Our Story Book JINGLES, STORIES and RHYMES for LITTLE FOLKS

Wideawake Willy.

His real name was Willy. But because he was always on the look-out for any fun or mischief, Father and Mother called him “Wideawake” as well.

One sunny day he and his little friends went out to play cricket.

“I'm going to make a hundred runs!” cried Willy, as he took up the bat. But when he had made ten, Freddy bowled him out, and the other boys were glad it was their turn to go in.

In the winter, father made a big slide, and Willy and the boys went down it as fast as they could go. When he fell half way down, Willy thought it great fun, and called to his snowman as he glided past, “Look at me old fellow! Don't you wish you could slide?”

On his birthday he had a party. It was a merry time. They played “Blind Man's Buff,” and “Puss in the Corner,” and Willy always managed to catch the little girls by their long curls.

It was spring when Wideawake Willy went exploring. He shot his Teddy Bear, and tied it up in a scarlet handkerchief, for he knew explorers ate bears. Then he stuck a long feather in his hat, and strode gaily down the road. Presently he came to a big house. The door was open, and a lady asked him to go in. She showed him all sorts of wonderful things. What he liked best was Chin Chan, the Chinese boy, whose long pig-tail touched the floor. The lady told Willy that in China he lived in a boat, and helped his mother look after the chickens.

After seeing other Chinese people, he went home and told his mother what strange things he had seen.

The Little Old Woman.

Quite an Adventure.

Funny Toys

Mr. and Mrs. Ostrich and their Children.

Tinklebell Tales.

Frisk was a dear little dog. He belonged to Mistress Molly.

One morning Molly said, “Now Frisk, I am going to the town, and you must stay and look after the house, for Mother is going out too.”

Frisk sat down in his little chair, and held his walking stick between his paws.

“No one shall steal the dinner while I am here,” he said. “Bow, wow!”

On her way to the town, Molly saw her cousin Tommy leaning over a gate.

“Oh, Tommy!” she said, “If you are passing our house, please look in and see how Frisk is getting on.”

And Tommy ran off at once.

Frisk was glad to see Tommy, who gave him a good drink of water from a tub.

When Molly reached the town she went into the baker's shop to buy a loaf of bread.

But when she put her hand in her pocket she found her purse had gone!

“Don't cry, my dear,” said the baker.

And he left his shop, and went with Molly down the road.

Very soon they found the purse with all the money quite safe inside.

Then Molly saw a shop with “SALE” printed in the window, and went in.

“Good morning, ma'am!” said the shopman. “What can I get for you?”

“I want some stockings, please,” said Molly.

“How do you like these?” said the shopman. “They are only one shilling the pair, because it is sale time!”

“They are lovely!” said Molly, “And the scarlet stripes just match my dress! Please make them into a tiny parcel, and I will put them in my pocket.” Then she paid her money, and set off home.

And what had Frisk been doing all this time?

He soon grew tired of looking after the dinner, and spied his master's hat.

“Bow wow!” he said. “What fun!”

He poked his head into the hat, and though it came right down on to his shoulders he didn't mind a bit.

He hopped into the garden on his hind legs, and when the birds saw him they thought it was a scarecrow come to frighten them away!

“Bow wow!” said Frisk. “I'm hungry!” He went back indoors, pushed the lid off the pot, and dragged out a bone. How good it was!

Then a tiny mouse scampered past, and Frisk pounced on it and killed it.

“Oh, Frisk, Frisk!” cried Molly, when she came home. “You naughty dog! I shall never be able to leave you in charge again!”

“Bow, wow!” cried Frisk. “Bow, wow! I'm very glad. For I'd much rather go to the town with you!”

Holiday Time.

Jack always said he should be a sailor when he grew up.

No toy ever pleased him so much as a boat, and he was constantly imitating the ways of sailors, from dancing a hornpipe, down to floating about in a big round tub on the little stream which ran at the end of the garden.

“Wouldn't it be too lovely for words,” he said on one occasion when he was taking his sisters for a voyage in his tub-ship, “if we could go in a real big boat, and sail away across the sea?”

And that is exactly what they did do! For one summer day, Father and Mother and the children, Elsie, Doris and Jack, all went on board a big boat and steamed across the channel to France for a long holiday.

Oh! what a glorious time they had! What fun the bathing was, undressing in the little rocky caves and running down the firm sand, and then tumbling into the water with shouts of joy. Then afterwards they paddled and dug in the sands, and searched for shells and seaweed, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves the whole day long.

There was so much to interest them, too, in the little French village, and they were delighted with the quaint dresses of the peasants.

One girl came to bring them fruit and vegetables, and the children thought how pretty she looked in her snowy cap, coloured skirt and wooden shoes, as she lifted her little sister to look for father's boat.

Jack, of course, was just in his glory, and never tired of watching the fishing boats sailing out to sea.

Sometimes he went on the water himself, and soon learned to row, tho' the first time he tried, his oar swung round and knocked him head over heels into the bottom of the boat.

This, Father explained, was called “catching a crab!”

Afterwards they made a huge sandcastle, and Jackie sat at the top of it, singing: “I'm the King of the Castle!” at the top of his voice.

Presently he began to examine some shells and treasures which he had been collecting in his pail, and was so intent on this, that he did not notice how quickly the tide had come in.

When he looked up he found, somewhat to his horror, that he was quite surrounded by water.

The castle was soon washed away; but not before the “King” was rescued from his perilous position.

Father waded out, and pick-a-backed him safely ashore.

That was the little sailor's first adventure at sea!

The last time for Jackie to sail his boat came all too soon for him, and the next day the children found themselves back in old England once more.

But they hope some day to return for another delightful holiday to the dear little French fishing village where they spent such a pleasant time.

The Twins.

The Five Little Frogs.

The Doings of Dickie and Daisy

Dickie and Daisy sat on the grass reading. They had been gardening, and were rather hot.

“Let's go to the pond,” said Dickie. “Nurse isn't here to say 'don't.'”

“Let's,” agreed Daisy. She always agreed with Dickie.

“We'll get father's rod and line, and catch some fish,” said Dickie. So when no one was looking they got the things and ran to the water.

“You have the rod,” said Dickie, “and I'll have the hook. Don't make a noise or the fish won't come.” They sat quite quiet till there came a big tug at Daisy's rod, so big that it dragged her to the edge of the pond.

“Oh, Dickie,” she cried, “help me! I b'lieve I've caught a whale!”

But before Dickie could catch hold of her, in she went. The water ran into her eyes and mouth, and washed her curls quite straight.

Dickie was dreadfully frightened. He made a grab at her, and she made a grab at him. By the time she was safely on land both were nearly as wet as the other. Father's rod had disappeared.

“I think we'd better go home,” sobbed Daisy.

Mother didn't wait to ask questions. She hurried them into nice warm nighties, and popped them into bed. Dickie was soon all right, but Daisy caught a cold. When Dickie got up he put on his spectacles and brought out his watch. He put his fingers on the little thumper in her wrist.

“You must stay in bed” he said, “and take Lemon Squash. Lemon is good for coughs, so you won't get one, and Squash will squash all the other poorliness out of you.”

When Father heard he was very cross. He said, “If you go near the pond again I shall buy another kind of rod, and use it too.”

But they had had enough of water, and didn't enjoy their Saturday tub for a long time.