No More Learning

Fortune seemed to favor them, and at the ap-
pointed hour they met, and proceeded towards
the farm house. Darius took his brother Xerxes
along to help bring home the game, if they
eliould be fortunate enough to secure more than
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? i8o Tli(R Foxes' Quarrel.
they could carry themselves. As they hurried
along, they met many of their friends going out
on hunting expeditions, for the night was favor-
able. Presently they reached the home of
Farmer Tobbin, and quietly and carefully en-
tered the yard, knowing that the slightest noise
would be sure to waken Bruno, the faithful
watch-dog, and set the cocks crowing, and then
it would be all over with them, for the farmer
would appear with his gun. As they entered
the yard, they caught sight of a rooster which
had sauntered out to see if it were yet dawn.
Quick as a wink, Darius seized him, while
Christopher secured a plump, fat duck that had
forgotten to go inside to roost. In the excite-
ment, poor little Xerxes was quite forgotten,
and the friends, throwing their game across their
shoulders, started for home, well pleased with
their luck. Just as they entered the woods, a
snipe met the eyes of Christopher, but before
he had captured it, Darius caught sight of it.
Both rushed for it, and seized it. Now, whose
should it be? Both claimed it. Long and
angrily the foxes quarreled. Christopher claimed
it because he saw it first, and Darius claimed it
because he got hold of it first. Morning came.
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? New Year's Ev<. i8i
and they were still disputing. Suddenly Bruno,
tlie dog, appeared on the scene, and they both
scampered off as fast as they could go, leaving
snipe, duck and chicken behind. Bruno had a
kingly breakfast, while the silly foxes had none.
"WTien they got back to their homes, and sat
do^Ti to think over the matter, they were sorry
enough to think they had been so greedy, for in
trying to get all, each one had lost the liUle he
had. Poor little Xerxes had been forgotten in
their hurry to get away with their prizes.
New Year's Eve.
The snow lay deep upon the ground and
nestled among the leafless branches of the forest
trees, gleaming and sparkling like millions of
diamonds. There was no sign of its melting,
for the days were bitter cold, and the nights even
colder, if anything.
"Tt is the coldest winter for many years," said
old Daddy Bruin, and he ought to know, for ho
had lived longer in the forest than the rest of
the animals.
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? 1 82 New Year's Eve.
Daddy Bmin and his old wife had built a
house with the branches of trees closely packed
together, and had covered the roof with thick
coatings of mud. There they lived, as snug and
comfortable as you please. The wind whistled
all around them, but it could not enter their
dwelling and bother them, so snugly were they
housed.
It was ^ew Year's Eve in the forest, and
Daddy Bruin had invited all the inhabitants
thereof to meet with him in his home to talk
about the past year. Beasts of every shape, size
and color gathered at his call, and even the wise
old owl, having heard of the gathering, came
with his little son. "When they had all arrived,
Daddy T\Tapped himself in his blanket, and put
on his Tam O'Shanter, and seating himself on a
fallen log, began to talk to the eager group in
his usual kind fashion. They all looked very
much interested, and paid the best of attention
to Bruin's remarks, even to the tiny little mice
that sat close by his feet. I suppose you would
like to know what they were talking about, so I
will tell you. Bruin was trying to get them to
give up their bad habits and live good lives. He
said he had decided not to steal anything more
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? New Year's Eve.
183
from the farmers, but would hereafter depend
on the fruits of field and wood for his living.
One after another the animals confessed that
they had done lots of bad things during the year,
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? 1 84
New Year's Eve.
for whicli they were sorry. Even "Winky Blinky,
tlie owl, looked very grave as lie sat listening to
these tales and confessions of evil doing. The
subject was so interesting that they talked to-
gether for hours, even far into the night.
It was a very solemn meeting, and brought
good results, for
"There, beneath the swaying trees,
As round them played the whistling breeze,
And from the sky, the queen of night
Looked down upon the pleasing sight,
With many a vow and promise true,
Thev all resolved to start anew;
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? New Year's Eve.
And, let us hope, in after davs
They followed peaceful, lionest ways;
185
That guns and snares and traps severe
Were not required throughout the year. '^
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? Bomba, the Merry Old King.
There is an island to the south of Italy, called
Sicily. The weather is beautiful there, and flow-
ers and fruits grow most plentifully. Here, so
the story goes, lived a king, called Bomba.
Bomba was known as the merry old King, for
he loved to play and romp and frolic, notwith-
standing the fact that his hair had grown white
as the driven snow, and his beard had also been
touched by time's frosty hand.
He lived in the royal palace with no one but
his servants, more than a dozen of whom were
kept to amuse and entertain this fun-loving
sovereign. The grounds around the court were
all devoted to hie pleasures. There he played
tennis, or enjoyed a game of ball, or else rigged
himself in his suit, and became one of the play-
ers in a jolly game of foot-ball. If Bomba did
not feel like taking part in the game, he would
order his servants to play in their very best style;
perhaps he would be umpire, or perhaps he
would make himself comfortable, and devote his
time to enjoying the fun.
