By the craggy hillside, As dig them up in spite, He shall find their sharpest thorns Up the airy mountain, Trooping all together; Green jacket, red cap, And white owl's feather! Rush'y, full of rushes; Col'umb kill (kŏl'um kil), a glen or village in County Donegal, Ireland; Slieve'league, a mountain in County Donegal, Ireland; Ross'es, a group of mountains in County Donegal, Ireland; crag'gy (krǎg'i), with projecting rocks; North'ern Lights, the aurora borealis, usually appearing as a fan-shaped body of streamers spreading from the north to the zenith. STUDY HELPS What do you learn of the looks of the fairies from the first stanza? What strange things do you learn of their home from the second stanza? What do you learn of their king from the third stanza? Do these seem to be good or bad fairies? Years and years ago all the bears had long tails. One day a bear met a fox with a long string of fish. "I wish I could catch a string of fish like that," said the bear. "Come with me and I will show you how," said the fox. So they walked along until they came to a pond, and the fox said, "Dig a hole in the ice and let your tail down into the water. The fish will all come and bite on your tail." Then the fox went home and the bear dug a hole in the ice and sat a long time with his tail in the water. At last he said to himself, "I must have enough fish now," and he gave a jerk at his tail, but it stuck fast. He pulled and pulled so hard that at last he pulled his tail off. Then how he growled and looked about for the fox, but that cunning fellow was away off in his den, and every time he thought of the bear, he laughed and laughed. II. HOW THE HARE'S COAT BECAME BROWN ESOP One day at a meeting of the forest creatures, King Eagle said to the hares. "You must bow to me every time we meet." "No! No!" said the hares. "We won't do any such thing," and away they ran as fast as they could. "Wait till I catch you, and then we shall see," screamed the eagle, and he flew to the highest branch of a tree, thinking he would catch them as they went by to the cabbage patch. Now the poor hares grew thinner and thinner, but not one of them dared venture out, except Fleetfoot, who seemed to grow fatter and sleeker every day. One night his friends decided to watch him. Fleetfoot stole out as usual, and the hares saw him roll over and over until his white coat was covered with dirt. Then he ran to the cabbage patch, ate a good dinner, and back he came, shaking the dirt off before he reached home. Soon, every hare was doing exactly the same thing. The disappointed eagle, after watching and waiting a long time, flew away, angrily screaming as he went. STUDY HELPS Read silently, and tell each of the above stories. Which one of them do you think teaches the better lesson? Across the German ocean, In a country far from our own, They dwelt in the part of a village Was the poorest one of all. He was not large enough to work, And his mother could do no more (Though she scarcely laid her knitting down) Than keep the wolf from the door. She had to take their threadbare clothes, Grew rich by knitting yarn. And oft at night, beside her chair, The wonderful things he would do for her, One night she sat and knitted, 'T was only a week till Christmas, And Gottlieb knew that then The Christ-child, who was born that day, But he said, "He will never find us, When all at once a happy light And lighted up his face with smiles, Next day when the postman's letters |