Worth While Stories for Every Day

Various

Worth While Stories for Every Day

Published by Good Press, 2022

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EAN 4064066201883

Table of Contents

THE BEAUTIFUL HAND

THE DISCONTENTED MEMBERS

THE BLIND MAN AND THE ELEPHANT

THE BAD-TEMPERED SQUIRREL

JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK

JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK

THE LEGEND OF THE SPIDER WEB

ANDROCLUS AND THE LION

DIRTY TOM

BRUCE AND THE SPIDER

THE MIRROR

THE PIG AND THE SHEEP

THE SHOEMAKER AND THE ELVES

THE LITTLE RED HEN

THE THRIFTY SQUIRRELS

THE BOY WHO WANTED TO PLAY ALWAYS

JACK AND JILL

THE APPLE TREE’S CHILDREN

THE BLUE RIBBON

THE ADVENTURES OF PERSEUS

THE ADVENTURES OF PERSEUS

COLUMBUS

DAVID AND GOLIATH

THE SWISS WOOD CARVER

THE VISION OF SIR LAUNFAL

THE VISION OF SIR LAUNFAL

HOW ARTHUR BECAME KING

HOW ARTHUR CAME BY HIS SWORD

THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE

SIR GALAHAD FINDS THE HOLY GRAIL

THE PASSING OF SIR GALAHAD

THE WOODPECKER WHO WAS SELFISH

THE RABBIT TRIES TO CATCH FISH

THE LITTLE GRAY LAMB

ROBERT’S RIDE

WILLIAM TELL

THE ELEPHANT’S TRUNK

THANKSGIVING

THE GRATEFUL INDIAN

BOBBIE, THE POWDER BOY

THE ADVENTURES OF THESEUS

THE ADVENTURES OF THESEUS

KRIS AND THE BEAR

A RACE WITH A FLOOD

ODIN AND THE DWARFS

THE ADVENTURES OF THOR

THOR CONTENDS WITH THE GIANTS

FREYJA’S NECKLACE

THE BINDING OF FENRIR

JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN

JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN

JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN

JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN

THE LEGEND OF THE MOUNTAIN ASH

SAM DAVIS

HOW GEORGE SAVED THE TRAIN

THE PRINCE AND THE DRAGON

AN ARMY OF TWO

DAMON AND PYTHIAS

SIEGFRIED SLAYS THE DRAGON

MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES

THE EGYPTIANS ARE DROWNED IN THE RED SEA

PIPPA PASSES

LOUIS AND THE THREE WISHES

KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES

THE GIFTS OF THE NORTH WIND

TINY TIM

TINY TIM

THE BIRTH OF JESUS

THE LITTLE PINE TREE WHO WISHED FOR NEW LEAVES

THE DRAGON SLAYER

THE GOOSE GIRL

THE GOOSE GIRL

FOOLISH FRED

THE SIX SWABIANS

THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN

HANS IN LUCK

LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD

THE DISCONTENTED TAILOR

HOW A GIRL SAVED A FORT

ABRAHAM AND ISAAC

BEOWULF CONQUERS THE MARSH MONSTER

BEOWULF SLAYS THE WATER WITCH

BEOWULF SLAYS THE FIRE DRAGON

THE DEATH OF BEOWULF

ANTONIO CANOVA

THE LEAK IN THE DIKE

TUBAL CAIN

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER’S GRANDDAUGHTER

THE WIND AND THE SUN

MOTHER EARTH’S CHILDREN

SEEDS OF GOLD

LATONA

CERES AND HER DAUGHTER

THE UGLY DUCKLING

THE UGLY DUCKLING

KILLING THE BIRDS

SAINT GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON

HOW THE RABBIT GOT ITS COTTON TAIL

LEGEND OF THE WOODPECKER

A DISOBEDIENT DICKY BIRD

ROBERT E. LEE

WHY THE BLUEBIRD CARRIES HAPPINESS

HOW THE LITTLE BIRD REACHED HOME

THE JOURNEY OF A DROP OF WATER

HOW WE CAME TO HAVE UMBRELLAS

JOHNNY’S RABBIT

HOW JACK CAME TO HAVE A WINDOW BOX

DOROTHY’S DREAM OF HAPPINESS

THE PRINCESS LOSES THE FOOT RACE

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN

THE LAME PRINCE

BENNY IN BEASTLAND

A SUNSHINE FAIRY

WHAT THE STUPID SON LEARNED

SAMSON

THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

THE GOOSE BOY AND THE KING

FAITHFUL BRUNO

PLANTING AN ORCHARD

JACK AND THE GIANT

TOM THUMB

TOM THUMB

THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE

THE GIRL WHO WANTED EVERYTHING

PUSS IN BOOTS

PUSS IN BOOTS

THE WHITE CAT

THE WHITE CAT

THE GINGERBREAD MAN

THE ROBIN’S EGGS

THE BOYHOOD OF GEORGE WASHINGTON

THE YOUNG MANHOOD OF GEORGE WASHINGTON

THE LEADERSHIP OF GEORGE WASHINGTON

ABSALOM

HOW ROBIN HOOD BECAME AN OUTLAW

ROBIN HOOD MEETS LITTLE JOHN

HOW ROBIN HOOD MET FRIAR TUCK

THE SHOOTING MATCH AT NOTTINGHAM TOWN

HOW ROBIN HOOD CEASED TO BE AN OUTLAW

THE SPINDLE, THE SHUTTLE AND THE NEEDLE

THE NÜRNBERG STOVE

