Stories for children

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CORINNE.



STORIES FOR CHILDREN,

A BOOK FOR

ALL LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS.



EDITED BY MRS. COLMAN,

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL RAYNOR,
NO. 76 BOWERY,

1852. -





Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844,
By P. A. COLMAN, BROOKLINE,
fa the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of Massachusetts





CONTENTS.



race
INNOCENCE, +essccssssscceeccsnessccccnccescusnscsesessscsees 7
THE FAIRY OF THE ROA -ecscssccssecccsevesesensssseeeDL
THE LAMMIE,++++++sssssesssesesesescsesesseseseressvensc enone]
LILLA'S DREAM, ss+ccescecceeesceesscsavcccssssetessesceeneesh?
THE CHILD'S DREAM AMONG FLOWEBS,+«+++++++000++64
CHILDHOOD, -+-++sesseceesncnscoscccescscnnccsscceseesecovoseeT]
THE KING OF THE SWANS,«++++sssescecsecereceesesces oo09§



INNOCENCE.

BY RUFUS DAWES.

1.

N infant child had passed away,

Where angels live and lovey—

His heavenly Father wanted him,
And took him Jhome above;

And happy was the child to find
A garden full of bowers,

Where many other children too,
Were playing with the flowers.



INNOCENCE.

IL.

The lambs were skipping on the green,
The trees were full of birds,

And fruit hung down deliciously,
Above the grazing herds;

While music from a thousand throats
Came warbling through the air,

And fragrance such as angels love,
Blew from the flowrets fair.

TIL

Oh! what a lovely sight was that
The little cherub saw,

_ And how it longed to frolic too,
And wear the dress they wore;



INNOCENCE. 9

For wreaths of flowers, like dazzling gold,
And silver shining white,

Hung o’er their breasts and on their arms,
So beautiful and bright.

IV.

Just then an angel, fair to see,
And shining like the sun,

Came smiling with a mother’s smile,
And blessed the little one;

While in her arms she took the: child,
And kissed it o’er and o’er,

And bade it play among the rest,
In joy for evermore.



10 INNOCENCE.

*

V.

Away it ran with mirthful glee,
To join the little band,

That round about soon gathered fast,
And clasped their brother’s hand;
Then crowning him with pretty flowers,
They laughed with joy intense,
Because their hearts had felt no sin,

And all was Innocence.





THE FAIRY OF THE ROSE.

BY RUFUS DAWES.

ORINNE was a beautiful little girl, who —
¢ always obeyed her parents, and who
loved her brothers and sisters. She liked
to walk about in the country, and to gather
pretty flowers that grew in the fields, and
sometimes she would stay out so late before
the sun set, that the cows would go home
before she did, and Letty, the housemaid,
would be waiting for her with her silver
porringer and supper.

One afternoon she was looking at the
lovely clouds that were moving along under



12 THE FAIRY OF THE ROSE.

the blue sky, and one of them poured down
a gentle mist, which made a brilliant rain-
bow. Corinne had often seen rainbows from
the parlor window, but now she saw one out
in the open fields, and it seemed to her that
it was close by, and was bending over a
rose-bush.

“Tf I could only catch that beautiful
rainbow!” said Corinne, and away she ran,
with her bright curling hair streaming to
the breeze, and her blue eyes shining like
violets in the dew.

But Corinne soon found that the rainbow
fled as fast as she pursued it; but as she
passed by the rose-bush, she saw a young
and handsome female, who seemed to be
hiding among the roses, and was now look
ing out upon the child.



THE FAIRY OF THE ROSE. 18

“My pretty little Corinne,” said the fe-
male, “don’t run any more after the rain-
bow — you will never be able to overtake
it. But stop a moment here by the roses.
I am the Fairy of the Rose, and I love to
make good little children happy. You may
come here every day while the roses bloom,
and carry one home with you in the evening.
Take this,” said she, offering a beautiful
bud to Corinne ; “it is the emblem of inno-
cence. Take it, sweet little Corinne, and
remember the Fairy of the Rose. Be a
good child, and you will be more beautiful
than the flowers, and more delightful than
the rainbows which you love.”

Corinne thanked the fairy for the present,
and. away she scampered to her mother.
And after that, she used to visit the rose-



14 THE FAIRY OF THE ROSE.

bush every day, and while she played with
the butterflies and the humming-birds, the
Fairy of the Rose used to sing to her the
sweetest songs, and sometimes she would
fall asleep and dream such beautiful dreams,
that it would have made her mother’s heart
beat with delight to see the angelic smile
on hér lips. |

In this, way Corinne grew in favor with
all, for she. always minded her lessons, and
obeyed her parents, and ever remembered
with affection the Fairy of the Rose.





THE LAMMIE.
A MODERN FAIRY TALE.

BY MISS A. A. GRAY.

2 OSA went to bed weeping. It was a
FER ri night, and while the rain-drops

: pelted the window frames, Rosa’s
tears fell upon her pillow. She had been
a disobedient girl, and her mother had re-
proved her more severely than usual, and
so Rosa wept, not in penitence because she
had done wrong, but in displeasure and
impatience because she had been punished,
and she said to herself, “It is too bad!
Mother is cruel, I am sure she is, and she
does not love me, I know she does not.”



16 THE LAMMIE.

Pitiable feelings and thoughts were these to
go to sleep upon—bad: stuff for dreams
to be woven of; but Rosa did fall asleep
while her breast was thus disquieted. She
dreamed, and in her dream she stood by
the border of a pond. She bent over, and
looked into the water; but the water re-
proved her, by showing her the distorted
features of a weeping girl. She started
back, and in anger threw a stone into the
face of the reprover, for presuming to speak
so plainly toher. “There,” said she, “you
cannot show me such a picture of myself
now, if you would; I have wrinkled your
own face well, for giving me such a portrait
of mine.” Thé honest reprover only smiled ;
and while Rosa was watching the dimples
which she chose to call “ wrinkles,” she .



THE LAMMIE. 17

heard, behind her, a sound as of rustling
leaves, or of rain-drops pattering on the
leaves. Was it the rain beating on the
window, or the curtain fluttering, — was it
_the grasshoppers leaping about over the
blackberry bushes? “Rosa,” whispered a
voice close behind: her, which sounded as
soft as the crunching of a crust of bread.
Rosa turned her head around, and oh! there
were the black elves, close beside her ; those
elves that dwell (if I say truly) in the hollow
of the earth. Spiderlike little creatures
they were, very black, and with long slender
limbs, which they threw about in a most
fantastic manner, and with large owlish eyes,
which they seemed to think were made
on purpose to be rolled from side to side.
“Rosa,” said one of the elves, which seemed
2



18 THE LAMMIE.

to be the king, “do not believe what that
pond says; I know his tricks. He always
was given to telling falsehoods ; believe me,
he is a wrinkled sinner. You are a good
child, and your face is a pretty one. Come,
we love you; come with us; we have a fine
home.” And he reached out his claw-hand,
and took hold of Rosa’s hand, and it felt to
Rosa as if she had clasped a branch of a
rough-barked shrub. And with the spider-
like troop she swept along, over hills, plains,
rivers, and seas; and then they all dashed
headlong down into a deep dell, at the bot-
tom of which was a bed of dry leaves. The
elfking scratched the leaves away with hi

claw-feet, throwing them up till the air was
full. When he had scratched them away,
a hole was discovered in the earth, not much



THE LAMMIE. 19

larger than a squirrel’s hole. “There,”
said the elf, “is our stair-way; go down,
Rosa; here we will feast you well, and give
you a mirror, which shall tell you the truth.”
And he went down the spiral staircase, draw-
ing Rosa after him, and the whole troop
followed, with a sound like an army of cock-
roaches, making a more hasty than dignified
retreat from the store-room. Down, down,
down they wound and wound till it seemed
to Rosa they must be near the other side
of the earth — millions of miles — many
days, it seemed. Oh, that wearying stair-
case! Yet they went swiftly, for it is easy
to go down stairs, every one knows. Be-
fore they had reached the bottom, Rosa’s
brain was in such a whirl that she was
searcely conscious of anything. Suddenly



20 THE LAMMIE.

she telt an electric shock, which seemed to
bring her to consciousness. It was the floor
of the great elfin hall which her feet had
touched. And now she was whirled around
in a dance with the band of elves, and it
seemed as if she could not help dancing on
the electric floor. In the midst of the hall.
burned a smoky fire, and over the fire a
ealdron hung from the ceiling, and the
smoke from the fire, and the steam from the
caldron hung in heavy clouds around.
“Supper is not ready yet,” said the elf-
king, who still held Rosa’s hand clasped in
one of his claws, while he ran the other up
through his hair, which was as sleek and
soft as the down of a porcupine. “ We
shall have time for a little conversation be-
fore supper. Now tell me your offence.



THE LAMMIE. 21

I heard your mother’s voice scolding you;
but I do not know what it was for.”

“JT went away secretly,” said Rosa, “ to
see one of my schoolmates, when my mother
had forbidden it, and when she punished
me I was angry, and I am now, for mother ~
is cruel to me.”

‘Never mind what your mother says to
you, my dear,” said the elf; and he went
on and gave a long lecture, which thoroughly .
persuaded Rosa that she was nothing more
or less than an innocent and injured child.
“Come now, the soup is ready,”’ said the
elf. And all the elves stood round the cal-
dron, each with his ladle. And Rosa had
a ladle too, and she feasted with the elves.

The soup tasted good; but shortly she
began to feel faint and sick, and so dimy



22 THE LAMMIE.

that she could not stand; and at length
went into convulsions, of which she was all
the time conscious ; presently it seemed as
if she could no longer use her limbs, nor
could she sit up nor stand, neither lie in
“any way except upon her face, and at last
it was as if she had no limbs; but she could
move her body very easily, and it seemed
to grow longer and longer, as she lay upon
the floor, and she loved to move about,
this side and that; but still she could not
stand erect. ‘* What has happened to me,”
thought she, and she asked the elf king to
show her the truth-telling mirror. “Come,”
said he ; and she followed him, moving along
on the smooth floor with the most delightful
ease.
The elf led her to a basin of black look-



THE LAMMIE. 93

ing liquid; she looked into it, and there, in
the blackness, she beheld herself transformed
into— oh what? a white and woolly lamb.
“Qh,” said she, “this is a true mirror;
but why is it that I cannot skip and play ?
It is quite as pleasant, though, to glide
about on this smooth floor.” After some
time, she had become so much accustomed
to believing herself a lamb, that it really
began to be as if she ran and leaped about,
and presently she seemed to be running
up the spiral staircase, and when she had
reached the top, she seemed to spring along
over the meadows, thinking to herself, Oh!
now what will mother say, when she sees I
am an innocent lamb? Yes, I ama lamb!
Oh, the truth-telling mirror.

“The truth-telling mirror!” repeated a



24 THE LAMMIE.

soft, sweet voice directly in front of Rosa.
Tt seemed to come from amongst the high
clover through which she was bounding, as
she thought, but she saw nothing but the
red clover blossoms and the yellow king-
cups. Hist! she hears the gentle waving
of wings, like the wings of doves; and from
out the clover arise beautiful little fairy-like
forms, bright as humming-birds. “Rosa,”
said one of them, in a voice like the Aolian
harp, “Come, I will show you the truth-
telling mirror. I have it up in my pavilion
in the sky. We are the fairies of the upper
air; I am the queen. I have, resting on
the clouds, a pavilion made of pearl. Oh!
it 18 light up there; you cannot look around
but the rainbow meets your eye.”

“J have looked ito the true mirror,”



THE LAMMIE. 25

said Rosa, “and it showed me the lamb
which thou seest I am.”

“< My eye sees thee but as the child Rosa ;
but my heart knows thy heart as the mirror
would show it, and I know what thou art.
Follow me; it is best thou shouldst see
thyself.”

‘Give me thy hand,” said Rosa, “ arid
lead me up.”

“Nay, I cannot give thee my hand; I
would not willingly come very near such as
thou; but thou shalt be led. We fairy
band will collect, and unite together, and a
golucz cloud shall enwrap us, and the cloud
shall rise up, and thou shalt follow it till it
reaches the pavilion.”

‘TJ do not love you; you are not kind,”
said Rosa; “but I am curious to look into

3



26 THE LAMMIE.

your murror; so I will follow.” And Rosa
saw the cloud arise like a globe of gold, and
she séemed to arise with it; and in circles
up they swept, higher! higher! till, as she
saw the golden ball above and the green
ball of earth below, the latter seemed the
smaller globe of the two.

When they had reached the pavilion, the
fairies came out of the cloud and alighted
upon the pearly steps, and it seemed to
Rosa as if she had a flock of doves waving
their wings around and above her.

The queen led her into the pavilion, where
she saw a table on which a splendid feast
was spread. “I do not wish to eat with
you,” said Rosa; “I only wish to see if
your mirror speaks the truth.”