Bomba loved to roll a hoop. His was made
of the most beautiful red gold, and the stick he
i86
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? Bomba, the Merry Old King. 187
used for rolling it was nothing less than his own
jeweled sceptre. It was the funniest sight to see
Bomba dashing after the hoop, his crown, pulled
tightly down on his head, gleaming in the sun-
light, and his purple gown, richly trimmed with
ermine, flying about him in all directions. The
marbles he used were made of gold, and his tops
were of gold, too, set with precious stones of
every kind and color. How they sparkled and
gleamed as the top went spinning around and
around, and how old Bomba clapped his hands
and roared with delight.
Xow people thought, and they dared do no
more than think, that their king was crazy. You
see, if this had reached Bomba's ears, there is no
telling what might have happened to the person
who said it. But still, the people had their o^vn
thoughts, and they felt very sad to think their
king was really nothing but a foolish, fun-loving
child. They wished some one, wise and good,
might wear the purple robe, and the jeweled
crown, and use the royal sceptre for some better
purpose than rolling a golden hoop.
One morning, after Bomba had eaten his
breakfast, and a good meal it was too, he called
bis jester to him. He told him to summon his
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? 1 88 Bomba, the Merry Old King.
entertainers, bid tbem dress in their merriest
costumes, and hasten to the great court garden.
The jester went to do his bidding, and one and
all wondered what scheme old Bomba now had.
They were all present when the king came
among them. He gazed at them, laughed mer-
rily at their rigs, and told them that now he was
ready for a game of leap-frog; they should take
turns at being the frog, while he did the leaping.
This soon became a favorite sport with the king,
and every day he would spend a portion of the
time in this kind of play. People from all
around came to see this merry old king indulge
in the games and sports which children love.
But, alas! for the king; he tried the game once
too often. One day, when he had been having
a particularly jolly game, and been more reckless
than was his want, he tried to jump over one of
his serv^ants, who was very tall, but he missed
his leap, slipped and fell, and lay a helpless
heap, never to rise again. The courtiers gath-
ered around him, trying to do something for
him, for at first they thought he was only
stunned, but all the doctors could do nothing,
and at last they realized that their king was in-
deed dead. It was a sad death for the merry
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? A Friendly Pair. 189
old monarch, and all the people pitied him, even
though he had been nothing but a foolish old
king, and they missed his merry laugh and his
kind, gentle face. They missed him more and
more as the days went by, and there was no fun
in the palace. The next king was a very stem,
hard master, and they often wished they were
again living under merry old King Bomba,
though he did spend most of his time in idle
sport
A Friendly Pair.
Winter had given way to spring, and the alli-
gator had come out of the hole in the banks of
the river in which he had slept away the chilly
nights and days. He felt so strong and happy
after his long sleep, and having given himself a
vigorous shake and oft repeated stretches, he
dived into the water for a cool, refreshing bath.
This done, his thoughts turned toward some-
thing to eat, and he opened and shut his big
jaws, as if smacking his lips, when he thought
of the delightful prospect, and there arose be-
fore him visions of the shiny-backed fish that he
would catch and dine upon.
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? IQO
A Friendly Pair.
In a tiny stream that flowed througli tlie
marslies lived a fi^li that could be found no-
where else. Mr. Alligator liked this fish so well
that he decided to go fishing in the stream, and
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? A Friendly Pair. 191
if possible bring back a few of these fine fat
fellows for his dinner. So he slung his bag over
his shoulder, and taking his good stout walking
stick, he started off on his tramp.
A shaggy brown bear, who lived in the woods,
had just come out of the great hollow tree where
he had found a resting place during the winter
months. His store of provisions was exhausted,
and he thought it high time to start out in search
of more. He blinked and winked at the bright
sunshine, and he smiled and nodded at the little
flowers that seemed to greet him in their own
pretty way. But the feeling of hunger was
stronger than, the attractions of nature, and so
Mr. Bear donned his beaver hat, and taking his
market bag on his arm, he too started out to get
something to eat. He thought he might be able
to find a pile of nuts in some bushes near the
river, for he remembered having left some there
in the fall.
ITow it happened that the stream where the
fish lived, and the bushes where the nuts were
hidden, were close together, so it was not strange
that the bear and the alligator should come across
each other. "Good morning," said the alligator,
"are you off on a journey? " ''Not far," said the
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? 192 The Balky Mule Outwitted.
bear, "I am only taking a morning walk in search
of something to eat. '' "Well, I am on the same
errand," said the alligator; "if our ways are to-
gether, shall we not walk together? " This plan
suited the bear, so they walked together side by
side, and enjoyed a pleasant stroll.