THE NÜRNBERG STOVE

THE BELL OF ATRI

ALL FOOLS’ DAY

THE GOLDEN TOUCH

THE WISE LITTLE PIG

THE BARMECIDE FEAST

ONE-EYE, TWO-EYES, AND THREE-EYES

ONE-EYE, TWO-EYES, AND THREE-EYES

THE PROUD KING

THE PROUD KING

THE GOLD GIRL AND THE TAR GIRL

THE LOOKING-GLASS WITCH

DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT

DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT

SODOM AND GOMORRAH

FRIEDRICH FROEBEL

DUMMLING’S REQUEST

DUMMLING’S GOOSE

CINDERELLA

THE THREE LUCKY SONS

HESTER’S EASTER OFFERING

STORY OF THE JACKBEAN

FOUR-LEAF CLOVER

THE TRAVELING MUSICIANS

KING COPHETUA AND THE BEGGAR MAID

THE KIND-HEARTED POLICEMAN

THREE LITTLE GOLDFISH

WAX WINGS

THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY MOUSE

JULIA’S PRESENCE OF MIND

THE BAKER BOYS AND THE BEES

A DOG’S GRATITUDE

THE MIGHTY MEN

THE FAIRY FISH QUEEN

SNOWFLAKE

RAGS

THE MAGIC POT

THE BEAUTIFUL HAND

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The most beautiful thing in life is helping others, especially those in need.

It is right to have clean hands and well kept nails. We should remember that cleanliness of body is akin to purity of heart. I shall tell you a story of some hands that were not only clean but very beautiful.

Some young girls were talking by the brook, boasting of their beautiful hands. One of them dipped her hands in the sparkling water and the drops looked like diamonds falling from her palms.

See what beautiful hands I have! The water runs from them like precious jewels, said she, and held up her hands for the others to admire. They were very soft and white, for she had never done anything but wash them in clear, cold water.

Another one of them ran to get some strawberries and crushed them in her palms. The juice ran through her fingers like wine from a wine press until her fingers were as pink as the sunrise in the early morning.

See what beautiful hands I have! The strawberry juice runs over them like wine, said she, and she held up her hands for the others to admire. They were very pink and soft, for she had never done anything but wash them in strawberry juice every morning.

Another one gathered some violets and crushed the flowers in her hands until they smelled like perfume.

See what beautiful hands I have! They smell like violets in the deep woods in the spring time, said she, and she held up her hands for the others to admire. They were very soft and white, for she had never done anything but wash them in violets every morning.

The fourth girl did not show her hands but held them in her lap. An old woman came down the road and stopped before the girls. They all showed her their hands and asked her which were the most beautiful. She shook her head at each one and then asked to see the hands of the last girl who held hers in her lap. The last girl raised her hands timidly for the old woman to see.

Oh, these hands are clean, indeed, said the old woman, but they are hard with toil, helping her mother clean the house and nurse the baby, and mend the clothes. They have carried food to the poor and have nursed the sick babies in the neighborhood.

Then the old woman fumbled in her pocket and brought out a ring set with diamonds, with rubies redder than strawberries, and turquoise bluer than violets.

Here, wear this ring, my child; you deserve the prize for the most beautiful hands, for they have been the most helpful.

And the old woman vanished, leaving the four girls still sitting by the brook.

THE DISCONTENTED MEMBERS

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All the parts must work together for the good of the whole. In union there is strength and safety.

Once upon a time all the parts of the body began to complain of how little the stomach did, and of what each one did to support that lazy member.

Just look at that stupid old stomach, said the mouth. It won’t say a word; never sings a song. Won’t even say ‘thank you,’ for what I let go by me on the way down to fill it up. I am getting tired of opening and shutting and swallowing and never a word of thanks.