“Thou canst not eat with us,” said the



THE LAMMIE. 27

queen; “we ask not such as thou to our
table. Come, pitiable child! and behold
thyself. My mirror shows not the outside,
but the inside;” and the queen led Rosa
to a crystal basin, wreathed with flowers of
many hues, and sending forth the sweetest
odors. The dome-roof of the pavilion was
lined with sapphires, and this was reflected
in the clear water, and on this blue ground
Rosa beheld herself, —a scaly serpent of a
dull coppery red. It recoiled at the sight
of itself. ‘Oh, you are cruel!” she cried
to the queen; “this cannot be true!” But
she perceived again that-she did not leap
and run, nor stand erect, but moved along
with an undulatory motion, and her ear
seemed to hear the scaly folds sweep along
ag she moved. She hissed in anger and



28 THE LAMMIE.

writhed in agony, because she dreaded that
her mother should behold her in that form.
“Nay, my poor child,” said the queen,
“this is vain; go and transform thyself
into something better.”” And it seemed to
Rosa that she had awakened and found that
she was lying in bed, still retaining the
serpent form. “Oh! agony! mother will
come into the chamber, and instead of her
Rosa, whom I know she means to forgive,
she will find a scaly serpent coiled up in
_ the bed. And instead of the kiss she would
‘have given me, she will give a shriek, and
run frightened away.” Then Rosa thought
her mother came in, started and shrieked
as she had dreaded, and the poor child
arose as erect as she was able, and protested
she was not what she appeared. “Mother!



THE LAMMIE. 29

mother!” she cried, “I am 1.06 a serpent!
oh! Iam not, believe me, mother! Forgive
me! kiss me, and I shall be your Rosa
again.” ‘Kiss a serpent?” cried her
mother, “Heaven have mercy! where is
my child?” And then her mother with
clasped hands looked upon her with a look
that pierced her heart, and she sunk down
and crept beneath the bed-clothes. Her
mother shrieked —but no—it was the
creaking of the chamber door. Rosa
awoke —~her mother bent over her and
kissed her wet cheek. ‘What ails thee,
my dear child? Why dost thou weep so?”
‘Mother! mother! I am not a serpent!
do not kill me!” “My dearest child,
what have you been dreaming about?”
said her mother laughing; and Rosa now



80 THE LAMMIE.

laughed in delight to find that she was not
a serpent, and she told her dream. “ Re-
pent, my Rosa, and behave well to-day, and
perhaps you will dream a pleasanter dream,
tonight. Was it not the serpent within
you which induced you cunningly to deceive
me and to disobey me, for the sake of
gratifying your own selfish wishes? Take
care that he does not creep in again. Now
dress yourself, and after breakfast I shall
have some work for you to do, and if you
do your task well, and are obedient and
sweet-tempered all through the day, then I
_ Shall believe the serpent has crept away
and a pretty lamb is born in you.” Rosa
felt very light-hearted when she laid down
to rest the next night, for she had done
so well during the day that her mother



THE LAMMIE. él

had hardly been obliged to reprove her for
anything, which was remarkable, for Rosa
was rather a wilful child. “ What a good
girl I have ——” but beforé the sentence
was completed, Rosa was in a dream. It
was not raimy that night, nor were the win-
dow curtains fluttering; but Rosa heard
the rustling and pattering behind her as
she stood by the pond, curling her ring-
lets around her fingers, and thinking how
prettily she looked. “Rosa! Rosa!” said
many cracked voices, “come and ride the
peacock. Our peacock steeds will carry
us up to the clouds, so that we can see the
pavilion of the air-fairies. Come, we are all
going up.” And the elf-king touched with
his wand some flowers that grew on the
banks of the pond, and instantly they were



82 THE LAMMIR.

changed into peacocks. Lach of the elves
leaped upon the back of one, and the king
placed Rosa before him on his. This was
certainly fine; the peacocks spread their
tails so wide and looked so proud, and held
their pretty crowned heads so high; and
though the elf king’s claw grasped Rosa’s
waist rather tightly, and his voice grated
harshly upon her ear, when he now and
then cried, “high! high, boy!” to his
steed, she did not much care for it, it was
80 fine to be sweeping through the air on
the beautiful bird.

But look! look! what is coming? An
army of eagles; and hark what flapping of
wings! From the clouds the troop seems
to come; the long quilled feathers of their
far-spread wings glance like golden arrows



THE LAMMIE. 38

in the sun; on the back of each bird is
mounted one of the beautiful fairies of the
upper air. The peacocks shut their tails
and screamed in affright, and the golden
eagles shrieked in defiance.

“Hence to your own dark domain!”
cried the queen to the elfin band, as her
royal bird pounced upon the king’s pea
cock, while all the other eagle-mounted
fairies were giving a downward chase to
the elves. ‘Quarter! quarter!” cried
the king in a voice which reminded one of
a pair of tongs endeavoring to bring harp
tones out of a griciron. The eagle had
grasped the peacock’s head in his talons,
and the poor bird struggled painfully. The
king was hurled into the air, and followed
his crown as it fell towards the earth, looking



34 THE LAMMIE.

like a spider grasping at her ball of eggs.
Rosa, too, slid from the smooth back of her
steed; but she was caught by the queen
and placed before her on the royal bird.
The eagle troop wheeled about, and ris-
ing in circles higher and higher, soon hov-
ered near the pavilion. He on whose back
the queen and Rosa were mounted, alighted
on a golden ball which crowned the roof;
here he stood a moment, glancing up at the
sun, first with one eye, then with the other,
and turning his golden neck about and
quivering his great wings; then giving one
shout of grand joy, he arose and wheeling
about, softly descended and entered the
pavilion, alighted and stood still while the
queen dismounted with her charge. ‘“ Now
let me eat with you, now let me look into



THE LAMMIE. 35

the mirror and behold myself,” said Rosa.
“The table is spread, thou seest,” said the
queen, “but thou canst not yet partake
with us; but thou mayest look into the blue
water, and see all thou canst see.” And
she led Rosa to the basin. And how
Rosa’s heart beat as she looked in and
beheld herself as painted on the blue, in the
form of a lamb, white and woolly; but oh!
sad deformity! a lamb with a peacock’s
tail spread high over his head; what a
monster was this. ‘ Poor me,” thought
Rosa, “I am a thing fit to be exhibited in
the museum. What if my parents should
think fit to exhibit me there, just for a
punishment, and then after I am dead, set
me up among the stuffed animals. But
why should I be punished? have I not



36 THE LAMMIE.

repented and reformed? and why does this
tail adhere to me? This mirror is not
quite true,” said she to the queen. “ Thou

. hast done thy tasks well,” said the queen,
“but thou hast told both thyself and others
of it; yes, thou hast boasted ; thou hast not
been humble in thy joy.”

Presently it seemed to Rosa that she was
in the museum, where a great concourse of
people was collected, and all were staring
at the lamb with a peacock’s tail and point-
ing and laughing. And then she was in a
menagerie, where the showman was com-
pelling her to show herself off, making her
spread wide the wonderful tail, and leap
bars, and pace round with a monkey on
her back, and do many other silly things.
Poor Rosa, in her mortifications she-almost



THE LAMMIE. 37

wished herself a serpent again. Then she
seemed to be at home and all her brothers
and sisters laughed at the peacock’s tail,
and one of her brothers pulled some of the
feathers out, and shook them in her face;
but this she was glad to find was only one
.of her sisters who had come to awaken her,
and was shaking a handkerchief in her
face. ‘Be quiet, Charles!” cried Rosa,
as she opened her eyes, “ you are unkind
to treat me so.” “TJs sister Ellen unkind
. to come and wake you to go to walk on this
beautiful morning?” ‘Oh dear! dear! I
thought it was Charley pullmg my feathers
out, and it hurt me.” “ Your feathers?
why my silly chicken you are not yet
fledged; come, downy nestling, up and
dress, and let us go to walk.” “TI ama



38 THE LAMMIE.

lamb, only——— but I will certaiily be a
Tamb to-day.”

The next night Rosa stood in her dream
by the pond where she was plucking lilies,
and as she reached over, her happy face
was to be seen in the water, but she did
not see it, so full was her mind of the fair
lilies; while she was smelling of one, she
heard at a distance behind her the black
troop, and the king called in a voice that
sounded like the creaking of a cork when
being drawn from the bottle, “throw down
those horrible lilies; their breath is death
and destruction ; we cannot come, we dare
not approach till thou hast thrown them
away; they hate us from the bottom of
their wicked hearts.”

“Dear lilies!” said Rosa, “then I will



THE LAMMIE. 39

keep you as a safeguard, for‘you love me,
I know you do; you say it with the sweet-
ness of your breath. Yes, you love me,
and I love you, and I will wear you in my
bosom.” She placed them in her bosom,
and as she bent her head to smell of one,
she heard a very small voice, like the
fGolian harp-tones of the fairy queen; they
were so very faint, she thought they came
from a distance. She looked around and
above, but saw no fairies, nor elves neither,
for the black troop, seeing her cherish the
lilies, had vanished. The voice sounded a
little louder, and said, ‘‘ Rosa, dear child!
love us and we will love you; do well, and
we will always be with you to guard you;
feel, think, or do ill, and you force us to
leave you.” ‘Ah! is it the lily speaking?



40 THE LAMMIE.

the voice comes from amongst the yellow
central petals. No, it is the queen. She
rises up from her beautiful couch.” ‘* Wilt
thou go with me to the pavilion?” said she.
“Oh, take me with thee,” said Rosa, “ and
let me look into the blue mirror once
more.” The queen touched the lily with
her wand, and it was an ivory car of light
and exquisite workmanship, and its cushions
were of cloth of gold. Three pair of white
doves were harnessed to it, and when Rosa
and the queen were seated upon the golden
cushions, the doves spread their wings, and
as they beat the air, making a soft waving
sound, onwards and upwards swiftly sped
the beautiful coach and six, and soon amid
the dove-colored clouds peered the dome-
roof and pearly pillars of the pavilion.



THE LAMMIE. 41

Silently the car rolled along through the
rounded clouds, and when it reached the
steps of the pavilion the six gentle steeds
closed their wings, and uncurling their red
feet, stood with arched necks and blinking
eyes, while Rosa and the queen alighted.
The queen then touched-the car with her
wand, and again the lily was there. It lay
at her feet, and she picked it up and placed
it in Rosa’s bosom. They entered the pa
vilion, where the feast was spread, and
where the fairy train awaited the arrival of
their queen. “See,” said the queen, “I
have brought you a pretty guest. Eat
with us,” said she to Rosa, “and then thou
shalt go to the mirror.” And Rosa sat
down and ate with them, and then with a
heart full of doubts and fears, yet throbbing
4



42 THE LAMMIE.

with joy and hope, she arose and went
to the flower-wreathed basin. Oh, happy
child! There on the sapphire ground was
the pure white lamb looking her in the
face, and no longer with the peacock’s tail,
nor with any sign of the peacock about it;
but wearing about its neck a wreath of
beautiful flowers. The innocent lamb in
her heart now bounded with joy. “Dear
child,’ said the queen, kissing her affection-
ately, “thou bearest the lamb in thy heart
now, because thou hast not only done thy
tasks well, but whenever a feeling of self-
praise endeavored to steal in, thou didst
strive to shut the door of thy heart against
it, and didst humbly pray to be delivered
from so deadly a foe to thine eternal
peace.”



THE LAMMIE. 43

Tt seemed now to Rosa that she was in
her own chamber, still wearing the form of
a lamb, and she thought her mother came
in, and seeing a pretty lamb wreathed with
flowers, leaping about the chamber, smiled
and cried out, “‘Oh, pretty creature! where
didst thou come from?” And Rosa felt
so frolicsome that she thought she would
not tell who the lamb was, but ran up to
her mother, and went leaping around her,
and her mother caught the pretty lamb in
her arms, and warmly caressed it. Then
Rosa laughed to think how she was going
to surprise her mother, and the laugh
-awoke her, and she laughed still more when
she found she was really in her mother’s
arms. ‘Ah, what is so funny, my love?
have sweet spirits been with you in your
dream? As I came and bent over you, &



44 THE LAMMIE.

pleasant smile was on your lips, and when
I kissed them, you laughed in your sleep.”
‘Oh, mother, I am a lamb! a happy lamb,
for see the garland around my neck ;” and
she put her hand to her neck, expecting to
feel the flowers. ‘Ah, no, but it was a
sweet dream mother, and it shall be a true

one, for I will be @ lamb.” “Yes, my
' dearest,” said her mother, ‘“ the lamb is in
your heart, I know, and its wreath of
flowers shall not fade.” And the mother
wept joyful tears as she pressed her child
closely to her bosom, silently asking a bless-
ing on her head. And the mother’s daily
prayers, and the child’s constant endeavors
to do well were not in vain, for Rosa be-
came such a delight, such a blessing to all
around her, that she gained the name of
“ Lammie.”



WY
Ly,

Ze





LILLA’S DREAM.

EAUTIFUL was the May morning that

Lilla, with joyful steps and innocent
delight, strolled over the pastures and
through the woods. She ran about over
the moss-covered roeks, and plucked the
gay columbines that bent at their sides
for shelter. She walked by the sparkling
brook, and threw herself down amongst the
violets that decked its borders, and her ear
was delighted with the joyous gurgling of
its waters, and with the cheerful melody
of the spring birds, and the drowsy hum of
the newly-awakened insects. She returned



48 LILLA’S DREAM.

home with her basket full of flowers, and
her heart and mind full of those beautiful
feelings and thoughts which good angels
delight to infuse into the minds of little
children; and laying herself on her couch,
she fell into a sweet sleep, and she dreamed
that she was walking in a garden of fruit
trees, and that it was the joyous spring-
time of the year; and though there were
various kinds of trees in the garden, such
as the apple, the pear, the peach, and the
plum, also many kinds which Lilla’s waking
eye had never seen, yet they were all in
full bloom. The peach trees bore pink
blossoms ; the plum, cherry, and pear trees,
white; and so full of blossoms were the
trees, that she could scarcely see any green
leaves. The ground beneath the trees was



LILLA’S DREAM. 49

covered with flowers of almost every hue;
and the blossoms looked so glad, that Lilla
wondered they did not sing out for joy, as
the birds and insects did. -

That moment, a honey-bee that was buz-
zing near a rose-bush, whispered in her ear,
and said, “They do sing; they are at this
moment singing a joyous song in concert,
but your senses are too gross to perceive
it; I can hear it, and I can understand all
their words.”

