it another peck.
"Please don"t," said the brown ball; "you hurt. And there are plenty of other things to peck at besides me. Look at those crumbs outside the kitchen door.""I"m tired of crumbs," said the sparrow. "I want something else for a change. But you haven"t answered my question yet. What"s your name? ""My name-at least, my surname-is "Bulb," " replied thebrown ball.
"And a very ugly name, too, " said the sparrow. " Haven"tyou any other? "
"Not until the raindrops come and christen me, " answered the bulb.
"But what are you? " demanded the sparrow. " Are you a sort of vegetable? ""No," answered the bulb. "I am a flower. "
"A flower! " chirped the sparrow. "A flower! Ha-ha-ha! Call yourself a flower? An ugly, rough brown thing like you! "And he laughed so loudly that he lost his balance and nearly tumbled backwards off the window-sill.