You are perfectly right, said the hands. Here we are working hard all day, digging and pulling and pushing and doing our best to make a little money. Our palms are hard and knotty, and sometimes our fingers are sore and cold. Then to make it worse, when we come home we have to lift food to go into that good-for-nothing stomach, and never a word do we get for it.

The head nodded violently: Yes, indeed! it said. I have to lie awake at night thinking of ways to make food. I sometimes am positively worn out worrying about where I am going to find provisions enough to satisfy that stomach. I should think it would make some suggestions of its own, but not a sound do I ever hear.

Then the legs began to beat on the floor in order to be heard.

You have no idea how bad we feel, said they. We have to go about all day carrying that old stomach from one place to another. We have to stand up and sit down, and the loads that are put on us are absolutely frightful. Sometimes we are so tired out that we positively tremble with weakness. And as for getting any consideration—not a bit of it!

All the other members joined it. The eyes said they kept a sharp look out; the ears said they listened for every sound, and even the ribs said they stood guard to catch any blow that might fall on the stomach.

The members all agreed not to help the stomach any more. The head would not think; the hand would not work; the mouth would not swallow, and so no more food went into the stomach.

But see what happened! The legs grew too weak to walk; the hands were too feeble to move; the head was dizzy from lack of strength, and all the body shrunk until it looked like a shadow.

Then the stomach spoke up at last and said:

You foolish members! Do you not know that in feeding me you are feeding yourselves? You put food into me but I send it back to you in blood and strength so that you can all work. Unless you feed me I cannot help you.

The head nodded wisely and said: The stomach is right. Come, let us all go to work again, so that the good old stomach may give us back our strength.

THE BLIND MAN AND THE ELEPHANT

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(Adapted from a poem by John G. Saxe)

We should not be sure of our opinions until we have seen all sides of the question.

There were six men of Hindoostan who were blind, but each man thought he could see as well with his hands as any one else could with his eyes. Whenever they touched anything they thought they knew all about it, though they had felt only a small part.

Now, these six blind men had never seen an elephant. They did not know what an elephant was like because nobody could describe an elephant so that they could know what it was like. Besides that, these blind men never believed what anybody told them.

One day an elephant came to their town and they decided to pay him a visit. The first blind man approached the elephant and stumbled against his big broad side. He felt along the rough hide up and down and as far as he could reach.

Why, bless me! the elephant is just like a wall or the side of my house. I had no idea an elephant was like that! said the first blind man.

Then the second blind man approached the elephant and caught hold of his hard tusks with the sharp points. He felt along the smooth tusk as far as he could reach.

Why, bless me! the elephant is very like a spear. I had no idea an elephant looked like that! said the second blind man.

Then the third blind man approached the elephant and caught hold of his trunk. The old elephant moved his trunk from side to side, and squirmed, while the third blind man felt of it as far as he could.

I see the elephant is very like a snake. I had no idea an elephant was like that! said the third blind man.

The fourth blind man now came up and took hold of the elephant’s leg. He felt how big and solid it was and he felt along the leg as far as he could reach.

It is very clear to me that an elephant is very like a tree. I had no idea an elephant was like that! said the fourth blind man.

The fifth blind man came and put his hand on the elephant’s ear. He felt along the big ear as far as he could.

Well, this elephant is very like a fan. I had no idea an elephant looked like that! said the fifth blind man.

The sixth blind man came up and caught the elephant by the tail. He pulled and twisted as hard as he could.

I see, the elephant is very like a rope. I had no idea an elephant was like that! said the sixth blind man.

And they quarreled all one day and late into the night, and they never did know what the elephant was like.

THE BAD-TEMPERED SQUIRREL

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An ill-natured child does not deserve good companionship.

Once there was a family of squirrels that lived in a nice warm hole in a tall tree. This would have been a happy family had it not been for the ill-temper of one of the little squirrels. When they gathered for supper he grabbed the biggest nuts and took more than his share. He pushed the others away and bit and scratched them. At night he took the best place to sleep and crowded the smaller ones to the edge where it was cold.

Mother squirrel tried to correct him, but at last father squirrel said he could stand his quarreling no longer. So one morning he told the little squirrel to follow him. They ran down the tree and over the dry leaves. On and on they went until they came to a place in the wood which the squirrel had never seen. Soon they came to a large oak tree and up the father went, the little squirrel following. Near the top they found a large hole. The father said:

Go into this hole and stay there until you can be a good little squirrel.

