按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Raggylug； lie still； and make no noise。 No matter what you hear； no matter
what you see； don't you move。 Remember you are only a baby rabbit； and
lie low。〃 And Raggylug always said he would。
One day； after his mother had gone； he was lying very still in the nest；
looking up through the feathery grass。 By just cocking his eye； so； he
could see what was going on up in the world。 Once a big bluejay perched
77
… Page 78…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
on a twig above him； and scolded someone very loudly； he kept saying；
〃Thief！ thief！〃 But Raggylug never moved his nose； nor his paws； he lay
still。 Once a lady…bird took a walk down a blade of grass； over his head；
she was so top…heavy that pretty soon she tumbled off and fell to the
bottom； and had to begin all over again。 But Raggylug never moved his
nose nor his paws； he lay still。
The sun was warm； and it was very still。
Suddenly Raggylug heard a little sound； far off。 It sounded like 〃Swish；
swish；〃 very soft and far away。 He listened。 It was a queer little sound； low
down in the grass； 〃rustle rustlerustle〃； Raggylug was interested。 But
he never moved his nose or his paws； he lay still。 Then the sound came
nearer； 〃rustle rustlerustle〃； then grew fainter； then came nearer； in and
out； nearer and nearer； like something coming； only； when Raggylug heard
anything coming he always heard its feet； stepping ever so softly。 What
could it be that came so smoothly；rustlerustle without any feet？
He forgot his mother's warning； and sat up on his hind paws； the sound
stopped then。 〃Pooh；〃 thought Raggylug； 〃I'm not a baby rabbit； I am three
weeks old； I'll find out what 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
78
… Page 79…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
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！
79
… Page 80…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
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