“Oh!” cried Lilla, “I wish I were a
honey-bee, that I too might hear it!” and
she stood still, and listened very intently,
scarcely daring to breathe. Soon she
thought her hearing had grown more clear,
and she could distinctly perceive a sound
like the far-off tinkling of little bells, and

5



50 LILLA’S DREAM.

her heart leaped for joy. Breathless, she
continued to listen, till at length she could
even distinguish the words, and their song
was that of gladness and gratitude for their
existence. Lilla listened a long time in
delight, and then she went and sat down on
a little green mound to rest. While she
sat there, a frog came hopping up the
bank; Lilla was about to frighten him
away, but he looked up into her face with
an expression of so much kindness, that
she thought it seemed to say, “come near,
little maid, let us be friends;” and he
smiled roughly with his great mouth; and
she said, “ Speckled-sides, why do you not
sing like the birds? you have a mouth big
enough; and even the blossoms on the
trees are singing this bright spring morn-



LILLA’S DREAM. 51

ing, and yet you are silent; what right
have you to take up your abode in this
place, so full of melody, if you cannot
sing ?”

“Tndeed!” exclaimed Speckled-sides,
tossing up his head, and looking mighty
proud, “do but follow me to the nearest
brook, where my companions are holding a
concert, and you will soon see;” and he
turned from her, and hopped down the
bank as fast as he could go.

Lilla followed ‘him into a deep meadow,
through which ran the pretty streamlet.
The ground all round the brook was blue
with violets, and they sang the same song
as did the blossoms in the garden. This
meadow was a sunny place; there were
trees to shelter it from the wind on every



62 LILLA’S DREAM.

side, but so far off, that their shadows did
not reach the spot where Lilla stood, and
the warm sun-beams felt pleasantly as they
fell upon her neck. Speckled-sides leaped
into the brook, and, sitting up as straight
as he could, so that his head might be seen
out of the water, joined his loud voice with
those of the other frogs. Lilla perceived
that the song of the frogs did not glide
from their mouths in graceful undulations,
like those of the birds, but that it was
monotonous and discordant, yet did it de-
light her soul. It seemed like the warmth
of the sun-beams; it gave her the idea of
newly awakened life, and warmth, and joy.

“It is the song,” said she, ‘ which al
ways brings to mind the thoughts of spring,
that season of returning life and gladness ;



LILLA’S DREAM. 53

I love to listen to it, for there is music even
in its monotony ;” and she laid herself
down upon the bed of blue violets by the
side of the brook, as she had done in the
morning; and as she lay there, she saw
nothing but the blue sky; she heard the
voices of birds around and above her, but
she saw them not; and it seemed as if the
sky came down nearer and nearer to her,
or that she was lifted up towards it, and
the voices of the birds seemed like the
voices of invisible spirits, singing around
her. She saw nothing but beauty; she
heard nothing but song; she felt nothing
but the pleasant warmth of the sunbeams ;
and her little heart was full of joy and
love. She turned her face toward the
brook whish “owed through the meadow in



54 LILLA’S DREAM.

various windings, leaping over bright peb-
bles, which sparkled in the sunlight like
gems.

‘‘ Little brook,” said she, ‘whither art
thou gomg? Perhaps thou canst not tell
thyself, beautiful brook!”

“T am free! I am free!” cried the
brook; “and I know not, neither do I
care, whither I go. I have been chained
up all winter, with a cold, cold chain; and
now that I am free, I will run without:
stopping, till Jack Frost binds me again.”

“Then,” said Lilla, “I will follow and
see ;” and she ran along by the side of the
brook, which led her through many flowery
meadows, and at length into a deep dell.
When Lilla had followed it down the steep,
and stnod at the bottom of the dell, her



LILLA’S DREAM. 55

little soul was full of wonder; and clasping
her hands in a transport of delight, she
exclaimed, “this must be heaven or some
fairy land.” The ground and all the rocks
were covered with moss of the most bril-
liant green, and it felt as soft to her little
feet as a velvet cushion; and the sun,
which was shining over her head through
the foliage, was luminous— yet it was not
like daylight, nor was it like moonlight; it
shone with a green brilliancy, so that every-
thing in the dell gleamed like liquid eme-
ralds. There were many beautiful flowers
growing up out of the green moss, and
beautiful birds singing among the’ trees;
the squirrels and the green lizards ran
along the branches. Down at the very
bottom of the dell, there was a large flat



56 LILLA’S DREAM.

rock covered with red cup moss; some of
these fairy goblets were standing half full
of dew, and others were thrown over on
their sides, and some of them were broken ;
there were also berries and broken nuts
scattered about the rock. Presently a
squirrel yumped up and began to gather
them; then Lilla approached, and took one
of the goblets; the squirrel looked up into
her face, and smilingly said, “Good morn-
ing.” He then took a goblet, and asked
politely if she would drink some dew with
him; and they drank off their cups together.

“ Pray tell me, Nutcracker,” said Lilla,
“what company has been feasting here on
this rock ; these broken goblets seem to tell
of high glee and festivity.”

‘“‘ Why, the fairies, the fairies, to be



LILLA’S DREAM. 57

sure; dost thou not know the fairy goblets?
This dell belongs to king Oberon and queen
Titania, and joyous indeed are the revels
they hold here.”

“T should like to see one of the fairies,”
said Lilla.

“Come with me,’ said Nutcracker,
“and I will show you one.”

So he went leaping along over the green
moss, and as Lilla ran after, it seemed to
her that she was flying, so fast did she have
to run that she might keep pace with him.
He led her into an open part of the dell,
where the trees were not so thick, and
where the ground was entirely covered with
flowers of almost every hue.

“There is Dew-drop, a very pretty fai-
ry,” said Nutcracker, pointing to a sylph-
like figure in the midst of the flowers.



58 LILA’S DREAM.

“Let us go,” said Lilla, “and see what
she is doing.”

So they went to the fairy, and they said,
“What dost thou with the flowers, pretty
being? thou dost not seem to be plucking
them.”

“Do you see the beautiful figures on
these flowers?” asked the fairy.

“ Oh!. yes,” replied Lilla.

“Well,” said the fairy, “they have a
meaning which, perhaps, you have not
dreamed of; these pencilings are musical
notes, and we alone can understand them
--and we sing our songs from them.
There are about the flowers great myster-
ies; on some of them are beautiful stories,
and the songs which we sing are here
written and when we learn them, we



LEILLA’S DREAM. 59

write them on the brain of some sleeping
mortal whose soul delights in melodies ;
when he awakes he gives them forth to the
world. The stories we write on the brain, —
as we said, but the mysteries we keep to
ourselves.”

“Qh!” said Lilla, ‘make me to under.
stand the notes, that I may sing more
sweetly than the birds.”

Then the fairy taught her one of the
songs, and it seemed in her dream as if she
lifted up her voice and sang. Louder and
louder it grew, till she seemed to fill the
whole air with her music.

Then Dew-drop asked Lilla if she would
like to go and amuse herself in the Elfin’s
Cave; and as she did not know what sort
of a place this was, she was curious to see



60 TILLA’S DREAM.

it, and requested Dew-drop to guide her
thither. Now Dew-drop called two of her
torch-bearers, the fire-flies, to light them
through the dark cave.

They went on together, and when they
had entered the cave, Dew-drop said —
“ Now we will amuse ourselves. Thou seest
how rocky are the sides of the cave. This
rock is soft and flaky, like slate-stone, and
is very easily split apart; let us open some
of it, and see what we can find between
the flakes.” And by the light of the fire-
flies they began to split the flaky rock, and
to the great surprise of Lilla, they found
between the flakes beautiful pictures of
every description. She also found musical
notes, which they sang, and the hollow cave
echoed to their voices. After Lilla had



LiLLA’S DREAM. 61

looked at everything she could find, they
left the cave; and Dew-drop, bidding her
good morning, returned to the flowers.

“Talla!” cried a little voice from the
branches of an apple-tree, under which she
stood.

She looked up, and espied the smiling
face of Nutcracker, looking down upon her
through the foliage; he was sitting on a
bough of the tree, holding in his little paws
an apple, from which he was picking out
the seeds and eating them. He threw
down one of the apples to Lilla, who, at
Nut-cracker’s request, began to save her
seeds. While she was picking them out,
she said to them:

‘Poor prisoners! what a miserable life
you must lead, shut up in the very centre
of this dark apple.”



62 LILLA’S DREAM.

‘* No matter,” answered they, “we are
content ; we do not live for ourselves ;
yesterday was for the sake of today, and
to-day for the sake of to-morrow; and we
are formed for the sake of the tree which
now les in embryo within us. Unlike
selfish human beings, all we desire is, that
the end of our existence may be answered.”

Lilla walked away, and seeing an apple-
tree in full blossom, she said, — “ This tree
and its fair blossoms live for themselves, no
doubt.”

“Nay,” answered the tree, “I draw
nourishment from the earth, and spread out
my leaves that they may receive heat and
life from the sun; the showers of rain are
for the sake of the fruit we bear; we clothe
ourselves in blossoms, because they are the
means of producing seed.”



LILLA’S DREAM. 63

Yes,” said the blossoms, “ we are con-
tent to wither and drop off as soon as our
task is done; for it is for the sake of the
fruit that we exist, and our fruit for the
sake of man; 80, when our fruit is eaten,
the seeds are free to mix themselves in the
mould, in order to send forth another tree.”

Lilla left the tree, and presently came to
a part of the dell where the flowery vines
were climbing up and stretching themselves
from limb to limb, forming a soft hammock,
or cradle; and, climbing up one of the
trees, she leaped into the flowery hammock,
and the wind came and rocked her to and
fro so high that she was thrown out of it,
and the sudden fright awoke her. She
opened her eyes, and found her sister was
shaking her, instead of the wind.



THE CHILD’S DREAM
AMONG FLOWERS.

BY MISS COLMAN.

AVING sweetly o’er thy head,
Way Flowers softly sigh;
Watching o’er thy grassy bed,
Singing lullaby.

“Gently murmuring in thine ear,
Angels from on high,
Resting in these lovely flowers,
Sing thee lullaby.



THE CHILD’S DREAM. 65

“Bending o’er thee, darling child.
Kissing thy blue eye,
Singing softly to thy soul,
Sweetest lullaby.”

Thus sang the flowers to the child, as he
slept beneath their waving’ bells; and he
heard them, and listened to the lullaby of
the angels. The flowers watched him as
he listened, and saw how beautifal smiles
played over his face, and then, how tear-
drops chased each other down his fair
cheek, and how he again smiled peacefully ;
and they grew curious, wishing to know
why the child smiled and wept by turns.
And they sang to him again: —

6



66 THE CHILD'S DREAM.

“Child, among us lying,
And so softly sleeping,
Time is swiftly flying,
Waken from thy dreaming.

® While thy mouth is smiling,
And thy blue eyes beaming,
While the sun is shining,
Tell us of thy dreaming.”

Then the child awakened; ant! he told
the flowers how angels sat each side of
him, and sang to him of his mother and
sisters, who lived in heaven, and how happy
they were; and how beautiful heaven was,
and how he might go there and live; this
made him feel very happy. But then the
angels told him, with sweet, sad voices,
how naughty he was, and how much he



THE CHILD'S DREAM. 67

must do to be good enough to live in
heaven; and his heart sank, and he feared
that he never should see his dear mother
again. Then he wept;— but soon he felt
on his brow other tears, and he looked up,
and saw the angels weeping. Then they
sang to him again: —~

“Weep not, weep not, darling child,
We are ever near thee,
And, ’mid all the ills around,
We will guard and help thee.

“ And when thou art very good,

In our arms we’ll take thee,
And, while singing thankful songs,
Up to heaven we'll bear thee.”

Then the angels told him low he must —
watch the flowers, and listen to the birds,



68 THE CHILD’S DREAM.

—and they would teach him to ke good;
but that he must pray often and heartily,
or else they could not stay with him.
Then they gang once more about heaven —
and how he would go there too; and they
kissed him on the forehead, softly: and
gently, like the touch of a flower. Then
the flowers awoke him,—and now he had
told them what he had been dreaming.

And the flowers wept too at the lovely
dream of the beautiful child; and they
touched him with their bells as the angels
kissed him, and showered upon him dew-
drops, till his golden hair sparkled with
the liquid diamonds. Then the child felt
strong and hopeful;—and kneeling down
among the flowers, he prayed that he might
be good and pure, so that the angels would
- take him soon to his mother.







CHILDHOOD.

My heart leaps up when I behcid
A rainbow in the sky;
So was it when my life began,
So is it now I am a man, |
So let it be when I grow old,
Or let me die. Wordsworth.

