Educational Stories
 

Reading Lesson - The Brass Bulls

This story is part of a series of little reading lessons prepared for young children. The object of the lessons is three-fold: to provide reading matter for the little ones who have only a small vocabulary of sight-words; to acquaint them early with the characters who were introduced to us in song and story; and to create a desire for literature.

something - plow - bulls
stronger - chains - noses
mouths - smoke - plant
stone - flew - stall

When Jason came to Colchis, he went to the king and said, "Will you
give me the golden fleece?"

The king wanted to keep the fleece.

So he said to Jason, "You may have it, but you must do something
for me first."

"You must plow with the brass bulls, and plant the dragon's teeth."

The brass bulls looked like real bulls, but they were larger and
stronger.

They blew out fire and smoke from their noses and mouths.

The bulls had a stall made of iron and stone. They had to be tied
with strong iron chains.

* * * * *

daughter - Medea - carriage
snakes - through - pulled

When the dragon's teeth were planted, iron men grew up.

They always killed the one who had planted them.

The king wanted the bulls to kill Jason.

He said, "If the bulls do not kill him the iron men will."

The king had a daughter named Medea. She saw Jason was a brave
young man and did not want him killed.

She knew how to help him. She stepped into her carriage, which was
pulled by flying snakes.

Then Medea flew through the air. She went to hills and creeks and
picked all kinds of flowers.

She took the flowers home and cooked them.

* * * * *

nothing - face - rub
juice - legs - cut

Then Medea went to Jason when the king did not know it.

She said to Jason, "Rub your face and hands and legs with this juice."

When he did this, he was as strong as a giant.

Nothing could hurt him then. Fire could not burn him, and swords
could not cut him.

The next day Jason had to plow with the brass bulls and plant the
dragon's teeth.

* * * * *

climbed - early - tied
princess - seats - hold
untied - opened - place

Early in the morning, the king and princess went out to the place.

They had good seats where they could see well.

All the people in the city came out to see Jason plow.

The little boys climbed the trees so they could see better.

Then Jason came to the place. The stall where the brass bulls were
tied was not far off.

The door was opened and Jason went in.

He untied the bulls and took hold of their horns.

Then he made the bulls come out of their stall.

* * * * *

pushed - kicked - until

The bulls were very angry and blew fire and smoke from their mouths.

This made the cruel king glad. But the people who saw it were afraid.
They did not want Jason killed. They did not know that the princess
had helped him.

Jason pushed the bulls' heads down to the ground. Then they kicked at
him with their feet, but could not hurt him.

He held their heads down on the ground until the plow was ready.

* * * * *

handle - slowly - noon
wheat - lie - just

Jason took the chains in one hand. He took the handle of the plow in
the other.

The bulls jumped and wanted to run away.

But Jason held so hard they had to go very slowly.

When it was noon the ground was all plowed.

Then Jason let the bulls go.

They were so angry that they ran away to the woods.

Now Jason went to the king and said, "Give me the dragon's teeth."

The king gave him his hat full.

Then Jason planted the dragon's teeth, just as a man plants wheat.

By this time he was very tired, so he went to lie down.

* * * * *

evening - knees - marble
threw - growing - fight

In the evening he came back.

The iron men were growing up. Some of the men had only their feet in
the ground.

Some of them were in the ground up to their knees.

Some had only their heads out. They all tried to get out so they could
kill Jason.

Then Jason did what Medea told him he should do.

He took a giant's marble and threw it near the men.

All the iron men wanted to get the marble.

So they began to fight each other. As soon as one had his feet out of
the ground, he cut at the man next to him. So they killed each other.

Then Jason took his sword and cut off all the heads that were out of
the ground.

So all the iron men were killed and the king was very angry.

But Medea and the people were glad.

Jason and the Harpies


wings - blind - nobody
strong - iron - hard
skin - drive - claws
scratched - brass - Harpies

The ship Argo sailed a long way. There were two strong men on the
ship. They had wings and could fly.

One day the Argo came to a land where the blind king lived.

This poor king had a hard time. When he sat down to the table to eat,
some ugly birds called Harpies, came too. The Harpies had skin like
brass and nobody could hurt them. They had claws of iron, and
scratched people when they tried to drive them away.

When the king's dinner was ready, the Harpies came and took it away.
When Jason and his men came, the king told them all about it. Jason
said they would help him.

* * * * *

food - drowned - tired
swords - hurt - flying

They all sat down to the table. When the food was put on the table,
the Harpies came flying in. Jason and his men took their swords.

They cut at the Harpies but could not hurt them.

Then the two men with wings flew up in the air. The Harpies were
afraid and flew away. The men flew after them.

At last the Harpies grew very tired and fell into the sea and were
drowned.

Then the men with wings came back.

Now the blind king could eat all he wanted.

* * * * *

thanked - rocks - moved
friends - helping - good-bye
over - apart - icebergs

It was now time for Jason and his friends to go away.

The king thanked them over and over again for helping him.

When they said good-bye, he told them how to get to the land where
they would find the golden fleece.

On the sea where Jason and his men had to sail, were two big rocks.
These rocks moved on the waterlike icebergs.

They were as high as a big hill. They would come close to each other,
then they would go far apart.

* * * * *

fishes - pieces - dove
past - break - together
row - almost - rocks

When fishes swam in the water the rocks would come together and kill
the fishes.

