how to tell stories to children-第12章
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〃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 to his little Mouse…sister。 She thought it was perfectly lovely。 And when she wasn't wearing it she kept it in the shiny acorn box。
And the little Red Man never knew what had become of it； because he didn't know where the little Field Mouse lived。
ANOTHER LITTLE RED HEN＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from the verse version； which is given here as an alternative。
Once upon a time there was a little Red Hen； who lived on a farm all by herself。 An old Fox； crafty and sly； had a den in the rocks； on a hill near her house。 Many and many a night this old Fox used to lie awake and think to himself how good that little Red Hen would taste if he could once get her in his big kettle and boil her for dinner。 But he couldn't catch the little Red Hen； because she was too wise for him。 Every time she went out to market she locked the door of the house behind her； and as soon as she came in again she locked the door behind her and put the key in her apron pocket； where she kept her scissors and a sugar cooky。
At last the old Fox thought up a way to catch the little Red Hen。 Early in the morning he said to his old mother； 〃Have the kettle boiling when I come home to… night； for I'll be bringing the little Red Hen for supper。〃 Then he took a big bag and slung it over his shoulder； and walked till he came to the little Red Hen's house。 The little Red Hen was just coming out of her door to pick up a few sticks for kindling wood。 So the old Fox hid behind the wood… pile； and as soon as she bent down to get a stick； into the house he slipped； and scurried behind the door。
In a minute the little Red Hen came quickly in； and shut the door and locked it。 〃I'm glad I'm safely in；〃 she said。 Just as she said it； she turned round； and there stood the ugly old Fox； with his big bag over his shoulder。 Whiff！ how scared the little Red Hen was！ She dropped her apronful of sticks； and flew up to the big beam across the ceiling。 There she perched； and she said to the old Fox； down below； 〃You may as well go home； for you can't get me。〃
〃Can't I； though！〃 said the Fox。 And what do you think he did？ He stood on the floor underneath the little Red Hen and twirled round in a circle after his own tail。 And as he spun； and spun； and spun； faster； and faster； and faster； the poor little Red Hen got so dizzy watching him that she couldn't hold on to the perch。 She dropped off； and the old Fox picked her up and put her in his bag； slung the bag over his shoulder； and started for home； where the kettle was boiling。
He had a very long way to go； up hill； and the little Red Hen was still so dizzy that she didn't know where she was。 But when the dizziness began to go off； she whisked her little scissors out of her apron pocket； and snip！ she cut a little hole in the bag； then she poked her head out and saw where she was； and as soon as they came to a good spot she cut the hole bigger and jumped out herself。 There was a great big stone lying there； and the little Red Hen picked it up and put it in the bag as quick as a wink。 Then she ran as fast as she could till she came to her own little farm… house； and she went in and locked the door with the big key。
The old Fox went on carrying the stone and never knew the difference。 My； but it bumped him well！ He was pretty tired when he got home。 But he was so pleased to think of the supper he was going to have that he did not mind that at all。 As soon as his mother opened the door he said； 〃Is the kettle boiling？〃
〃Yes；〃 said his mother； 〃have you got the little Red Hen？〃
〃I have；〃 said the old Fox。 〃When I open the bag you hold the cover off the kettle and I'll shake the bag so that the Hen will fall in； and then you pop the cover on； before she can jump out。〃
〃All right；〃 said his mean old mother； and she stood close by the boiling kettle； ready to put the cover on。
The Fox lifted the big； heavy bag up till it was over the open kettle； and gave it a shake。 Splash！ thump！ splash！ In went the stone and out came the boiling water； all over the old Fox and the old Fox's mother！
And they were scalded to death。
But the little Red Hen lived happily ever after； in her own little farmhouse。
THE STORY OF THE LITTLE RID HIN＇1＇
＇1＇ From Horace E。 Scudder's Doings of the Bodley Family in Town and Country （Houghton； Mifflin & Co。）。
There was once't upon a time A little small Rid Hin； Off in the good ould country Where yees ha' nivir bin。
Nice and quiet shure she was； And nivir did any harrum； She lived alane all be herself； And worked upon her farrum。
There lived out o'er the hill； In a great din o' rocks； A crafty； shly； and wicked Ould folly iv a Fox。
This rashkill iv a Fox； He tuk it in his head He'd have the little Rid Hin： So； whin he wint to bed；
He laid awake and thaught What a foine thing 'twad be To fetch her home and bile her up For his ould marm and he。
And so he thaught and thaught； Until he grew so thin That there was nothin' left of him But jist his bones and shkin。
But the small Rid Hin was wise； She always locked her door； And in her pocket pit the key； To keep the Fox out shure。
But at last there came a schame Intil his wicked head； And he tuk a great big bag And to his mither said；
〃Now have the pot all bilin' Agin the time I come； We'll ate the small Rid Hin to…night； For shure I'll bring her home。〃
And so away he wint Wid the bag upon his back； An' up the hill and through the woods Saftly he made his track。
An' thin he came alang； Craping as shtill's a mouse； To where the little small Rid Hin Lived in her shnug ould house。
An' out she comes hersel'； Jist as he got in sight； To pick up shticks to make her fire： 〃Aha！〃 says Fox； 〃all right。
〃Begorra； now； I'll have yees Widout much throuble more；〃 An' in he shlips quite unbeknownst； An' hides be'ind the door。
An' thin； a minute afther； In comes the small Rid Hin； An' shuts the door； and locks it； too； An' thinks； 〃I'm safely in。〃
An' thin she tarns around An' looks be'ind the door； There shtands the Fox wid his big tail Shpread out upon the floor。
Dear me！ she was so schared Wid such a wondrous sight； She dropped her apronful of shticks； An' flew up in a fright；
An' lighted on the bame Across on top the room； 〃Aha！〃 says she； 〃ye don't have me； Ye may as well go ho