Gata WE angel that takes care of the ten-
“ia der lambs and sprinkles dew upon

“= the flowers in the still night, take
care of thee, dear child, and let no evil come
to thy tender years. Fair child! when I
gaze into thy soft blue eyes my childhood re-
turns, like a bright vision, and I think of the
time, long since past, when every sight and






72 - GHILDHOOD.

every sound in nature gave to me such
sweet delight, and all was so fair and beauti-.
ful. I fancy I hear thy gentle voice breath-
ing forth thy ‘oy, in sweet and happy words,
such as little chudren are wont to use when
they first begin to look up into the blue
sky, to gaze upon the rainbow, or at the
bright, fleecy clouds that float over the
mon. The bright sun, the moon, and the
stars %- the murmuring rivulet— the broad
ocean, heaving to and fro in the sunlight —
the pealing thunder, and the storm—the
quiet glen, where I listened to the busy
hum of the insects, the joyous song of the
birds, as they sung in the trees or flew from
spray to spray, the odor of fresh flowers
~—aill filled my breast with heavenly love
and peace; and when I look up into thy



CHILDHOOD. 73

face, dear child, my soul returns to join
you, and I forget the present, and live, for
@ time, only in the past * * * * °

The little maid you see gazing at the
great dragon-fly, is the foster child of a good
shepherd ; she has risen with the morning
sun, and has come forth into the silent
wood, to lift up her’ little voice, with the
birds, in songs of praise and thanksgiving
to the Creator, and to ask His blessing on
all that lives. The little lamb by her side
is the companion of all her walks; she
gives it fresh grass to eat, with her own
hand, and water from the clear stream that
flows rippling beneath the green trees.
She makes garlands of the choicest flowers,
and hangs them upon his neck. She loves
the flowers, the green grass, and the rip-



74. CHILDHOOD.

_ pling stream. She loves to walk with her
lamb in the still woods, and listen to the
hum of the little insects that dwell there.
She is Nature’s happy child, and her dis-
courses are with its wonders. It is in the
quiet dell, by the softly murmuring stream,
that she loves most to stay; she is talking
now with that large dragon-fly; and if a
, picture could speak, we should hear her say,
in the gentlest accents in the world :

“Come here, pretty dragon-fly, come
and rest on my hand, and let me feel of
your gossamer wings, and look into your
bright eyes; come, listen to me, and I will
tell you a tale—I will—”

But the dragonfly hears her not— he is
looking at a beautiful lily, in whose soft
cup he intends to rest awhile—oh! how



THE CHILD’S DREAM. 75

beautiful it is! and the dragon-fly has lit
upon it—the little maid claps her hands
for joy, for she is sure of him now; and
she stretches out her hand to the lily cup;
but ere she could touch it, the pretty crea-
ture has flown from the flower, and as it
pauses in the air, we can imagine that it
says :

“ Good-by, little girl, I shall not suffer
myself to be caught to-day;”’ and off he
flies, soaring higher and higher into the

blue heavens.
MRS. COLMAN,





THE KING OF THE SWANS:
OR DELPHINE THE GOOD.

FROM THE GERMAN.

DWQ)HERE was once a little girl, who was
5 called Delphine, so good and cheer-
ful, that she was a favorite with

everybody. This good girl had a friend
called Hilda, who was also a good girl, and
they loved each other dearly.

In the winter, when the snow was lying
deep upon hill and field, Hilda fell sick, and
her parents were in great anxiety on her
account. She was quite unable to eat—
was burning with fever heat, and shivering



THE KING OF THE SWANS. 7

with cold, by turns, —and though she*was ‘
tenderly nurged, could get no relief.

If any of her young friends visited her,
she would say to them, “ Give me straw-
berries, who will go and find me some
strawberries, that I may get well and not
die?’? Then her father and mother would
say, “Dear Hilda, it is winter now, and
there are none to be found this season.”

Hilda would then raise herself up in bed,
and say, “Far away over the high hill
there, and through the forest, is a green
slope; there I can see plenty of straw-
berries.

‘Who will go and fetch them for me—
only one of those nice red berries — only
one!” The children left the room, saying,
to each other, ‘‘ What nonsense poor Hilda



78 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

talked about; she must be dreaming.”
But Delphine was much troubled that she
could not help her friend. All at once she
said, “‘ Who will go with me over the moun-
tains to seek for strawberries? It will be
some comfort to poor Hilda if she sees
us going over the hill to seek for them.”
But no one would go with her.

So Delphine set out alone, for she
wished to do all she could to help her
friend, though she had to go through a
deep and dangerous forest. After she left
the forest, she came to the hill. A small
trodden footpath led up to the top and
down again on the other side; she then
came to a wood of tall oak and beach
trees. She passed through without having
met @ single adventure; she then came to



THE KING OF THE SWANS. 79

a place where three paths met. She stood
still a moment, not knowing which to take,
when, quite unexpectedly, she saw a little
man approaching through the trees. He
had a green hat upon his head, with a
feather as white as snow. His dress was
made of the softest swan’s down. He car-
ried an ivory bow on his shoulder, and a
small silver hunting horn hung at his side.
‘What do you want here, little damsel?”
he said, in a friendly voice.

“ Ah!” gaid Delphine, “I have a sick
friend, who longs for strawberries, and says
they will make her well again. I know
very well that it is winter, but I hope to
find something here that she will like, and
I hope that I shall not return quite empty-
handed.”



3U THE KING OF THE SWANS.

“Come with me then,” said the little
hunter. “J will show you a place where
you may find what you are in search of.”
He went on before, leading her through
many winding paths, until the forest ap-
peared lighter, the air warmer and more
spring-like. At last they came to a great
iron door. ‘The little man unlocked it,’
saying, “ Now, if you go straight forward,
you will find what you seek.”

Delphine would have thanked the good
man, but he vanished instantly. After
walking a few steps farther, she came to a
green slope.

Here winter had entirely disappeared.
The sun shone warmer in the cloudless
sky; the birds sang merrily, and a few
steps farther she beheld the ground covered



THE KING OF THE SWANS. 81

with fine strawberries. How the good lit-
tle maiden rejoiced! she quickly filled the
little basket she brought with her, and
hastened back with them to her dear sick
friend. But some how in her haste she
could not find her way back. She came to
the iron palisades which surrounded the
place, but all her attempts to find the gate
were fruitless. In her anxiety, she ran
this way and that; still no gate was to be
seen. Then she heard the sound of a .
whistle, and she exclaimed, with joy, “I
hear a living sound, some one, surely, is in
this wood who will be kind enough to show _

me the way out.”

She hastily traversed the thicket i in ane
other direction, and suddenly beheld
scene which caused her great surprise.



82 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

Before hen laid a large, green meadow, and
beyond this a clear lake, on which a num-
ber of stately and beautiful swans were
swimming very gracefully. In the middle
of the lake was a small island, upon which
stood a charming palace, surrounded by
flower gardens and orange groves. As she
drew near the shore of the lake, she per-
ceived a little man, who had a less friendly
aspect than the hunter of the forest. He
had a large head, with rough hair, and a
grey beard, so long that it reached to his
knees; in one hand he held a whistle, and
in the other a switch.

Delphine was afraid to speak to him, and
stood still, at a little distance. She soon
observed that his office was to take care of
the swans, and prevent their going out of



THE KING OF THE SWANS. . 88

the water. When any did so, he whistled
to them, and if they did not obey him,
he stretched out his switch, which had
the remarkable property of lengthening or
shortening —just as he wished to have it.
Delphine could see no one save this little
old man, nor any mode of reaching the
palace; therefore she gained courage to
say, ‘“‘Good friend, can you show me how
to get outof the forest? I wish to go
home.” The grey-beard looked at her in
surprise, but did not speak; he merely
made her understand, by signs, that she
should sit down, which she did.

Then he whistled, and presently there
came a large swan from the! lake, which
laid itself down before him. ‘The little old
man seated himself on the swan’s back,



84 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

throwing one of his arms round its neck,
and away the trusty bird swam with him
across the lake; there he alighted, and
went into the palace. Delphine waited
some time, curious to see what would hap
pen, but she did not feel afraid. At length
she saw four black swans swim from a
creek of the lake, harnessed to a beautiful
little green boat, adorned with silver, and
shaded by @ pair of wings, which covered
the seats; the front was in shape like a
swan’s neck.

The grey-beard sat there, looking much ~
more agreeable than before. He gave
Delphine a sign to step in, which she did;
they then sailed gently. across the lake, and
as soon as they reached the other side, he
handed her out and led her to the palace.



THE KING OF THE SWANS. 85

In the hall, sat the King of the Swans.
He wore a robe of the purest white silk,
‘bordered with swan’s down; a golden crown
was upon his head, and he was surrounded
by richly dressed attendants.

“ What dost thou seek in my kingdom?”
inquired he.

“T have found all I sought,” answered
Delphine ; “but I pray your majesty to let
some one of your attendants direct me
home, for I find I have wandered in: the
wrong direction.”

“Very well,” said the King, “what hast -
thou to offer?”

“ Alas!” replied Delphine, “I have
nothing at all. If I had known what you
would have wished of me, I should have
‘brought it with me from home.”



86 THE KING OF THE SWANS..

“Thou hast strawberries,” rejoined the
King, “and I like them above all things.
Give me thy strawberries, and then one of
my servants shall show thee the way home.’”

“ Alas! I cannot give thee all,” con-
tinued Delphine; “they are for my sick
friend, who must die if she does not get
them; but I will willingly give you some of
them.”

She then took several of the finest look-
ing ones, and tied them by the stems with
a riband that confined her hair, and handed
them to the King.

“Thank my little daughter,” said the
King. “Now go thy way, and this man
shall attend thee; but do exactly as he
desires.”

The old man with the grey beard wait



THE KING OF THE SWANS. 87

ed in readiness for her, and when Delphine
had taken leave of the King, he led her
into the garden, tied a handkerchief about
her eyes, whistled, and at the same instant
took her by the arm.

She heard the rustling of wings, she felt
the wind blow colder and colder, in ‘her
face, but was not conscious of moving, nor
could she see anything.

At last the sound of wings ceased, and
the old man set her upon the ground.
“¢Now, my child, count twenty, and then
remove the bandage and preserve it care-
fally ; it will be required of thee at the
‘proper time.”

As soon as the bandage was removed,
‘she found herself standing on the hill,
opposite the house of her friend, Hilda.



88 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

Then she hastened to her friend, who was
still in bed repeating the words, “ Who wilt
bring me strawberries to make me well? ”

“There they are, dear Hilda,” said Del-
phine, handing her a bright red bunch.
Every one was astonished, and anxious to
know from whence she had brought them.
But she had barely begun to relate her
wonderful adventures, before Hilda had
eaten all the strawberries. Then the color
returned to her face, and strength to her
limbs ; and Hilda said, ‘“‘ Thank the Lord,
and dear Delphine, now I am quite well! ’”
And she rose from her bed, quite restored.

Who can tell how the parents thanked
and blessed Delphine — the good, kind-
hearted Delphine, whom every one praised
and blessed — for her self-sacrificing benev-
~ olence and love?



THE KING OF THE SWANS. 89

One day, when Delphine was walking in
the meadows with her mother, some years
after this, and was looking up into the sky,
she saw a black speck, which, as it de-
scended, grew larger and larger; and as
it came towards her, she saw that it was.
prodigious black swan. It had on its back
a tent, with golden gauze curtains, and
when it alighted upon the ground where
Delphine was standing, there came out of
the tent a little man, with friendly eyes,
who thus addressed her, “I am the King
of the Swans. I have heard that you will,
in a short time, celebrate a joyful festival ;
and as thou gavest me a present when @
child, and hast grown up so good, brave,
and pure a maiden, I will make thee a
present in return.” Saying these words,

3 .



90 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

he put upon her head a costly crown. It
was made of gold, garnished with straw-
berry leaves; and between the leaves there
sparkled red rubies, diamonds, and purple
amethysts; round the rim was a beautiful
gold band.

‘ Delphine and her mother could hardly
thank the King, for astonishment. But he
did not give them time, for the swan rose
majestically in the air, and soon became as
a little black spot in the midst of the bright
clouds.

Many a little boy and girl have gone
over the hill, since that time, to seek the
land of the Swans, in search of strawberries
in winter, but have not found them; per-
haps it was because they were more selfish,
and not so good as Delphine.



CORINNE.

FRILD broke the morning,



The meadows looked gay,

The birds sweetly caroled
The welcome of May;

And blithely the girls played
At ball on the green,

But the sweetest, the fairest,

Was little Corinne.

At hoop and at rope

She was first of the throng,
And sweet as the lark

Of the woodland her song;



92

CORINNE.

None who saw the curls fall
O’er her forehead so fair,
Could doubt the calm victure

Of innocence there.

Dance gaily along,
Ever joyous and free,
Less joyous and happy,
Oh! ne’er may’st thou be;
Young, artless, and lovely,
Still bright be the scene,
Ever blessed with thy presence,
My pretty Corinne.



COUSIN LU-LU BOOKS,

ORIGINAL AND SELECTED... BY MI8S COLMAN.
PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL RAYNOR,
NEW YORE
LU-EU ALPHABET,
ARRANGED AS A STORY,

WITH NUMEROUS PICTURES.

LU-LU MULTIPLIER,
OR FIRST LESSONS IN MULTIPLICATION,
/ IN SIMPLE RHYME,
CON@AINING THIRTY-TWO PICTURES.

New Stories for Girls, Intended especially for

New Stories for Boys.

little folks, and are of a
playful and moral char-
acter.

Stories for Children. For those rather more
Poetry for Children, ¢ advanced in learning.
The Series comprises Six Books named abore, printed

on good paper, and neatly bound with illuminated covers,
or in cloth—and sold at low prices. #



COUSIN LU-LU GAMES,

COMPRISE

THE ALPHABET DISSECTED,
ON THIRTY CARDS, HANDSOMELY COLORED,
And put up in a neat strong box.

