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this is。〃 He stuck his head over the top of the
nest； and lookedstraight into the wicked eyes
of a great big snake。 〃Mammy； Mammy！〃
screamed Raggylug。 〃Oh； Mammy； Mam〃
But he couldn't scream any more； for the big
snake had his ear in his mouth and was
winding about the soft little body； squeezing
Raggylug's life out。 He tried to call 〃Mammy！〃
again； but he could not breathe。
Ah； but Mammy had heard the first cry。
Straight over the fields she flew； leaping the
stones and hummocks； fast as the wind； to save
her baby。 She wasn't a timid little cottontail
rabbit then； she was a mother whose child was
in danger。 And when she came to Raggylug
and the big snake； she took one look； and then
hop！ hop！ she went over the snake's back； and
as she jumped she struck at the snake with her
strong hind claws so that they tore his skin。
He hissed with rage； but he did not let go。
Hop！ hop！ she went again； and this time she
hurt him so that he twisted and turned； but he
held on to Raggylug。
Once more the mother rabbit hopped； and
once more she struck and tore the snake's back
with her sharp claws。 Zzz！ How she hurt！
The snake dropped Raggy to strike at her； and
Raggy rolled on to his feet and ran。
〃Run； Raggylug； run！〃 said his mother；
keeping the snake busy with her jumps； and
you may believe Raggylug ran！ Just as soon
as he was out of the way his mother came too；
and showed him where to go。 When she ran；
there was a little white patch that showed
under her tail； that was for Raggy to follow；
he followed it now。
Far； far away she led him； through the long
grass； to a place where the big snake could not
find him； and there she made a new nest。 And
this time； when she told Raggylug to lie low
you'd better believe he minded！
THE GOLDEN COBWEBS＇1＇
A STORY TO TELL BY THE CHRISTMAS TREE
＇1＇ This story was told me in the mother…tongue of a German
friend； at the kindly instance of a common friend of both；
the narrator had heard it at home from the lips of a father
of story…loving children for whom ho often invented such
little tales。 The present adaptation has passed by hearsay
through so many minds that it is perhaps little like the
original； but I venture to hope it has a touch of the original
fancy； at least。
I am going to tell you a story about something
wonderful that happened to a Christmas
Tree like this； ever and ever so long ago； when
it was once upon a time。
It was before Christmas； and the tree was
trimmed with bright spangled threads and
many…coloured candles and （name the trimmings
of the tree before you）； and it stood
safely out of sight in a room where the doors
were locked； so that the children should not
see it before the proper time。 But ever so
many other little house…people had seen it。
The big black pussy saw it with her great
green eyes； the little grey kitty saw it with
her little blue eyes； the kind house…dog saw
it with his steady brown eyes； the yellow
canary saw it with his wise； bright eyes。 Even
the wee； wee mice that were so afraid of the
cat had peeped one peep when no one was by。
But there was someone who hadn't seen the
Christmas tree。 It was the little grey spider！
You see； the spiders lived in the corners；
the warm corners of the sunny attic and the
dark corners of the nice cellar。 And they were
expecting to see the Christmas Tree as much
as anybody。 But just before Christmas a great
cleaning…up began in the house。 The house…
mother came sweeping and dusting and wiping
and scrubbing； to make everything grand and
clean for the Christ…child's birthday。 Her broom
went into all the corners； poke； poke；and of
course the spiders had to run。 Dear； dear； HOW
the spiders had to run！ Not one could stay
in the house while the Christmas cleanness
lasted。 So； you see； they couldn't see the
Christmas Tree。
Spiders like to know all about everything；
and see all there is to see； and these were very
sad。 So at last they went to the Christ…child
and told him about it。
〃All the others see the Christmas Tree； dear
Christ…child；〃 they said； 〃but we； who are so
domestic and so fond of beautiful things； we are
CLEANED UP！ We cannot see it； at all。〃
The Christ…child was sorry for the little
spiders when he heard this； and he said they
should see the Christmas Tree。
The day before Christmas； when nobody was
noticing； he let them all go in； to look as long
as ever they liked。
They came creepy； creepy； down the attic
stairs； creepy； creepy； up the cellar stairs；
creepy； creepy； along the halls；and into the
beautiful room。 The fat mother spiders and
the old papa spiders were there； and all the
little teeny； tiny； curly spiders； the baby ones。
And then they looked！ Round and round the
tree they crawled； and looked and looked and
looked。 Oh； what a good time they had！ They
thought it was perfectly beautiful。 And when
they had looked at everything they could see
from the floor； they started up the tree to see
more。 All over the tree they ran； creepy；
crawly； looking at every single thing。 Up and
down； in and out； over every branch and twig；
the little spiders ran； and saw every one of the
pretty things right up close。
They stayed till they had seen all there was
to see； you may be sure； and then they went
away at last； QUITE happy。
Then； in the still； dark night before Christmas
Day； the dear Christ…child came； to bless the
tree for the children。 But when he looked at
itWHAT do you suppose？it was covered with
cobwebs！ Everywhere the little spiders had
been they had left a spider…web； and you know
they had been everywhere。 So the tree was
covered from its trunk to its tip with spider…
webs； all hanging from the branches and looped
round the twigs； it was a strange sight。
What could the Christ…child do？ He knew
that house…mothers do not like cobwebs； it
would never； never do to have a Christmas
Tree covered with those。 No； indeed。
So the dear Christ…child touched the spider's
webs； and turned them all to gold！ Wasn't
that a lovely trimming？ They shone and shone；
all over the beautiful tree。 And that is the way
the Christmas Tree came to have golden cob…
webs on it。
WHY THE MORNING…GLORY CLIMBS＇1＇
＇1＇ This story was given me by Miss Elisabeth McCracken；
who wrote it some years ago in a larger form； and who told
it to me in the way she had told it to many children of her
acquaintance。
Once the Morning…Glory was flat on the
ground。 She grew that way； and she had
never climbed at all。 Up in the top of a tree
near her lived Mrs Jennie Wren and her little
baby Wren。 The little Wren was lame； he
had a broken wing and couldn't fly。 He stayed
in the nest all day。 But the mother Wren told
him all about what she saw in the world； when
she came flying home at night。 She used to
tell him about the beautiful Morning…Glory she
saw on the ground。 She told him about the
Morning…Glory every day； until the little Wren
was filled with a desire to see her for himself。
〃How I wish I could see the Morning…
Glory！〃 he said。
The Morning…Glory heard this； and she
longed to let the little Wren see her face。
She pulled herself along the ground； a little at
a time； until she was at the foot of the tree
where the little Wren lived。 But she could
not get any farther； because she did not know
how to climb。 At last she wanted to go up so
much； that she caught hold of the bark of the
tree； and pulled herself up a little。 And little
by little； before she knew it； she was climbing。
And she climbed right up the tree to the
little Wren's nest； and put her sweet face over
the edge of the nest； where the little Wren
could see。
That was how the Morning…Glory came to climb。
THE STORY OF LITTLE