The Balky Mule Outwitted.
Among a forest of cypress, fir and pine trees
stood the palace of old Sultan Allah Baba, with
its cupolas and domes towering high above the
wilderness of trees. It w^as built of white mar-
ble, and kept always, at the order of the Sultan,
gleamingly white and beautiful. The windows
were of the most gorgeous colors, through which
the sun brightly shone, sending rainbow-like
shadows in and around the rooms of the palace.
At night the place was lighted by jeweled,
studded lamps, which were hung from the ceil-
ings by great silken cords.
Allah Eaba had once been a tall, stately young
fellow, but the happy, easy life he had led, to-
gether with the many dainties that daily filled
his table, had added many pounds to the Sultan's
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? The Balky Mule Outwitted. 193
freight He liked this change in his appearance
as little as he did the snow white beard that had
taken the place of the jet black whiskers.
The great cap that adorned his head covered
the growth of snowy hair, but no such device
hid the whiskers from sight.
"I am growing old/' mused the Sultan, "and
that will never do. I must find some plan to
bring me back my youth again. I'll dye my
whiskers, but how can I rid myself of all this
load of flesh? "
Allah Baba thought and thought, but all in
vain. Finally he sent for one of the wise men
of his court, and stating the case to him, asked
what he should do.
"Your case is easily settled, your Highness,"
said he. "I am sure you would soon be as slen-
der as a young willow if you would oidy ride a
mule. "
"A delightful plan that," said the Sultan. "I
will reward you richly for your noble efforts. "
Xo time was lost in buying the mule, and of
course they tried to select the very best in all
the land. The Sultan came from the palace to
examine the new treasure, and smiled approv-
ingly at the animal's long ears and shaggy coat^
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? 194 '^^e Balky Mule Outwitted.
^T^ow ril mount him," said Allah Baba, "and
go dashing away on my first ride. ''
It was easy enough to mount, but the dashing
away did not follow, l^ot one inch would the
mule move. Allah Baba coaxed and pulled, but
for nought; his mule would not stir.
"Cut me a stick," roared Allah; "I'll teach
him a lesson or two. " But the stick, likewise,
proved useless. At last Allah grew desperate.
"A fortune," said he, "to the man who makes
this miserable beast move! "
"I'll earn it in no time, your Highness," said
one of his sen^ants. Bight to work he went, and
after several hours' labor he rigged the trouble-
some mule in a complete set of sails. Then,
again, Allah mounted his steed, and away they
went, this time without the least trouble, for
old longears had to go, whether he would or not.
The wind filled the sails, and the mule was sur-
prised at himself to think he could go so fast.
As they sped along over the road, everything
and everybody fled before them, for they knew
not w^hat to make of the queer looking object.
It was a lively ride for the old Sultan, but what
pleased him best of all, was the conquering of
the balky mule, and he was really conquered,
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? Fun in the Woods. fg^
too. For several days the old Sultan took his
daily ride on his sail-rigged beast, but one day
he decided to try him without all these things,
so he told his servants to bring him to the door
with nothing but a saddle and bridle on. They
obeyed, but were quite sure that when their
master attempted to make the mule go, he would
again show his ugly temper. Great was their
surprise, therefore, to see him start off at just
as rapid a rate as ever, as soon as their master
mounted his back, showing that he had discov-
ered that the Sultan was master of the situation.
He never again was obliged to use the device
which had been so useful to him, but always
found his mule ready to obey his slightest word.
Fun in the Woods.
Rex Wolf and his friend, Teddy Fox, had
played catch with the fallen blossoms until they
were weary; then they played a game of hokey,
but found it no fun. After this they tried hide
and go seek and leap-frog, but nothing seemed
to please them. So they had seated themselves
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? 196
Fun in the Woods.
on the soft green grass, and both their little
heads were busy trying to think what next to
do. To be quiet was out of the question, and
no nice kind of fun seemed to suggest itself.
Foxy suddenly clapped his hands with glee.
"I have it, Eex," said he. "Do you remember
the great oak log that the woodcutters left here
last week? AVe will put a board across, and
have as fine a see-saw as you or I could want. "
"Good for you, Teddy," said his friend. **I
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? Fun in the Woods. 197
knew jou would think of something before
long. "
Off these two youngsters scampered, and hav-
ing found a fallen limb near at hand, they soon
had it placed across the stump, and were taking
a fine ride. Up and down they went, thoroughly
enjoying this new kind of sport.
Just about this time, a fat, black bear came
strolling along.
"Give me a ride. Foxy? '' said he.
"Yes, if you like," said Foxy, '^ex and I
will get on one side, and you can get on the
other. "
Pretty soon they were all ready to start again.