THE MULTIPLIER, DISSECTED,

9N TWENTY-EIGHT CARDS, HANDSOMELY COLORED,

And put up in a neat strong box.



YOUTH’S LETTER WRITER,

OR, THE EPISTOLATORY ART MADE PLAIN AND EASY
TO BEGINNERS, THROUGH THE EXAMPLE OF
Henry Moreron.

By Mrs. John Farrar, of Cambridge,

This little Book is designed to assist young people in the
first attempt at Writing Letters.

“We therefore recommend the work, not only as the
eompletest, but most readable Letter Writer which is to be
had at the Book-stores.”—Curistian EXAMINER.



Sh 32 3



























The Baldwin Library

University | |
MB wie ||
Florida |

















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P Pe ei . ;

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CORINNE.
STORIES FOR CHILDREN,

A BOOK FOR

ALL LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS.



EDITED BY MRS. COLMAN,

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL RAYNOR,
NO. 76 BOWERY,

1852. -


Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844,
By P. A. COLMAN, BROOKLINE,
fa the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of Massachusetts


CONTENTS.



race
INNOCENCE, +essccssssscceeccsnessccccnccescusnscsesessscsees 7
THE FAIRY OF THE ROA -ecscssccssecccsevesesensssseeeDL
THE LAMMIE,++++++sssssesssesesesescsesesseseseressvensc enone]
LILLA'S DREAM, ss+ccescecceeesceesscsavcccssssetessesceeneesh?
THE CHILD'S DREAM AMONG FLOWEBS,+«+++++++000++64
CHILDHOOD, -+-++sesseceesncnscoscccescscnnccsscceseesecovoseeT]
THE KING OF THE SWANS,«++++sssescecsecereceesesces oo09§
INNOCENCE.

BY RUFUS DAWES.

1.

N infant child had passed away,

Where angels live and lovey—

His heavenly Father wanted him,
And took him Jhome above;

And happy was the child to find
A garden full of bowers,

Where many other children too,
Were playing with the flowers.
INNOCENCE.

IL.

The lambs were skipping on the green,
The trees were full of birds,

And fruit hung down deliciously,
Above the grazing herds;

While music from a thousand throats
Came warbling through the air,

And fragrance such as angels love,
Blew from the flowrets fair.

TIL

Oh! what a lovely sight was that
The little cherub saw,

_ And how it longed to frolic too,
And wear the dress they wore;
INNOCENCE. 9

For wreaths of flowers, like dazzling gold,
And silver shining white,

Hung o’er their breasts and on their arms,
So beautiful and bright.

IV.

Just then an angel, fair to see,
And shining like the sun,

Came smiling with a mother’s smile,
And blessed the little one;

While in her arms she took the: child,
And kissed it o’er and o’er,

And bade it play among the rest,
In joy for evermore.
10 INNOCENCE.

*

V.

Away it ran with mirthful glee,
To join the little band,

That round about soon gathered fast,
And clasped their brother’s hand;
Then crowning him with pretty flowers,
They laughed with joy intense,
Because their hearts had felt no sin,

And all was Innocence.


THE FAIRY OF THE ROSE.

BY RUFUS DAWES.

ORINNE was a beautiful little girl, who —
¢ always obeyed her parents, and who
loved her brothers and sisters. She liked
to walk about in the country, and to gather
pretty flowers that grew in the fields, and
sometimes she would stay out so late before
the sun set, that the cows would go home
before she did, and Letty, the housemaid,
would be waiting for her with her silver
porringer and supper.

One afternoon she was looking at the
lovely clouds that were moving along under
12 THE FAIRY OF THE ROSE.

the blue sky, and one of them poured down
a gentle mist, which made a brilliant rain-
bow. Corinne had often seen rainbows from
the parlor window, but now she saw one out
in the open fields, and it seemed to her that
it was close by, and was bending over a
rose-bush.

“Tf I could only catch that beautiful
rainbow!” said Corinne, and away she ran,
with her bright curling hair streaming to
the breeze, and her blue eyes shining like
violets in the dew.

But Corinne soon found that the rainbow
fled as fast as she pursued it; but as she
passed by the rose-bush, she saw a young
and handsome female, who seemed to be
hiding among the roses, and was now look
ing out upon the child.
THE FAIRY OF THE ROSE. 18

“My pretty little Corinne,” said the fe-
male, “don’t run any more after the rain-
bow — you will never be able to overtake
it. But stop a moment here by the roses.
I am the Fairy of the Rose, and I love to
make good little children happy. You may
come here every day while the roses bloom,
and carry one home with you in the evening.
Take this,” said she, offering a beautiful
bud to Corinne ; “it is the emblem of inno-
cence. Take it, sweet little Corinne, and
remember the Fairy of the Rose. Be a
good child, and you will be more beautiful
than the flowers, and more delightful than
the rainbows which you love.”

Corinne thanked the fairy for the present,
and. away she scampered to her mother.
And after that, she used to visit the rose-
14 THE FAIRY OF THE ROSE.

bush every day, and while she played with
the butterflies and the humming-birds, the
Fairy of the Rose used to sing to her the
sweetest songs, and sometimes she would
fall asleep and dream such beautiful dreams,
that it would have made her mother’s heart
beat with delight to see the angelic smile
on hér lips. |

In this, way Corinne grew in favor with
all, for she. always minded her lessons, and
obeyed her parents, and ever remembered
with affection the Fairy of the Rose.


THE LAMMIE.
A MODERN FAIRY TALE.

BY MISS A. A. GRAY.

2 OSA went to bed weeping. It was a
FER ri night, and while the rain-drops

: pelted the window frames, Rosa’s
tears fell upon her pillow. She had been
a disobedient girl, and her mother had re-
proved her more severely than usual, and
so Rosa wept, not in penitence because she
had done wrong, but in displeasure and
impatience because she had been punished,
and she said to herself, “It is too bad!
Mother is cruel, I am sure she is, and she
does not love me, I know she does not.”
16 THE LAMMIE.

Pitiable feelings and thoughts were these to
go to sleep upon—bad: stuff for dreams
to be woven of; but Rosa did fall asleep
while her breast was thus disquieted. She
dreamed, and in her dream she stood by
the border of a pond. She bent over, and
looked into the water; but the water re-
proved her, by showing her the distorted
features of a weeping girl. She started
back, and in anger threw a stone into the
face of the reprover, for presuming to speak
so plainly toher. “There,” said she, “you
cannot show me such a picture of myself
now, if you would; I have wrinkled your
own face well, for giving me such a portrait
of mine.” Thé honest reprover only smiled ;
and while Rosa was watching the dimples
which she chose to call “ wrinkles,” she .
THE LAMMIE. 17

heard, behind her, a sound as of rustling
leaves, or of rain-drops pattering on the
leaves. Was it the rain beating on the
window, or the curtain fluttering, — was it
_the grasshoppers leaping about over the
blackberry bushes? “Rosa,” whispered a
voice close behind: her, which sounded as
soft as the crunching of a crust of bread.
Rosa turned her head around, and oh! there
were the black elves, close beside her ; those
elves that dwell (if I say truly) in the hollow
of the earth. Spiderlike little creatures
they were, very black, and with long slender
limbs, which they threw about in a most
fantastic manner, and with large owlish eyes,
which they seemed to think were made
on purpose to be rolled from side to side.
“Rosa,” said one of the elves, which seemed
2
18 THE LAMMIE.

to be the king, “do not believe what that
pond says; I know his tricks. He always
was given to telling falsehoods ; believe me,
he is a wrinkled sinner. You are a good
child, and your face is a pretty one. Come,
we love you; come with us; we have a fine
home.” And he reached out his claw-hand,
and took hold of Rosa’s hand, and it felt to
Rosa as if she had clasped a branch of a
rough-barked shrub. And with the spider-
like troop she swept along, over hills, plains,
rivers, and seas; and then they all dashed
headlong down into a deep dell, at the bot-
tom of which was a bed of dry leaves. The
elfking scratched the leaves away with hi

claw-feet, throwing them up till the air was
full. When he had scratched them away,
a hole was discovered in the earth, not much
THE LAMMIE. 19

larger than a squirrel’s hole. “There,”
said the elf, “is our stair-way; go down,
Rosa; here we will feast you well, and give
you a mirror, which shall tell you the truth.”
And he went down the spiral staircase, draw-
ing Rosa after him, and the whole troop
followed, with a sound like an army of cock-
roaches, making a more hasty than dignified
retreat from the store-room. Down, down,
down they wound and wound till it seemed
to Rosa they must be near the other side
of the earth — millions of miles — many
days, it seemed. Oh, that wearying stair-
case! Yet they went swiftly, for it is easy
to go down stairs, every one knows. Be-
fore they had reached the bottom, Rosa’s
brain was in such a whirl that she was
searcely conscious of anything. Suddenly
20 THE LAMMIE.

she telt an electric shock, which seemed to
bring her to consciousness. It was the floor
of the great elfin hall which her feet had
touched. And now she was whirled around
in a dance with the band of elves, and it
seemed as if she could not help dancing on
the electric floor. In the midst of the hall.
burned a smoky fire, and over the fire a
ealdron hung from the ceiling, and the
smoke from the fire, and the steam from the
caldron hung in heavy clouds around.
“Supper is not ready yet,” said the elf-
king, who still held Rosa’s hand clasped in
one of his claws, while he ran the other up
through his hair, which was as sleek and
soft as the down of a porcupine. “ We
shall have time for a little conversation be-
fore supper. Now tell me your offence.
THE LAMMIE. 21

I heard your mother’s voice scolding you;
but I do not know what it was for.”

“JT went away secretly,” said Rosa, “ to
see one of my schoolmates, when my mother
had forbidden it, and when she punished
me I was angry, and I am now, for mother ~
is cruel to me.”

‘Never mind what your mother says to
you, my dear,” said the elf; and he went
on and gave a long lecture, which thoroughly .
persuaded Rosa that she was nothing more
or less than an innocent and injured child.
“Come now, the soup is ready,”’ said the
elf. And all the elves stood round the cal-
dron, each with his ladle. And Rosa had
a ladle too, and she feasted with the elves.

The soup tasted good; but shortly she
began to feel faint and sick, and so dimy
22 THE LAMMIE.

that she could not stand; and at length
went into convulsions, of which she was all
the time conscious ; presently it seemed as
if she could no longer use her limbs, nor
could she sit up nor stand, neither lie in
“any way except upon her face, and at last
it was as if she had no limbs; but she could
move her body very easily, and it seemed
to grow longer and longer, as she lay upon
the floor, and she loved to move about,
this side and that; but still she could not
stand erect. ‘* What has happened to me,”
thought she, and she asked the elf king to
show her the truth-telling mirror. “Come,”
said he ; and she followed him, moving along
on the smooth floor with the most delightful
ease.
The elf led her to a basin of black look-
THE LAMMIE. 93

ing liquid; she looked into it, and there, in
the blackness, she beheld herself transformed
into— oh what? a white and woolly lamb.
“Qh,” said she, “this is a true mirror;
but why is it that I cannot skip and play ?
It is quite as pleasant, though, to glide
about on this smooth floor.” After some
time, she had become so much accustomed
to believing herself a lamb, that it really
began to be as if she ran and leaped about,
and presently she seemed to be running
up the spiral staircase, and when she had
reached the top, she seemed to spring along
over the meadows, thinking to herself, Oh!
now what will mother say, when she sees I
am an innocent lamb? Yes, I ama lamb!
Oh, the truth-telling mirror.

“The truth-telling mirror!” repeated a
24 THE LAMMIE.

soft, sweet voice directly in front of Rosa.
Tt seemed to come from amongst the high
clover through which she was bounding, as
she thought, but she saw nothing but the
red clover blossoms and the yellow king-
cups. Hist! she hears the gentle waving
of wings, like the wings of doves; and from
out the clover arise beautiful little fairy-like
forms, bright as humming-birds. “Rosa,”
said one of them, in a voice like the Aolian
harp, “Come, I will show you the truth-
telling mirror. I have it up in my pavilion
in the sky. We are the fairies of the upper
air; I am the queen. I have, resting on
the clouds, a pavilion made of pearl. Oh!
it 18 light up there; you cannot look around
but the rainbow meets your eye.”

“J have looked ito the true mirror,”
THE LAMMIE. 25

said Rosa, “and it showed me the lamb
which thou seest I am.”

“< My eye sees thee but as the child Rosa ;
but my heart knows thy heart as the mirror
would show it, and I know what thou art.
Follow me; it is best thou shouldst see
thyself.”

‘Give me thy hand,” said Rosa, “ arid
lead me up.”

“Nay, I cannot give thee my hand; I
would not willingly come very near such as
thou; but thou shalt be led. We fairy
band will collect, and unite together, and a
golucz cloud shall enwrap us, and the cloud
shall rise up, and thou shalt follow it till it
reaches the pavilion.”

‘TJ do not love you; you are not kind,”
said Rosa; “but I am curious to look into

3
26 THE LAMMIE.

your murror; so I will follow.” And Rosa
saw the cloud arise like a globe of gold, and
she séemed to arise with it; and in circles
up they swept, higher! higher! till, as she
saw the golden ball above and the green
ball of earth below, the latter seemed the
smaller globe of the two.

When they had reached the pavilion, the
fairies came out of the cloud and alighted
upon the pearly steps, and it seemed to
Rosa as if she had a flock of doves waving
their wings around and above her.

