stories to tell to children(儿童故事)-第10章
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As the darkness gathered； the wee boy laid his head on her lap and
kept so still that； at last； she leaned forward to look into his dear round
face。 He was not asleep； but was watching very earnestly a blackberry…
bush； that waved its one tall； dark…red spray in the wind outside the fence。
〃What are you thinking about； my darling？〃 she said； smoothing his
soft； honey…colored hair。
〃The blackberry…bush； mamma； what does it say？ It keeps nodding；
nodding to me behind the fence； what does it say； mamma？〃
〃It says；〃 she answered； ‘I see a happy little boy in the warm； fire…
lighted room。 The wind blows cold； and here it is dark and lonely； but that
little boy is warm and happy and safe at his mother's knees。 I nod to him；
and he looks at me。 I wonder if he knows how happy he is！
〃‘See； all my leaves are dark crimson。 Every day they dry and wither
more and more； by and by they will be so weak they can scarcely cling to
my branches； and the north wind will tear them all away； and nobody will
remember them any more。 Then the snow will sink down and wrap me
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close。 Then the snow will melt again and icy rain will clothe me； and the
bitter wind will rattle my bare twigs up and down。
〃‘I nod my head to all who pass； and dreary nights and dreary days go
by； but in the happy house； so warm and bright； the little boy plays all day
with books and toys。 His mother and his father cherish him； he nestles on
their knees in the red firelight at night； while they read to him lovely
stories； or sing sweet old songs to him；the happy little boy！ And outside I
peep over the snow and see a stream of ruddy light from a crack in the
window… shutter； and I nod out here alone in the dark； thinking how
beautiful it is。
〃‘And here I wait patiently。 I take the snow and the rain and the cold；
and I am not sorry； but glad； for in my roots I feel warmth and life； and I
know that a store of greenness and beauty is shut up safe in my small
brown buds。 Day and night go again and again； little by little the snow
melts all away； the ground grows soft； the sky is blue； the little birds fly
over crying； 〃It is spring！ it is spring！〃 Ah！ then through all my twigs I feel
the slow sap stirring。
〃‘Warmer grow the sunbeams； and softer the air。 The small blades of
grass creep thick about my feet； the sweet rain helps swell my shining
buds。 More and more I push forth my leaves； till out I burst in a gay green
dress； and nod in joy and pride。 The little boy comes running to look at me；
and cries； 〃Oh； mamma！ the little blackberry…bush is alive and beautiful
and green。 Oh； come and see！〃 And I hear； and I bow my head in the
summer wind； and every day they watch me grow more beautiful； till at
last I shake out blossoms； fair and fragrant。
〃‘A few days more； and I drop the white petals down among the grass；
and； lo！ the green tiny berries！ Carefully I hold them up to the sun；
carefully I gather the dew in the summer nights； slowly they ripen； they
grow larger and redder and darker； and at last they are black； shining；
delicious。 I hold them as high as I can for the little boy； who comes
dancing out。 He shouts with joy； and gathers them in his dear hand； and he
runs to share them with his mother； saying； 〃Here is what the patient
blackberry…bush bore for us： see how nice； mamma！〃
〃‘Ah！ then indeed I am glad； and would say； if I could； 〃Yes； take them；
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dear little boy； I kept them for you； held them long up to sun and rain to
make them sweet and ripe for you；〃 and I nod and nod in full content； for
my work is done。 From the window he watches me and thinks； 〃There is
the little blackberry…bush that was so kind to me。 I see it and I love it。 I
know it is safe out there nodding all alone； and next summer it will hold
ripe berries up for me to gather again。〃 '〃
Then the wee boy smiled； and liked the little story。 His mother took
him up in her arms； and they went out to supper and left the blackberry…
bush nodding up and down in the wind； and there it is nodding yet。
THE FAIRIES＇1＇
＇1＇ By William Allingham。
Up the airy mountain； Down the rushy glen； We daren't go a…hunting
For fear of little men。 Wee folk； good folk； Trooping all together； Green
jacket； red cap； And white owl's feather！
Down along the rocky shore Some make their home They live on
crispy pancakes Of yellow tide…foam； Some in the reeds Of the black
mountain…lake； With frogs for their watch…dogs； All night awake。
High on the hilltop The old King sits； He is now so old and gray； He's
nigh lost his wits。 With a bridge of white mist Columbkill he crosses； On
his stately journeys From Slieveleague to Rosses； Or going up with music