Rex and Teddy got on one end, and away they
frent up in the air, just as soon as the old black
bear took his seat on the other, and there they
stayed, too, for the old bear was so heavy that
they could not lift him up. "This won't do,"
said Teddy. "You are too heavy for us. " So
he called to a little porcupine, who was watch-
ing the fun. "Get on," Prickly, and help us
balance old Fatty. " So Prickly crawled up, and
they just balanced the old fellow. Then they
had ihe greatest fun; now up, now down, until
at last they got dizzy and tired, too. Then they
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? 198
Fun in the Woods.
thouglit they would play a trick on the old bear,
so the three little fellows all jumped off to-
gether, letting old Fatty down rather suddenly.
But he was such a good-natured fellow that he
did not mind it, and invited them to go home
with him, and they joyfully accepted the invi-
tation.
'Now Blacky's sister had at one time found an
accordion that some people had left in the woods,
and she kept it hidden in the old hollow oak
where she lived. Blacky had told his friends of
this treasure, so when they had chatted awhile,
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? The Monks' Victory. 199
Teddy Fox begged Miss Blacky to play for them.
She willingly consented, and seating herself
upon a log, began to play with all her might.
It was not long before quite a merry party had
gathered on the green, and among them were
two bright little hares. They began to dance a
jig to the lively music that was being played,
and soon others joined them, and soon all were
enjoying a good jolly dance.
Just before the party broke up, and they went
away, the bear proposed that they should sit
down and chat awhile. Then he suggested that
they should form a sort of a club, and have a
meeting every week in the old woods. He said
his sister would learn how to play some new
pieces, especially dance music, and he thought
they could have a fine time together. This they
all thought would be great fun, and so they de-
cided to meet each Tuesday at five o'clock for
a good old frolic.
The Monks' Victory.
The pale moon never shed her light nor the
stars never twinkled over a more sorrowful spot
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? 200 The Monks' Victory.
than the little village of Thimble Top. Every-
thing was once so bright and liappy, and care
and trouble were strangers, but now they had
come among the villagers as most unwelcome
guests, and there they seemed to mean to
Btay.
The trouble was caused by Diddle Dee, a
wicked, merciless tyrant, who captured little
children, and put them to cruel tortures. He
lived in a mighty castle, so strongly barred and
bolted that no one could enter. There was
scarcely a house in the village but had suffered
from the ravages of this dreadful Diddle Dee.
Mothers, who thought they watched their little
ones most carefully, turned their backs but for
an instant, and the child was gone -- and not a
trace could be four>>d of the thief or the captive.
How hei bore the child off to his castle without
being seen by a soul, was a mystery no one
could solve. Matters kept growing worse and
worse, and no help could be found.
But one day two pious monks visited the vil-
lage on a pilgrimage. As they rode through the
streets, news of the sad goings on reached their
ears and filled their hearts with deep sorrow.
They were wise, as they were good, and the;^
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? The Monks' Victory. 201
went straiglit to work to find some way out of
tlie difficulty.
"We will go boldly to Diddle Dee/' said one
of the monks, "and see if our sacred calling will
not have some weight with him. "
I^ow it happened that Diddle Dee dreaded
nothing so much as the ill will of these holy
men, so when they rode up to the castle, he re-
ceived them very graciously. The two monks
dismounted, tied their beasts to a couple of trees,
and entered the house of Diddle Dee. In the
room into which he led them burned a bright
fire, and over the fire swung an enormous kettle
filled with water.
"A boiling pot for the helpless little ones,"
thought one of the fathers, "but it has served its
day for that use -- only one more victim shall
ever fill it, and that is Diddle Dee himself. "
With that he laid hold of the wicked fellow,
and with the aid of his brother monk, plunged
him into the pot.
The water was hot, and Diddle Dee screamed
for mercy, but the monks paid no heed to him
until he was scared almost to death.
^^lSTow," said the monk who had seized him,
"are you willing to promise to leave this country
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? 202 The Monks' Victory.
and your wicked work forever? We will take
you to a place where you can do much good,
and perhaps blot out some of your wicked past. "
Diddle Dee v/as only too glad to promise any-
thing, and when he was lifted out of the pot,
stood before the fathers a humbled and sadder
man.
The monks tied Diddle Dee to his own iron
bed, for they had no wish to lose their prize.
Then they locked around to see what they could
find. Quantities of good things filled the larder,
and they soon had the air heavy with the de-
licious odor of cooking food. When all was
finished, one of the monks rode to the village to
tell the anxious villagers of their victory, and to
bid them celebrate the event with them in feast-
ing. The feast which the monks had prepared
was truly wonderful and surpassed anything that
had ever been held in the village before. It
was indeed an occasion for great joy, since now
the village was free from the ravages of this
teiTible creature, whose evil deeds had made life
almost a burden, especially to those who had
little ones in their families; therefore it is not
surprising that the monks found people so ready
to accept their invitations. Everybody came,
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? The Brownies' Kind Deed.