Read Ebook: 365 bedtime stories by Bonner Mary Graham Choate Florence Illustrator Curtis Elizabeth Illustrator

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Ebook has 4116 lines and 144287 words, and 83 pages

"Well," said the Old Year, "I am going to make up a poem about myself. I feel quite poetical."

"And," said the New Year, "I will, too." For the New Year didn't want to have the Old Year think that he was unable to do anything like that, even though he was young. But he felt very much pleased when the Old Year said: "Though I have lived twelve whole months, I have not become a poet."

"I think age should be given the right to speak first," said the New Year.

The Old Year shook his white hair and smiled so that the wrinkles in his face all ran in together.

This is what he said:

"Yes, it is true I was feeling old, Yes, it is true I was also cold, Yes, it is true I heard them cheer, Welcoming in the glad New Year."

Then New Year recited this verse:

"Of course, you see I was out for fun, My life has only just begun, They said 'He is young and full of vim, No one can help but welcome him.'

"You mustn't think I am conceited," he added. "I say a lot to make my rhyme come out right."

"Of course," said the Old Year, "for I do too. Well. I will give my second verse. Don't believe it all, though!" Then the Old Year took an old harp he had and he began to play and sing, and this was what he sang:

"And Poor Old Year--he almost wept As he packed up his things and left. But as he turned to say good-by, Something in him made him cry: 'Though my work is mostly done, I, have, too, had lots of fun, And 'ere I go upon my way, This I certainly would say: 'Happy New Year, big and small, Happy New Year, short and tall, Happy New Year, every one! May you all have lots of fun!'"

JANUARY 3: Naughty Wind

"The Clothes-Pins on the line," said daddy, "were having a very jolly time.

"'I'll blow those clothes away,' said the North Wind.

"'Oh, no you won't,' said the Clothes-Pins in chorus.

"'You are only little wooden things,' said the Wind. 'I am strong and powerful and can do just exactly as I like.'

"Now the Fairies saw that the Clothes-Pins were doing their work so well that they thought they would like to help them, so they all perched on the line and began to sing:

'Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, Let the North Wind blow, The Clothes-Pins and we, Will certainly see, That the clothes will stay here. The day's nice and clear, The sun's good and strong, And the wind is quite wrong. To try such a trick, But the Clothes-Pins will stick.'

"The Clothes-Pins did stick to the line and the Fairies helped them, singing all the time. The Wind kept on blowing and tried his hardest to get the better of the Fairies, but he had no luck at all and the Clothes-Pins won!"

JANUARY 4: The Selfish Oyster Crabs

"You know, I think oyster-crabs are perhaps the most selfish of all the sea animals," began daddy. "The oyster-crabs really belong to the crab family. They are called oyster-crabs, however, because above all things they love the juice of an oyster and absolutely live on it. And what I am going to tell you about now is the way they get it.

"First of all, the oyster-crab hovers around the oysters and then picks out a nice, fat, juicy looking oyster, saying to himself: 'You look as if you could feed me well without any effort. I think I will crawl into your shell.' So then he crawls right inside the oyster's shell and proceeds to enjoy himself. He prefers just to 'sponge' on others, as the expression goes!"

JANUARY 5: Brownie's Toothache

Going to the dentist's always frightened Evelyn. "Dear me," said daddy, "I think I will have to tell you about the brownie's trip to the dentist, for I think his case was very similar to yours.

"This little brownie had had a toothache which had bothered him for some time, but he dreaded to go to the dentist's, just the way you do.

"One day, though, it got awfully painful and he felt he could stand it no longer. He went right off to see the brownie dentist. He was a very clever dentist and very kind and gentle. He got a pair of pullers, and after a moment or two Dr. Brownie said:

"'Well, here's the old toothache.'

"'What, my tooth already out?' said the little brownie. 'And to think of all I've suffered before I came to you.'"

JANUARY 6: The Pink Cockatoo

"On the morning of the birthday of a little girl named Natalie," said daddy, "a pink cockatoo was ready to greet her when she awoke. Well, you can imagine how happy Natalie was. And she kept saying over and over again:

"'Oh, how lovely you are.' The cockatoo would raise up his pink crest on the top of his head at that--just as some people raise up their foreheads--only his crest went way, way higher. He did that whenever he felt like it, and he always felt like it when he was being talked to.

"And after a very short time the cockatoo was just as tame as could be and he seemed to grow more beautiful every day.

"Before long he began to talk just as a parrot will and follow Natalie around the house. He had his food out of special little pink dishes Natalie had given him to match his pink feathers, and every morning he took his bath in a pink soup bowl which he thought was very fine indeed.

"Maybe you will think he got spoiled by so much fussing and attention, but he just became tamer and tamer every day. He learned many tricks and would often perform them for Natalie's friends.

"And when it came time for Natalie's next birthday she gave a party. On the invitation it said the party was being given by Natalie and the pink cockatoo. And in one corner was a little colored drawing Natalie had made of her cockatoo. When the cockatoo saw it he put his crest way up in the air, and said in a funny voice:

"'Goodie, Natalie,' which was his pet name for his Mistress.

"And this is a truly true story, you know."

JANUARY 7: The Pet Monkey

"Once there was an old lady," said daddy, "who lived all alone. One day, though, she went to town and bought a pet monkey. She named him Niles. He was only seven inches long and had a curly tail. He was a very dark gray color. He proved to be a most expensive pet, for he liked all the most delicious fruits and would only eat his bread and rice when plenty of rich cream was poured over it. What fascinated him above all was the old lady's rings.

"When the old lady saw how fond Niles was of jewels she took out her jewel box. Niles had the most glorious time playing with its contents. He decorated himself with all the beads and chains and bangles and looked at himself in the mirror. He shook all over, for he liked the noise as well as the glitter of the jewels.

"So the old lady was very, very happy with her pet monkey. Niles was delighted with his new home and his new mistress, for he had never had jewels to play with in the animal shop."

JANUARY 8: The Bravery Medal

"Two children," said daddy, "were skating on a pond. It was a blustery, snowy afternoon, and they were the only ones on the ice.

"A big dog was taking a good run on this cold winter's day when he spied the children on the pond.

"He went down to the pond and ran across it a little way, but the ice had a bad way of creaking, and he was sure it was not so very firm. He decided that he had better stay around to see that nothing happened to the children.

"He had been there but a moment or two when a terrific crack in the ice sounded. It gave way, and the two children fell through. The sheet of ice broke rapidly, and the water was soon clear for some distance around them.

"Quickly the dog went to the rescue of the children and swam to the shore with them. He saw some people drive by in a sleigh on the road above, and he barked so frantically that they stopped to see what the trouble was. Then, of course, they drove the two children to their home. The big dog went along too. The hero simply said 'Bow-wow!' when later they fastened a medal on his collar. He wanted to tell them that he thought they were being very good to him, and he thanked them, but at the same time he was so modest that he didn't think he had been so brave. He felt any other dog would have done just the same, as he adored children."

JANUARY 9: The Jack-knife

"This evening," said daddy, "I am going to tell you about the little boy who was given a jack-knife as a birthday present. He did so many things with his knife that I think it might give you some ideas and suggestions of things you might make with the help of the knife. He set up a little carpentry shop in his room with a workstand.

"He made little bird-houses, little squirrel houses, chairs, stands, boats, an express cart, and, oh, countless other things! In fact, he just made all the things that boys like.

"Before he had his jack-knife he was not at all interested in carpentry. But his knife helped so much. It was far more useful to him than his other tools."

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