On cold starry nights； To sup with the Queen Of the gay Northern Lights。
They stole little Bridget For seven years long； When she came down
again Her friends were all gone。 They took her lightly back； Between the
night and morrow； They thought that she was fast asleep； But she was
dead with sorrow。 They have kept her ever since Deep within the lake； On
a bed of flag…leaves； Watching till she wake。
By the craggy hillside； Through the mosses bare； They have planted
thorn…trees； For pleasure here and there。 Is any man so daring As dig them
up in spite； He shall find their sharpest thorns In his bed at night。
Up the airy mountain； Down the rushy glen； We daren't go a…hunting
For fear of little men。 Wee folk； good folk； Trooping all together； Green
jacket； red cap； And white owl's feather！
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THE ADVENTURES OF THE LITTLE FIELD
MOUSE
Once upon a time； there was a little brown Field Mouse； and one day
he was out in the fields to see what he could see。 He was running along in
the grass； poking his nose into everything and looking with his two eyes
all about； when he saw a smooth； shiny acorn； lying in the grass。 It was
such a fine shiny little acorn that he thought he would take it home with
him； so he put out his paw to touch it； but the little acorn rolled away from
him。 He ran after it； but it kept rolling on； just ahead of him； till it came to
a place where a big oak…tree had its roots spread all over the ground。 Then
it rolled under a big round root。
Little Mr。 Field Mouse ran to the root and poked his nose under after
the acorn； and there he saw a small round hole in the ground。 He slipped
through and saw some stairs going down into the earth。 The acorn was
rolling down； with a soft tapping sound； ahead of him； so down he went
too。 Down； down； down； rolled the acorn； and down； down； down； went
the Field Mouse； until suddenly he saw a tiny door at the foot of the stairs。
The shiny acorn rolled to the door and struck against it with a tap。
Quickly the little door opened and the acorn rolled inside。 The Field
Mouse hurried as fast as he could down the last stairs； and pushed through
just as the door was closing。 It shut behind him； and he was in a little room。
And there； before him； stood a queer little Red Man！ He had a little red
cap； and a little red jacket； and odd little red shoes with points at the toes。
〃You are my prisoner；〃 he said to the Field Mouse。
〃What for？〃 said the Field Mouse。
〃Because you tried to steal my acorn；〃 said the little Red Man。
〃It is my acorn；〃 said the Field Mouse； 〃I found it。〃
〃No； it isn't；〃 said the little Red Man； 〃I have it； you will never see it
again。〃
The little Field Mouse looked all about the room as fast as he could；
but he could not see any acorn。 Then he thought he would go back up the
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tiny stairs to his own home。 But the little door was locked； and the little
Red Man had the key。 And he said to the poor mouse；
〃You shall be my servant； you shall make my bed and sweep my room
and cook my broth。〃
So the little brown Mouse was the little Red Man's servant； and every
day he made the little Red Man's bed and swept the little Red Man's room
and cooked the little Red Man's broth。 And every day the little Red Man
went away through the tiny door； and did not come back till afternoon。 But
he always locked the door after him； and carried away the key。
At last； one day he was in such a hurry that he turned the key before
the door was quite latched； which； of course； didn't lock it at all。 He went
away without noticing； he was in such a hurry。
The little Field Mouse knew that his chance had come to run away
home。 But he didn't want to go without the pretty； shiny acorn。 Where it
was he didn't know； so he looked everywhere。 He opened every little
drawer and looked in； but it wasn't in any of the drawers； he peeped on
every shelf； but it wasn't on a shelf； he hunted in every closet； but it wasn't
in there。 Finally； he climbed up on a chair and opened a wee； wee door in
the chimney… piece；and there it was！
He took it quickly in his forepaws； and then he took it in his mouth；
and then he ran away。 He pushed open the little door； he climbed up； up；
up the little stairs； he came out through the hole under the root； he ran and
ran through the fields； and at last he came to his own house。
When he was in his own house he set the shiny acorn on the table。 I
guess he set it down hard； for all at once； with a little snap； it opened！
exactly like a little box。
And what do you think！ There was a tiny necklace inside！ It was a
most beautiful tiny necklace； all made of jewels； and it was just big
enough for a lady mouse。 So the little Field Mouse gave the tiny necklace