The queen led her into the pavilion, where
she saw a table on which a splendid feast
was spread. “I do not wish to eat with
you,” said Rosa; “I only wish to see if
your mirror speaks the truth.”

“Thou canst not eat with us,” said the
THE LAMMIE. 27

queen; “we ask not such as thou to our
table. Come, pitiable child! and behold
thyself. My mirror shows not the outside,
but the inside;” and the queen led Rosa
to a crystal basin, wreathed with flowers of
many hues, and sending forth the sweetest
odors. The dome-roof of the pavilion was
lined with sapphires, and this was reflected
in the clear water, and on this blue ground
Rosa beheld herself, —a scaly serpent of a
dull coppery red. It recoiled at the sight
of itself. ‘Oh, you are cruel!” she cried
to the queen; “this cannot be true!” But
she perceived again that-she did not leap
and run, nor stand erect, but moved along
with an undulatory motion, and her ear
seemed to hear the scaly folds sweep along
ag she moved. She hissed in anger and
28 THE LAMMIE.

writhed in agony, because she dreaded that
her mother should behold her in that form.
“Nay, my poor child,” said the queen,
“this is vain; go and transform thyself
into something better.”” And it seemed to
Rosa that she had awakened and found that
she was lying in bed, still retaining the
serpent form. “Oh! agony! mother will
come into the chamber, and instead of her
Rosa, whom I know she means to forgive,
she will find a scaly serpent coiled up in
_ the bed. And instead of the kiss she would
‘have given me, she will give a shriek, and
run frightened away.” Then Rosa thought
her mother came in, started and shrieked
as she had dreaded, and the poor child
arose as erect as she was able, and protested
she was not what she appeared. “Mother!
THE LAMMIE. 29

mother!” she cried, “I am 1.06 a serpent!
oh! Iam not, believe me, mother! Forgive
me! kiss me, and I shall be your Rosa
again.” ‘Kiss a serpent?” cried her
mother, “Heaven have mercy! where is
my child?” And then her mother with
clasped hands looked upon her with a look
that pierced her heart, and she sunk down
and crept beneath the bed-clothes. Her
mother shrieked —but no—it was the
creaking of the chamber door. Rosa
awoke —~her mother bent over her and
kissed her wet cheek. ‘What ails thee,
my dear child? Why dost thou weep so?”
‘Mother! mother! I am not a serpent!
do not kill me!” “My dearest child,
what have you been dreaming about?”
said her mother laughing; and Rosa now
80 THE LAMMIE.

laughed in delight to find that she was not
a serpent, and she told her dream. “ Re-
pent, my Rosa, and behave well to-day, and
perhaps you will dream a pleasanter dream,
tonight. Was it not the serpent within
you which induced you cunningly to deceive
me and to disobey me, for the sake of
gratifying your own selfish wishes? Take
care that he does not creep in again. Now
dress yourself, and after breakfast I shall
have some work for you to do, and if you
do your task well, and are obedient and
sweet-tempered all through the day, then I
_ Shall believe the serpent has crept away
and a pretty lamb is born in you.” Rosa
felt very light-hearted when she laid down
to rest the next night, for she had done
so well during the day that her mother
THE LAMMIE. él

had hardly been obliged to reprove her for
anything, which was remarkable, for Rosa
was rather a wilful child. “ What a good
girl I have ——” but beforé the sentence
was completed, Rosa was in a dream. It
was not raimy that night, nor were the win-
dow curtains fluttering; but Rosa heard
the rustling and pattering behind her as
she stood by the pond, curling her ring-
lets around her fingers, and thinking how
prettily she looked. “Rosa! Rosa!” said
many cracked voices, “come and ride the
peacock. Our peacock steeds will carry
us up to the clouds, so that we can see the
pavilion of the air-fairies. Come, we are all
going up.” And the elf-king touched with
his wand some flowers that grew on the
banks of the pond, and instantly they were
82 THE LAMMIR.

changed into peacocks. Lach of the elves
leaped upon the back of one, and the king
placed Rosa before him on his. This was
certainly fine; the peacocks spread their
tails so wide and looked so proud, and held
their pretty crowned heads so high; and
though the elf king’s claw grasped Rosa’s
waist rather tightly, and his voice grated
harshly upon her ear, when he now and
then cried, “high! high, boy!” to his
steed, she did not much care for it, it was
80 fine to be sweeping through the air on
the beautiful bird.

But look! look! what is coming? An
army of eagles; and hark what flapping of
wings! From the clouds the troop seems
to come; the long quilled feathers of their
far-spread wings glance like golden arrows
THE LAMMIE. 38

in the sun; on the back of each bird is
mounted one of the beautiful fairies of the
upper air. The peacocks shut their tails
and screamed in affright, and the golden
eagles shrieked in defiance.

“Hence to your own dark domain!”
cried the queen to the elfin band, as her
royal bird pounced upon the king’s pea
cock, while all the other eagle-mounted
fairies were giving a downward chase to
the elves. ‘Quarter! quarter!” cried
the king in a voice which reminded one of
a pair of tongs endeavoring to bring harp
tones out of a griciron. The eagle had
grasped the peacock’s head in his talons,
and the poor bird struggled painfully. The
king was hurled into the air, and followed
his crown as it fell towards the earth, looking
34 THE LAMMIE.

like a spider grasping at her ball of eggs.
Rosa, too, slid from the smooth back of her
steed; but she was caught by the queen
and placed before her on the royal bird.
The eagle troop wheeled about, and ris-
ing in circles higher and higher, soon hov-
ered near the pavilion. He on whose back
the queen and Rosa were mounted, alighted
on a golden ball which crowned the roof;
here he stood a moment, glancing up at the
sun, first with one eye, then with the other,
and turning his golden neck about and
quivering his great wings; then giving one
shout of grand joy, he arose and wheeling
about, softly descended and entered the
pavilion, alighted and stood still while the
queen dismounted with her charge. ‘“ Now
let me eat with you, now let me look into
THE LAMMIE. 35

the mirror and behold myself,” said Rosa.
“The table is spread, thou seest,” said the
queen, “but thou canst not yet partake
with us; but thou mayest look into the blue
water, and see all thou canst see.” And
she led Rosa to the basin. And how
Rosa’s heart beat as she looked in and
beheld herself as painted on the blue, in the
form of a lamb, white and woolly; but oh!
sad deformity! a lamb with a peacock’s
tail spread high over his head; what a
monster was this. ‘ Poor me,” thought
Rosa, “I am a thing fit to be exhibited in
the museum. What if my parents should
think fit to exhibit me there, just for a
punishment, and then after I am dead, set
me up among the stuffed animals. But
why should I be punished? have I not
36 THE LAMMIE.

repented and reformed? and why does this
tail adhere to me? This mirror is not
quite true,” said she to the queen. “ Thou

. hast done thy tasks well,” said the queen,
“but thou hast told both thyself and others
of it; yes, thou hast boasted ; thou hast not
been humble in thy joy.”

Presently it seemed to Rosa that she was
in the museum, where a great concourse of
people was collected, and all were staring
at the lamb with a peacock’s tail and point-
ing and laughing. And then she was in a
menagerie, where the showman was com-
pelling her to show herself off, making her
spread wide the wonderful tail, and leap
bars, and pace round with a monkey on
her back, and do many other silly things.
Poor Rosa, in her mortifications she-almost
THE LAMMIE. 37

wished herself a serpent again. Then she
seemed to be at home and all her brothers
and sisters laughed at the peacock’s tail,
and one of her brothers pulled some of the
feathers out, and shook them in her face;
but this she was glad to find was only one
.of her sisters who had come to awaken her,
and was shaking a handkerchief in her
face. ‘Be quiet, Charles!” cried Rosa,
as she opened her eyes, “ you are unkind
to treat me so.” “TJs sister Ellen unkind
. to come and wake you to go to walk on this
beautiful morning?” ‘Oh dear! dear! I
thought it was Charley pullmg my feathers
out, and it hurt me.” “ Your feathers?
why my silly chicken you are not yet
fledged; come, downy nestling, up and
dress, and let us go to walk.” “TI ama
38 THE LAMMIE.

lamb, only——— but I will certaiily be a
Tamb to-day.”

The next night Rosa stood in her dream
by the pond where she was plucking lilies,
and as she reached over, her happy face
was to be seen in the water, but she did
not see it, so full was her mind of the fair
lilies; while she was smelling of one, she
heard at a distance behind her the black
troop, and the king called in a voice that
sounded like the creaking of a cork when
being drawn from the bottle, “throw down
those horrible lilies; their breath is death
and destruction ; we cannot come, we dare
not approach till thou hast thrown them
away; they hate us from the bottom of
their wicked hearts.”

“Dear lilies!” said Rosa, “then I will
THE LAMMIE. 39

keep you as a safeguard, for‘you love me,
I know you do; you say it with the sweet-
ness of your breath. Yes, you love me,
and I love you, and I will wear you in my
bosom.” She placed them in her bosom,
and as she bent her head to smell of one,
she heard a very small voice, like the
fGolian harp-tones of the fairy queen; they
were so very faint, she thought they came
from a distance. She looked around and
above, but saw no fairies, nor elves neither,
for the black troop, seeing her cherish the
lilies, had vanished. The voice sounded a
little louder, and said, ‘‘ Rosa, dear child!
love us and we will love you; do well, and
we will always be with you to guard you;
feel, think, or do ill, and you force us to
leave you.” ‘Ah! is it the lily speaking?
40 THE LAMMIE.

the voice comes from amongst the yellow
central petals. No, it is the queen. She
rises up from her beautiful couch.” ‘* Wilt
thou go with me to the pavilion?” said she.
“Oh, take me with thee,” said Rosa, “ and
let me look into the blue mirror once
more.” The queen touched the lily with
her wand, and it was an ivory car of light
and exquisite workmanship, and its cushions
were of cloth of gold. Three pair of white
doves were harnessed to it, and when Rosa
and the queen were seated upon the golden
cushions, the doves spread their wings, and
as they beat the air, making a soft waving
sound, onwards and upwards swiftly sped
the beautiful coach and six, and soon amid
the dove-colored clouds peered the dome-
roof and pearly pillars of the pavilion.
THE LAMMIE. 41

Silently the car rolled along through the
rounded clouds, and when it reached the
steps of the pavilion the six gentle steeds
closed their wings, and uncurling their red
feet, stood with arched necks and blinking
eyes, while Rosa and the queen alighted.
The queen then touched-the car with her
wand, and again the lily was there. It lay
at her feet, and she picked it up and placed
it in Rosa’s bosom. They entered the pa
vilion, where the feast was spread, and
where the fairy train awaited the arrival of
their queen. “See,” said the queen, “I
have brought you a pretty guest. Eat
with us,” said she to Rosa, “and then thou
shalt go to the mirror.” And Rosa sat
down and ate with them, and then with a
heart full of doubts and fears, yet throbbing
4
42 THE LAMMIE.

with joy and hope, she arose and went
to the flower-wreathed basin. Oh, happy
child! There on the sapphire ground was
the pure white lamb looking her in the
face, and no longer with the peacock’s tail,
nor with any sign of the peacock about it;
but wearing about its neck a wreath of
beautiful flowers. The innocent lamb in
her heart now bounded with joy. “Dear
child,’ said the queen, kissing her affection-
ately, “thou bearest the lamb in thy heart
now, because thou hast not only done thy
tasks well, but whenever a feeling of self-
praise endeavored to steal in, thou didst
strive to shut the door of thy heart against
it, and didst humbly pray to be delivered
from so deadly a foe to thine eternal
peace.”
THE LAMMIE. 43

Tt seemed now to Rosa that she was in
her own chamber, still wearing the form of
a lamb, and she thought her mother came
in, and seeing a pretty lamb wreathed with
flowers, leaping about the chamber, smiled
and cried out, “‘Oh, pretty creature! where
didst thou come from?” And Rosa felt
so frolicsome that she thought she would
not tell who the lamb was, but ran up to
her mother, and went leaping around her,
and her mother caught the pretty lamb in
her arms, and warmly caressed it. Then
Rosa laughed to think how she was going
to surprise her mother, and the laugh
-awoke her, and she laughed still more when
she found she was really in her mother’s
arms. ‘Ah, what is so funny, my love?
have sweet spirits been with you in your
dream? As I came and bent over you, &
44 THE LAMMIE.

pleasant smile was on your lips, and when
I kissed them, you laughed in your sleep.”
‘Oh, mother, I am a lamb! a happy lamb,
for see the garland around my neck ;” and
she put her hand to her neck, expecting to
feel the flowers. ‘Ah, no, but it was a
sweet dream mother, and it shall be a true

one, for I will be @ lamb.” “Yes, my
' dearest,” said her mother, ‘“ the lamb is in
your heart, I know, and its wreath of
flowers shall not fade.” And the mother
wept joyful tears as she pressed her child
closely to her bosom, silently asking a bless-
ing on her head. And the mother’s daily
prayers, and the child’s constant endeavors
to do well were not in vain, for Rosa be-
came such a delight, such a blessing to all
around her, that she gained the name of
“ Lammie.”
WY
Ly,

Ze


LILLA’S DREAM.