The little squirrel crept in and heard his father run down the tree and over the leaves. He felt very lonely. He began looking around the hole and found a soft bed of leaves and a pile of nice nuts. He thought:

It will be fun to have this place all to myself, and do just as I please. So he tried to play, but it was no fun playing alone. Then he went back into the hole and began to think that his brothers and sisters were better off than he had thought them. It began to grow dark, and there was no one to cuddle up to and keep warm, and no mother to say good-night, to him. The night was very long, and the next morning it was raining. He felt very far from home. He sat thinking of all the jolly things his brothers and sisters were doing, and he wanted to go home.

Late that night an old owl looked in the hole.

You are a nice fat little squirrel, he said. I believe I’ll eat you in the morning. The little squirrel sat up and trembled with fear.

Oh, Mr. Owl, please don’t eat me. I will be very good, cried the little squirrel. The old owl blinked and blinked but made no promises. That night was a very unhappy one for the poor little squirrel. He dare not go out for fear of the owl and the owl could not get in the small hole where the squirrel was.

Next morning his father came along and the owl flew away. His father looked in the hole and said:

Now, will you be good? But there was no need for an answer, the poor little squirrel was only too glad to go back home, and he was never bad afterwards.

JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK

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Part One

A poor bargain can often be turned to good account, by one who knows how.

A long time ago there lived a poor woman who had an only son named Jack. The time came when they had no bread at all, and Jack’s mother said:

Take the cow, my son, and sell her, so that we can have bread to eat.

Jack went off with the cow. On the way he met a butcher who said:

What are you going to do with your cow? Jack replied:

I am going to sell her to buy some bread. The butcher had a handful of beans in his hat, and said:

I will give you these beans for your cow. Jack thought this was a good trade and took the beans for the cow, and ran home as fast as he could.

His mother burst into tears. She was so angry that she threw the beans out of the window, and made Jack go to bed without any supper.

The next morning when Jack woke up he was amazed to find that the beans had grown up into the clouds during the night, and were as thick and heavy as trees. Jack wished to climb up the bean-stalk at once, and so he began to climb and climb until he was tired out. Up, up he went past the clouds and right into the sky, until he reached the top.

It was a strange land he came to. Jack walked all day until he came to a great house in which lived a giant and his wife. He knocked at the door and asked the giant’s wife to give him something to eat and a place to sleep.

What! she said. You do not know my husband. He is a giant and will eat you up if he sees you. But you can come in, for you are a fine looking fellow, and she let Jack come in and gave him something to eat, and hid him in the oven.

Soon the giant came in roaring like thunder. He sat down and ate and drank, and scolded his wife until Jack trembled with fear. At last the giant said: Bring me my hen.

The wife brought a hen and placed her before the giant.

Lay me an egg! roared the giant, and the hen laid a golden egg.

Lay me another! and the hen laid another. Then the giant went to sleep. Afterward Jack crept out and stole the hen and ran until he came to the bean-stalk. He climbed down and down until he came to his home and showed the hen to his mother.

Lay me an egg! said Jack, and the hen laid a golden egg for Jack and his mother. The hen did what she was told every day, and they sold the eggs for a bag of money, and ever after had plenty to eat.

JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK

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Part Two

Jack and his mother had plenty of money, but still he could not help thinking about the giant, and wondering what he was doing, and if there was any way to slay him. Every day he looked at the bean-stalk and longed to climb again. At last he stained his face a dark brown, put on some old clothes, and climbed the bean-stalk up to the sky as he had done before.

He went straight to the giant’s door and knocked as he had done the first time. The giant’s wife came and he asked for something to eat and a place to sleep.

Go away! she said. Once I let a boy in here and he stole my husband’s hen! But Jack looked so hungry that she let him in and fed him and hid him in the closet.

The giant came along soon and made so much noise the house shook. He sat down and sniffed the air. I smell fresh meat, he said, and Jack trembled for his life.

Oh, the crows left some fresh meat in the house, his wife said, and then she fed the giant until he was quite full and in a good humor. Then he pulled out his money bags and began to count his money. Jack’s eyes glistened when he saw so much gold and silver, but he kept very still in the closet. By and by the giant came to some gold eggs the hen had laid. He was so cross when he thought about the hen that he was terrible and scolded his wife so hard that she ran out of the house.

The giant got up and stamped about the room until he all but knocked holes in the floor. Finally he came to his magic harp in the corner. He took the harp and set it on the table.

Now, play me a tune, said he, and the harp began to play the most beautiful music. It played and it played, one tune after another, until the giant lay down on his couch and fell asleep.

Jack crept out of the closet and seized the harp and ran off with it as fast as he could. But the harp was an enchanted harp and it cried out:

Master! Master! Come quick! Come quick! Then the giant awoke and saw Jack running down the road with the harp.

