Read Ebook: A second reader by Bryce Catherine T Catherine Turner Spaulding Frank E Frank Ellsworth Webb Margaret Ely Illustrator

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Ebook has 1289 lines and 27504 words, and 26 pages

ONCE UPON A TIME 23 The Caterpillar 25 Who is Strongest? 27 Lambikin 37 The Ant and the Mouse 46

WITH OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS 149 The Drowning of Mr. Leghorn 151 The Starving of Mrs. Leghorn 160 Mr. and Mrs. Leghorn to the Rescue 172

VOCABULARY 179

THE CAT AND THE BIRDS

rap

doc tor

words

door

An old cat lived near a bird house.

Every day he saw the birds flying in and out.

Every day he said to himself, "How I wish I had one of those nice fat birds for my dinner!"

One day he heard that the birds were ill.

"Now is my time," he said. "I will get a bird to eat to-day."

So he put on a tall hat and a coat.

He took a cane in one hand and a box of pills in the other.

Then he went to the bird house and rapped at the door.

"Who is there?" asked an old bird.

"It is I, the doctor," said the cat. "I heard that you were ill. So I have come to see you. I have some pills that will make you well. Open the door."

The old bird looked out.

"Your words are kind," he said, "like the words of the good doctor. Your hat, coat, cane, and box of pills are like his. But your paws are those of the old cat. Go away! We will not let you in. We do not want your pills. We are more likely to get well without your help than with it."

Then all the birds flew at him.

They pecked at his eyes; they pecked at his ears.

They tore his coat.

Away flew his high hat; away flew his cane; away flew his box of pills.

Then away flew the old cat himself, and he never went back.

WHY RAVENS CROAK

wash es

wa ter

pret ty

f eather

th ought

sw am

swan

use

A raven was very unhappy because his feathers were black.

One day he saw a beautiful white swan swimming in a lake.

"How beautiful and white her feathers are," he thought. "It must be because she washes them so much. Why, she almost lives in the water. If I should wash my feathers all day long, they might get white, too. I will try it."

So he flew from his nest in the woods, and lived for days near the lake.

Every day he washed his feathers from morning to night.

But his feathers did not get white.

They were just as black as ever.

But as the raven was not used to living in water, he caught a very bad cold.

So, at last, he flew back to his nest in the wood.

"It is no use," he croaked. "I can never be white. I do not want to be white. Black feathers are pretty enough for me. Croak! Croak!"

All ravens have said "Croak! Croak!" ever since.

THE PROUD CROW

sp eak

l uck y st uck

laughed

on ly

pr oud

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