EAUTIFUL was the May morning that

Lilla, with joyful steps and innocent
delight, strolled over the pastures and
through the woods. She ran about over
the moss-covered roeks, and plucked the
gay columbines that bent at their sides
for shelter. She walked by the sparkling
brook, and threw herself down amongst the
violets that decked its borders, and her ear
was delighted with the joyous gurgling of
its waters, and with the cheerful melody
of the spring birds, and the drowsy hum of
the newly-awakened insects. She returned
48 LILLA’S DREAM.

home with her basket full of flowers, and
her heart and mind full of those beautiful
feelings and thoughts which good angels
delight to infuse into the minds of little
children; and laying herself on her couch,
she fell into a sweet sleep, and she dreamed
that she was walking in a garden of fruit
trees, and that it was the joyous spring-
time of the year; and though there were
various kinds of trees in the garden, such
as the apple, the pear, the peach, and the
plum, also many kinds which Lilla’s waking
eye had never seen, yet they were all in
full bloom. The peach trees bore pink
blossoms ; the plum, cherry, and pear trees,
white; and so full of blossoms were the
trees, that she could scarcely see any green
leaves. The ground beneath the trees was
LILLA’S DREAM. 49

covered with flowers of almost every hue;
and the blossoms looked so glad, that Lilla
wondered they did not sing out for joy, as
the birds and insects did. -

That moment, a honey-bee that was buz-
zing near a rose-bush, whispered in her ear,
and said, “They do sing; they are at this
moment singing a joyous song in concert,
but your senses are too gross to perceive
it; I can hear it, and I can understand all
their words.”

“Oh!” cried Lilla, “I wish I were a
honey-bee, that I too might hear it!” and
she stood still, and listened very intently,
scarcely daring to breathe. Soon she
thought her hearing had grown more clear,
and she could distinctly perceive a sound
like the far-off tinkling of little bells, and

5
50 LILLA’S DREAM.

her heart leaped for joy. Breathless, she
continued to listen, till at length she could
even distinguish the words, and their song
was that of gladness and gratitude for their
existence. Lilla listened a long time in
delight, and then she went and sat down on
a little green mound to rest. While she
sat there, a frog came hopping up the
bank; Lilla was about to frighten him
away, but he looked up into her face with
an expression of so much kindness, that
she thought it seemed to say, “come near,
little maid, let us be friends;” and he
smiled roughly with his great mouth; and
she said, “ Speckled-sides, why do you not
sing like the birds? you have a mouth big
enough; and even the blossoms on the
trees are singing this bright spring morn-
LILLA’S DREAM. 51

ing, and yet you are silent; what right
have you to take up your abode in this
place, so full of melody, if you cannot
sing ?”

“Tndeed!” exclaimed Speckled-sides,
tossing up his head, and looking mighty
proud, “do but follow me to the nearest
brook, where my companions are holding a
concert, and you will soon see;” and he
turned from her, and hopped down the
bank as fast as he could go.

Lilla followed ‘him into a deep meadow,
through which ran the pretty streamlet.
The ground all round the brook was blue
with violets, and they sang the same song
as did the blossoms in the garden. This
meadow was a sunny place; there were
trees to shelter it from the wind on every
62 LILLA’S DREAM.

side, but so far off, that their shadows did
not reach the spot where Lilla stood, and
the warm sun-beams felt pleasantly as they
fell upon her neck. Speckled-sides leaped
into the brook, and, sitting up as straight
as he could, so that his head might be seen
out of the water, joined his loud voice with
those of the other frogs. Lilla perceived
that the song of the frogs did not glide
from their mouths in graceful undulations,
like those of the birds, but that it was
monotonous and discordant, yet did it de-
light her soul. It seemed like the warmth
of the sun-beams; it gave her the idea of
newly awakened life, and warmth, and joy.

“It is the song,” said she, ‘ which al
ways brings to mind the thoughts of spring,
that season of returning life and gladness ;
LILLA’S DREAM. 53

I love to listen to it, for there is music even
in its monotony ;” and she laid herself
down upon the bed of blue violets by the
side of the brook, as she had done in the
morning; and as she lay there, she saw
nothing but the blue sky; she heard the
voices of birds around and above her, but
she saw them not; and it seemed as if the
sky came down nearer and nearer to her,
or that she was lifted up towards it, and
the voices of the birds seemed like the
voices of invisible spirits, singing around
her. She saw nothing but beauty; she
heard nothing but song; she felt nothing
but the pleasant warmth of the sunbeams ;
and her little heart was full of joy and
love. She turned her face toward the
brook whish “owed through the meadow in
54 LILLA’S DREAM.

various windings, leaping over bright peb-
bles, which sparkled in the sunlight like
gems.

‘‘ Little brook,” said she, ‘whither art
thou gomg? Perhaps thou canst not tell
thyself, beautiful brook!”

“T am free! I am free!” cried the
brook; “and I know not, neither do I
care, whither I go. I have been chained
up all winter, with a cold, cold chain; and
now that I am free, I will run without:
stopping, till Jack Frost binds me again.”

“Then,” said Lilla, “I will follow and
see ;” and she ran along by the side of the
brook, which led her through many flowery
meadows, and at length into a deep dell.
When Lilla had followed it down the steep,
and stnod at the bottom of the dell, her
LILLA’S DREAM. 55

little soul was full of wonder; and clasping
her hands in a transport of delight, she
exclaimed, “this must be heaven or some
fairy land.” The ground and all the rocks
were covered with moss of the most bril-
liant green, and it felt as soft to her little
feet as a velvet cushion; and the sun,
which was shining over her head through
the foliage, was luminous— yet it was not
like daylight, nor was it like moonlight; it
shone with a green brilliancy, so that every-
thing in the dell gleamed like liquid eme-
ralds. There were many beautiful flowers
growing up out of the green moss, and
beautiful birds singing among the’ trees;
the squirrels and the green lizards ran
along the branches. Down at the very
bottom of the dell, there was a large flat
56 LILLA’S DREAM.

rock covered with red cup moss; some of
these fairy goblets were standing half full
of dew, and others were thrown over on
their sides, and some of them were broken ;
there were also berries and broken nuts
scattered about the rock. Presently a
squirrel yumped up and began to gather
them; then Lilla approached, and took one
of the goblets; the squirrel looked up into
her face, and smilingly said, “Good morn-
ing.” He then took a goblet, and asked
politely if she would drink some dew with
him; and they drank off their cups together.

“ Pray tell me, Nutcracker,” said Lilla,
“what company has been feasting here on
this rock ; these broken goblets seem to tell
of high glee and festivity.”

‘“‘ Why, the fairies, the fairies, to be
LILLA’S DREAM. 57

sure; dost thou not know the fairy goblets?
This dell belongs to king Oberon and queen
Titania, and joyous indeed are the revels
they hold here.”

“T should like to see one of the fairies,”
said Lilla.

“Come with me,’ said Nutcracker,
“and I will show you one.”

So he went leaping along over the green
moss, and as Lilla ran after, it seemed to
her that she was flying, so fast did she have
to run that she might keep pace with him.
He led her into an open part of the dell,
where the trees were not so thick, and
where the ground was entirely covered with
flowers of almost every hue.

“There is Dew-drop, a very pretty fai-
ry,” said Nutcracker, pointing to a sylph-
like figure in the midst of the flowers.
58 LILA’S DREAM.

“Let us go,” said Lilla, “and see what
she is doing.”

So they went to the fairy, and they said,
“What dost thou with the flowers, pretty
being? thou dost not seem to be plucking
them.”

“Do you see the beautiful figures on
these flowers?” asked the fairy.

“ Oh!. yes,” replied Lilla.

“Well,” said the fairy, “they have a
meaning which, perhaps, you have not
dreamed of; these pencilings are musical
notes, and we alone can understand them
--and we sing our songs from them.
There are about the flowers great myster-
ies; on some of them are beautiful stories,
and the songs which we sing are here
written and when we learn them, we
LEILLA’S DREAM. 59

write them on the brain of some sleeping
mortal whose soul delights in melodies ;
when he awakes he gives them forth to the
world. The stories we write on the brain, —
as we said, but the mysteries we keep to
ourselves.”

“Qh!” said Lilla, ‘make me to under.
stand the notes, that I may sing more
sweetly than the birds.”

Then the fairy taught her one of the
songs, and it seemed in her dream as if she
lifted up her voice and sang. Louder and
louder it grew, till she seemed to fill the
whole air with her music.

Then Dew-drop asked Lilla if she would
like to go and amuse herself in the Elfin’s
Cave; and as she did not know what sort
of a place this was, she was curious to see
60 TILLA’S DREAM.

it, and requested Dew-drop to guide her
thither. Now Dew-drop called two of her
torch-bearers, the fire-flies, to light them
through the dark cave.

They went on together, and when they
had entered the cave, Dew-drop said —
“ Now we will amuse ourselves. Thou seest
how rocky are the sides of the cave. This
rock is soft and flaky, like slate-stone, and
is very easily split apart; let us open some
of it, and see what we can find between
the flakes.” And by the light of the fire-
flies they began to split the flaky rock, and
to the great surprise of Lilla, they found
between the flakes beautiful pictures of
every description. She also found musical
notes, which they sang, and the hollow cave
echoed to their voices. After Lilla had
LiLLA’S DREAM. 61

looked at everything she could find, they
left the cave; and Dew-drop, bidding her
good morning, returned to the flowers.

“Talla!” cried a little voice from the
branches of an apple-tree, under which she
stood.

She looked up, and espied the smiling
face of Nutcracker, looking down upon her
through the foliage; he was sitting on a
bough of the tree, holding in his little paws
an apple, from which he was picking out
the seeds and eating them. He threw
down one of the apples to Lilla, who, at
Nut-cracker’s request, began to save her
seeds. While she was picking them out,
she said to them:

‘Poor prisoners! what a miserable life
you must lead, shut up in the very centre
of this dark apple.”
62 LILLA’S DREAM.

‘* No matter,” answered they, “we are
content ; we do not live for ourselves ;
yesterday was for the sake of today, and
to-day for the sake of to-morrow; and we
are formed for the sake of the tree which
now les in embryo within us. Unlike
selfish human beings, all we desire is, that
the end of our existence may be answered.”

Lilla walked away, and seeing an apple-
tree in full blossom, she said, — “ This tree
and its fair blossoms live for themselves, no
doubt.”

“Nay,” answered the tree, “I draw
nourishment from the earth, and spread out
my leaves that they may receive heat and
life from the sun; the showers of rain are
for the sake of the fruit we bear; we clothe
ourselves in blossoms, because they are the
means of producing seed.”
LILLA’S DREAM. 63

Yes,” said the blossoms, “ we are con-
tent to wither and drop off as soon as our
task is done; for it is for the sake of the
fruit that we exist, and our fruit for the
sake of man; 80, when our fruit is eaten,
the seeds are free to mix themselves in the
mould, in order to send forth another tree.”

Lilla left the tree, and presently came to
a part of the dell where the flowery vines
were climbing up and stretching themselves
from limb to limb, forming a soft hammock,
or cradle; and, climbing up one of the
trees, she leaped into the flowery hammock,
and the wind came and rocked her to and
fro so high that she was thrown out of it,
and the sudden fright awoke her. She
opened her eyes, and found her sister was
shaking her, instead of the wind.
THE CHILD’S DREAM
AMONG FLOWERS.

BY MISS COLMAN.

AVING sweetly o’er thy head,
Way Flowers softly sigh;
Watching o’er thy grassy bed,
Singing lullaby.

“Gently murmuring in thine ear,
Angels from on high,
Resting in these lovely flowers,
Sing thee lullaby.
THE CHILD’S DREAM. 65

“Bending o’er thee, darling child.
Kissing thy blue eye,
Singing softly to thy soul,
Sweetest lullaby.”

Thus sang the flowers to the child, as he
slept beneath their waving’ bells; and he
heard them, and listened to the lullaby of
the angels. The flowers watched him as
he listened, and saw how beautifal smiles
played over his face, and then, how tear-
drops chased each other down his fair
cheek, and how he again smiled peacefully ;
and they grew curious, wishing to know
why the child smiled and wept by turns.
And they sang to him again: —

6
66 THE CHILD'S DREAM.

“Child, among us lying,
And so softly sleeping,
Time is swiftly flying,
Waken from thy dreaming.

® While thy mouth is smiling,
And thy blue eyes beaming,
While the sun is shining,
Tell us of thy dreaming.”

Then the child awakened; ant! he told
the flowers how angels sat each side of
him, and sang to him of his mother and
sisters, who lived in heaven, and how happy
they were; and how beautiful heaven was,
and how he might go there and live; this
made him feel very happy. But then the
angels told him, with sweet, sad voices,
how naughty he was, and how much he
THE CHILD'S DREAM. 67

must do to be good enough to live in
heaven; and his heart sank, and he feared
that he never should see his dear mother
again. Then he wept;— but soon he felt
on his brow other tears, and he looked up,
and saw the angels weeping. Then they
sang to him again: —~

“Weep not, weep not, darling child,
We are ever near thee,
And, ’mid all the ills around,
We will guard and help thee.

“ And when thou art very good,

In our arms we’ll take thee,
And, while singing thankful songs,
Up to heaven we'll bear thee.”

Then the angels told him low he must —
watch the flowers, and listen to the birds,
68 THE CHILD’S DREAM.

—and they would teach him to ke good;
but that he must pray often and heartily,
or else they could not stay with him.
Then they gang once more about heaven —
and how he would go there too; and they
kissed him on the forehead, softly: and
gently, like the touch of a flower. Then
the flowers awoke him,—and now he had
told them what he had been dreaming.