Away went Jack, the giant right after him. The harp kept on calling, and Jack kept on running until he came to the bean-stalk. Down he began to climb, and down the giant came after him!

But Jack was very nimble, and reached the ground before the giant was half way.

Run, mother! bring the axe! he cried. His mother came running with the axe, and Jack began cutting down the bean-stalk, and crash! it fell to the ground bringing the giant with it. He fell and he fell until he hit the ground so hard he went on through and has never been seen or heard of since.

THE LEGEND OF THE SPIDER WEB

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Too much pride in one’s self brings a change in one’s nature.

In olden times people had to do all their own spinning and weaving. They did not have good factories and mills as we now have, but each family made its own cloth and its own clothes. Sometimes the women of the family learned how to make the most beautiful cloth. Wonderful patterns of fruits, flowers, birds and even pictures were woven in the cloth.

In ancient times people had so much regard for the work of spinning and embroidering that they had a goddess of needlework named Minerva. She could do finer work than any mortal, of course, because she was a goddess.

Now there was a young woman named Arachne, who did such dainty work in spinning and weaving that people came from miles around to see her work. Whenever they came she would show them her work, and they would exclaim, How wonderful! How beautiful!

Arachne was herself becoming very proud of her skill, and began to boast of what she could do. She said, I can do better work than any woman in the world. Minerva, herself, cannot do better than I! Thus she put herself above the gods, which was very foolish in her as we shall see.

Minerva heard about Arachne’s boast and was very much displeased. She decided that Arachne’s boast should be punished. So one day Minerva, disguised as an old woman, went to Arachne’s house and began to talk to her about her work. With great pride Arachne showed the old woman some of the patterns she had made. The old woman said finally:

I hear you boast that you can do finer work than Minerva herself. Whereupon the foolish young woman spread out her embroidery and weaving, and said: Minerva can do no better.

Then the old woman said: I will challenge you to a contest myself.

Arachne laughed aloud, but she agreed to the contest. Her pride was aroused, and she and the old woman began to weave. Arachne did her best, but the old woman did her work twice as fast and far more beautiful. The birds she embroidered seemed ready to sing; the trees seemed to bear golden fruit, and the pictures seemed real men and women. It was very wonderful work and those who stood around watching the contest were amazed.

Arachne was so ashamed of her own work and so angry that she said: Begone, you old witch! leave my house!

But the old woman turned into the radiant goddess Minerva, and Arachne fled from the house. Finding a rope Arachne tried to hang herself, but Minerva turned her into a spider, and she is still weaving webs to this very day.

ANDROCLUS AND THE LION

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Even a wild beast will show gratitude for a kind act.

Androclus was a Roman slave. His master was very unkind and treated him cruelly. At last Androclus succeeded in making his escape to another country. He made his home in a forest for it was not safe for him to live near other people, as a large reward was always offered for the return of runaway slaves.

Androclus killed animals and birds for food and slept under trees. Once when he was hunting for some game he came upon a cave in the side of the mountain, and at once decided to make this his home.

Now, it happened that a fierce lion had also chosen this cave for his home, and while Androclus was making a bed out of some dry leaves, the lion entered. Androclus was much alarmed and felt sure he would be killed.

To his surprise the great beast made no attempt to harm him, but instead crept up close to him and held up a swollen paw in the center of which was a long thorn. Androclus took hold of the thorn and gently pulled it out. The grateful lion looked up at him as if to say: I thank you, kind friend. For a long time these two lived together as friends.

By and by some hunters came through the forest. They recognized Androclus as a runaway slave, and carried him back to his master who put him in prison. It was the custom of the Romans to assemble at a great theater to be amused. This theater was not like ours. They had no plays but instead had fights between men and beasts. Runaway slaves were often punished by being made to fight these wild animals.

Not long after Androclus was put in prison he was ordered to fight a fierce lion. When the day for the fight came the cage was opened, and the enraged lion started at him. The lion was growling and showing his sharp teeth. The brave slave faced him without flinching. Then the lion saw Androclus; instead of rushing at him to kill him, he crept gently up to him and licked his feet.

Androclus fell down on his knees and threw his arms around the neck of the lion. The surprised people asked for an explanation. Androclus told them how he had helped the lion when he was hurt, and how they had lived together in the cave. The people then commanded that Androclus be set free and ordered that the lion be given to him. After that Androclus was a freeman and was often seen walking on the streets of Rome followed by his lion which looked like a huge dog.

DIRTY TOM

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In which a dirty little boy becomes a clean little boy and feels much better for it.

Tom was a poor little orphan. He had no father to buy good clothes for him and no kind mother to wash and bathe him. There was no one to