And the flowers wept too at the lovely
dream of the beautiful child; and they
touched him with their bells as the angels
kissed him, and showered upon him dew-
drops, till his golden hair sparkled with
the liquid diamonds. Then the child felt
strong and hopeful;—and kneeling down
among the flowers, he prayed that he might
be good and pure, so that the angels would
- take him soon to his mother.

CHILDHOOD.

My heart leaps up when I behcid
A rainbow in the sky;
So was it when my life began,
So is it now I am a man, |
So let it be when I grow old,
Or let me die. Wordsworth.

Gata WE angel that takes care of the ten-
“ia der lambs and sprinkles dew upon

“= the flowers in the still night, take
care of thee, dear child, and let no evil come
to thy tender years. Fair child! when I
gaze into thy soft blue eyes my childhood re-
turns, like a bright vision, and I think of the
time, long since past, when every sight and



72 - GHILDHOOD.

every sound in nature gave to me such
sweet delight, and all was so fair and beauti-.
ful. I fancy I hear thy gentle voice breath-
ing forth thy ‘oy, in sweet and happy words,
such as little chudren are wont to use when
they first begin to look up into the blue
sky, to gaze upon the rainbow, or at the
bright, fleecy clouds that float over the
mon. The bright sun, the moon, and the
stars %- the murmuring rivulet— the broad
ocean, heaving to and fro in the sunlight —
the pealing thunder, and the storm—the
quiet glen, where I listened to the busy
hum of the insects, the joyous song of the
birds, as they sung in the trees or flew from
spray to spray, the odor of fresh flowers
~—aill filled my breast with heavenly love
and peace; and when I look up into thy
CHILDHOOD. 73

face, dear child, my soul returns to join
you, and I forget the present, and live, for
@ time, only in the past * * * * °

The little maid you see gazing at the
great dragon-fly, is the foster child of a good
shepherd ; she has risen with the morning
sun, and has come forth into the silent
wood, to lift up her’ little voice, with the
birds, in songs of praise and thanksgiving
to the Creator, and to ask His blessing on
all that lives. The little lamb by her side
is the companion of all her walks; she
gives it fresh grass to eat, with her own
hand, and water from the clear stream that
flows rippling beneath the green trees.
She makes garlands of the choicest flowers,
and hangs them upon his neck. She loves
the flowers, the green grass, and the rip-
74. CHILDHOOD.

_ pling stream. She loves to walk with her
lamb in the still woods, and listen to the
hum of the little insects that dwell there.
She is Nature’s happy child, and her dis-
courses are with its wonders. It is in the
quiet dell, by the softly murmuring stream,
that she loves most to stay; she is talking
now with that large dragon-fly; and if a
, picture could speak, we should hear her say,
in the gentlest accents in the world :

“Come here, pretty dragon-fly, come
and rest on my hand, and let me feel of
your gossamer wings, and look into your
bright eyes; come, listen to me, and I will
tell you a tale—I will—”

But the dragonfly hears her not— he is
looking at a beautiful lily, in whose soft
cup he intends to rest awhile—oh! how
THE CHILD’S DREAM. 75

beautiful it is! and the dragon-fly has lit
upon it—the little maid claps her hands
for joy, for she is sure of him now; and
she stretches out her hand to the lily cup;
but ere she could touch it, the pretty crea-
ture has flown from the flower, and as it
pauses in the air, we can imagine that it
says :

“ Good-by, little girl, I shall not suffer
myself to be caught to-day;”’ and off he
flies, soaring higher and higher into the

blue heavens.
MRS. COLMAN,


THE KING OF THE SWANS:
OR DELPHINE THE GOOD.

FROM THE GERMAN.

DWQ)HERE was once a little girl, who was
5 called Delphine, so good and cheer-
ful, that she was a favorite with

everybody. This good girl had a friend
called Hilda, who was also a good girl, and
they loved each other dearly.

In the winter, when the snow was lying
deep upon hill and field, Hilda fell sick, and
her parents were in great anxiety on her
account. She was quite unable to eat—
was burning with fever heat, and shivering
THE KING OF THE SWANS. 7

with cold, by turns, —and though she*was ‘
tenderly nurged, could get no relief.

If any of her young friends visited her,
she would say to them, “ Give me straw-
berries, who will go and find me some
strawberries, that I may get well and not
die?’? Then her father and mother would
say, “Dear Hilda, it is winter now, and
there are none to be found this season.”

Hilda would then raise herself up in bed,
and say, “Far away over the high hill
there, and through the forest, is a green
slope; there I can see plenty of straw-
berries.

‘Who will go and fetch them for me—
only one of those nice red berries — only
one!” The children left the room, saying,
to each other, ‘‘ What nonsense poor Hilda
78 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

talked about; she must be dreaming.”
But Delphine was much troubled that she
could not help her friend. All at once she
said, “‘ Who will go with me over the moun-
tains to seek for strawberries? It will be
some comfort to poor Hilda if she sees
us going over the hill to seek for them.”
But no one would go with her.

So Delphine set out alone, for she
wished to do all she could to help her
friend, though she had to go through a
deep and dangerous forest. After she left
the forest, she came to the hill. A small
trodden footpath led up to the top and
down again on the other side; she then
came to a wood of tall oak and beach
trees. She passed through without having
met @ single adventure; she then came to
THE KING OF THE SWANS. 79

a place where three paths met. She stood
still a moment, not knowing which to take,
when, quite unexpectedly, she saw a little
man approaching through the trees. He
had a green hat upon his head, with a
feather as white as snow. His dress was
made of the softest swan’s down. He car-
ried an ivory bow on his shoulder, and a
small silver hunting horn hung at his side.
‘What do you want here, little damsel?”
he said, in a friendly voice.

“ Ah!” gaid Delphine, “I have a sick
friend, who longs for strawberries, and says
they will make her well again. I know
very well that it is winter, but I hope to
find something here that she will like, and
I hope that I shall not return quite empty-
handed.”
3U THE KING OF THE SWANS.

“Come with me then,” said the little
hunter. “J will show you a place where
you may find what you are in search of.”
He went on before, leading her through
many winding paths, until the forest ap-
peared lighter, the air warmer and more
spring-like. At last they came to a great
iron door. ‘The little man unlocked it,’
saying, “ Now, if you go straight forward,
you will find what you seek.”

Delphine would have thanked the good
man, but he vanished instantly. After
walking a few steps farther, she came to a
green slope.

Here winter had entirely disappeared.
The sun shone warmer in the cloudless
sky; the birds sang merrily, and a few
steps farther she beheld the ground covered
THE KING OF THE SWANS. 81

with fine strawberries. How the good lit-
tle maiden rejoiced! she quickly filled the
little basket she brought with her, and
hastened back with them to her dear sick
friend. But some how in her haste she
could not find her way back. She came to
the iron palisades which surrounded the
place, but all her attempts to find the gate
were fruitless. In her anxiety, she ran
this way and that; still no gate was to be
seen. Then she heard the sound of a .
whistle, and she exclaimed, with joy, “I
hear a living sound, some one, surely, is in
this wood who will be kind enough to show _

me the way out.”

She hastily traversed the thicket i in ane
other direction, and suddenly beheld
scene which caused her great surprise.
82 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

Before hen laid a large, green meadow, and
beyond this a clear lake, on which a num-
ber of stately and beautiful swans were
swimming very gracefully. In the middle
of the lake was a small island, upon which
stood a charming palace, surrounded by
flower gardens and orange groves. As she
drew near the shore of the lake, she per-
ceived a little man, who had a less friendly
aspect than the hunter of the forest. He
had a large head, with rough hair, and a
grey beard, so long that it reached to his
knees; in one hand he held a whistle, and
in the other a switch.

Delphine was afraid to speak to him, and
stood still, at a little distance. She soon
observed that his office was to take care of
the swans, and prevent their going out of
THE KING OF THE SWANS. . 88

the water. When any did so, he whistled
to them, and if they did not obey him,
he stretched out his switch, which had
the remarkable property of lengthening or
shortening —just as he wished to have it.
Delphine could see no one save this little
old man, nor any mode of reaching the
palace; therefore she gained courage to
say, ‘“‘Good friend, can you show me how
to get outof the forest? I wish to go
home.” The grey-beard looked at her in
surprise, but did not speak; he merely
made her understand, by signs, that she
should sit down, which she did.

Then he whistled, and presently there
came a large swan from the! lake, which
laid itself down before him. ‘The little old
man seated himself on the swan’s back,
84 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

throwing one of his arms round its neck,
and away the trusty bird swam with him
across the lake; there he alighted, and
went into the palace. Delphine waited
some time, curious to see what would hap
pen, but she did not feel afraid. At length
she saw four black swans swim from a
creek of the lake, harnessed to a beautiful
little green boat, adorned with silver, and
shaded by @ pair of wings, which covered
the seats; the front was in shape like a
swan’s neck.

The grey-beard sat there, looking much ~
more agreeable than before. He gave
Delphine a sign to step in, which she did;
they then sailed gently. across the lake, and
as soon as they reached the other side, he
handed her out and led her to the palace.
THE KING OF THE SWANS. 85

In the hall, sat the King of the Swans.
He wore a robe of the purest white silk,
‘bordered with swan’s down; a golden crown
was upon his head, and he was surrounded
by richly dressed attendants.

“ What dost thou seek in my kingdom?”
inquired he.

“T have found all I sought,” answered
Delphine ; “but I pray your majesty to let
some one of your attendants direct me
home, for I find I have wandered in: the
wrong direction.”

“Very well,” said the King, “what hast -
thou to offer?”

“ Alas!” replied Delphine, “I have
nothing at all. If I had known what you
would have wished of me, I should have
‘brought it with me from home.”
86 THE KING OF THE SWANS..

“Thou hast strawberries,” rejoined the
King, “and I like them above all things.
Give me thy strawberries, and then one of
my servants shall show thee the way home.’”

“ Alas! I cannot give thee all,” con-
tinued Delphine; “they are for my sick
friend, who must die if she does not get
them; but I will willingly give you some of
them.”

She then took several of the finest look-
ing ones, and tied them by the stems with
a riband that confined her hair, and handed
them to the King.

“Thank my little daughter,” said the
King. “Now go thy way, and this man
shall attend thee; but do exactly as he
desires.”

The old man with the grey beard wait
THE KING OF THE SWANS. 87

ed in readiness for her, and when Delphine
had taken leave of the King, he led her
into the garden, tied a handkerchief about
her eyes, whistled, and at the same instant
took her by the arm.

She heard the rustling of wings, she felt
the wind blow colder and colder, in ‘her
face, but was not conscious of moving, nor
could she see anything.

At last the sound of wings ceased, and
the old man set her upon the ground.
“¢Now, my child, count twenty, and then
remove the bandage and preserve it care-
fally ; it will be required of thee at the
‘proper time.”

As soon as the bandage was removed,
‘she found herself standing on the hill,
opposite the house of her friend, Hilda.
88 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

Then she hastened to her friend, who was
still in bed repeating the words, “ Who wilt
bring me strawberries to make me well? ”

“There they are, dear Hilda,” said Del-
phine, handing her a bright red bunch.
Every one was astonished, and anxious to
know from whence she had brought them.
But she had barely begun to relate her
wonderful adventures, before Hilda had
eaten all the strawberries. Then the color
returned to her face, and strength to her
limbs ; and Hilda said, ‘“‘ Thank the Lord,
and dear Delphine, now I am quite well! ’”
And she rose from her bed, quite restored.

Who can tell how the parents thanked
and blessed Delphine — the good, kind-
hearted Delphine, whom every one praised
and blessed — for her self-sacrificing benev-
~ olence and love?
THE KING OF THE SWANS. 89

One day, when Delphine was walking in
the meadows with her mother, some years
after this, and was looking up into the sky,
she saw a black speck, which, as it de-
scended, grew larger and larger; and as
it came towards her, she saw that it was.
prodigious black swan. It had on its back
a tent, with golden gauze curtains, and
when it alighted upon the ground where
Delphine was standing, there came out of
the tent a little man, with friendly eyes,
who thus addressed her, “I am the King
of the Swans. I have heard that you will,
in a short time, celebrate a joyful festival ;
and as thou gavest me a present when @
child, and hast grown up so good, brave,
and pure a maiden, I will make thee a
present in return.” Saying these words,

3 .
90 THE KING OF THE SWANS.

he put upon her head a costly crown. It
was made of gold, garnished with straw-
berry leaves; and between the leaves there
sparkled red rubies, diamonds, and purple
amethysts; round the rim was a beautiful
gold band.

‘ Delphine and her mother could hardly
thank the King, for astonishment. But he
did not give them time, for the swan rose
majestically in the air, and soon became as
a little black spot in the midst of the bright
clouds.

Many a little boy and girl have gone
over the hill, since that time, to seek the
land of the Swans, in search of strawberries
in winter, but have not found them; per-
haps it was because they were more selfish,
and not so good as Delphine.
CORINNE.

FRILD broke the morning,



The meadows looked gay,

The birds sweetly caroled
The welcome of May;

And blithely the girls played
At ball on the green,

But the sweetest, the fairest,

Was little Corinne.

At hoop and at rope

She was first of the throng,
And sweet as the lark

Of the woodland her song;
92

CORINNE.

None who saw the curls fall
O’er her forehead so fair,
Could doubt the calm victure

Of innocence there.

Dance gaily along,
Ever joyous and free,
Less joyous and happy,
Oh! ne’er may’st thou be;
Young, artless, and lovely,
Still bright be the scene,
Ever blessed with thy presence,
My pretty Corinne.
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