If birds flew in the air, the rocks would come together and kill
birds.

If a boat sailed on the water, the rocks would come together and break
the boat into little pieces.

These rocks had been put in the sea, so no one could go to the land
where the golden fleece was.

When the ship Argo came to the rocks, Jason sent a dove out.

The rocks came together when the dove was almost past.

Then they went far apart. Jason made his men row as hard as they
could.

The rocks began to come together. "Row hard, my men," said Jason.

Just as they got past, the rocks hit, but Jason and his men were all
right.

So they came to Colchis

The Brass Bulls


something - plow - bulls
stronger - chains - noses
mouths - smoke - plant
stone - flew - stall

When Jason came to Colchis, he went to the king and said, "Will you
give me the golden fleece?"

The king wanted to keep the fleece.

So he said to Jason, "You may have it, but you must do something
for me first."

"You must plow with the brass bulls, and plant the dragon's teeth."

The brass bulls looked like real bulls, but they were larger and
stronger.

They blew out fire and smoke from their noses and mouths.

The bulls had a stall made of iron and stone. They had to be tied
with strong iron chains.

* * * * *

daughter - Medea - carriage
snakes - through - pulled

When the dragon's teeth were planted, iron men grew up.

They always killed the one who had planted them.

The king wanted the bulls to kill Jason.

He said, "If the bulls do not kill him the iron men will."

The king had a daughter named Medea. She saw Jason was a brave
young man and did not want him killed.

She knew how to help him. She stepped into her carriage, which was
pulled by flying snakes.

Then Medea flew through the air. She went to hills and creeks and
picked all kinds of flowers.

She took the flowers home and cooked them.

* * * * *

nothing - face - rub
juice - legs - cut

Then Medea went to Jason when the king did not know it.

She said to Jason, "Rub your face and hands and legs with this juice."

When he did this, he was as strong as a giant.

Nothing could hurt him then. Fire could not burn him, and swords
could not cut him.

The next day Jason had to plow with the brass bulls and plant the
dragon's teeth.

* * * * *

climbed - early - tied
princess - seats - hold
untied - opened - place

Early in the morning, the king and princess went out to the place.

They had good seats where they could see well.

All the people in the city came out to see Jason plow.

The little boys climbed the trees so they could see better.

Then Jason came to the place. The stall where the brass bulls were
tied was not far off.

The door was opened and Jason went in.

He untied the bulls and took hold of their horns.

Then he made the bulls come out of their stall.

* * * * *

pushed - kicked - until

The bulls were very angry and blew fire and smoke from their mouths.

This made the cruel king glad. But the people who saw it were afraid.
They did not want Jason killed. They did not know that the princess
had helped him.

Jason pushed the bulls' heads down to the ground. Then they kicked at
him with their feet, but could not hurt him.

He held their heads down on the ground until the plow was ready.

* * * * *

handle - slowly - noon
wheat - lie - just

Jason took the chains in one hand. He took the handle of the plow in
the other.

The bulls jumped and wanted to run away.

But Jason held so hard they had to go very slowly.

When it was noon the ground was all plowed.

Then Jason let the bulls go.

They were so angry that they ran away to the woods.

Now Jason went to the king and said, "Give me the dragon's teeth."

The king gave him his hat full.

Then Jason planted the dragon's teeth, just as a man plants wheat.

By this time he was very tired, so he went to lie down.

* * * * *

evening - knees - marble
threw - growing - fight

In the evening he came back.

The iron men were growing up. Some of the men had only their feet in
the ground.

Some of them were in the ground up to their knees.

Some had only their heads out. They all tried to get out so they could
kill Jason.

Then Jason did what Medea told him he should do.

He took a giant's marble and threw it near the men.

All the iron men wanted to get the marble.

So they began to fight each other. As soon as one had his feet out of
the ground, he cut at the man next to him. So they killed each other.

Then Jason took his sword and cut off all the heads that were out of
the ground.

So all the iron men were killed and the king was very angry.

But Medea and the people were glad.

The Good Ship Argo


across - untied - wade
Jason - brave - party
rained - creek - bridge
shoe-strings - invited


Jason was a brave young man. He lived a little way from the king's
city.

One day the king gave a big party and invited Jason.

It was a very dark night and it rained hard.

Jason had to go across a creek, but there was no bridge.

The creek was full of water and Jason had to wade.

One of his shoe-strings came untied and he lost his shoe in the
water.

When he came to the king's house, he had but one shoe.

* * * * *

knew - bring - fight
wild - Argo - asked
animals - shoe - Argonauts

The king did not like this, for a fairy had said, "The man who shall
come to your house with one shoe, will be king."

So he knew Jason was to be king.

Then he said to Jason, "You may be king when you bring me the golden
fleece."

Jason was glad to go, and asked many brave men to go with him.

To get the golden fleece they would have to fight wild men and
animals.

They made a big ship which they named "Argo."

The men who went on the Argo were called Argonauts.

Little Red Riding-Hood

six - take - cake
coat - butter - basket
hood - always - off

When May was six years old, her grandma made her a red coat with a
hood. She looked so pretty in it that the children all called her
"Red Riding-Hood."

One day her mama said, "I want you to take this cake and some butter
to grandma."

Red Riding-Hood was very glad to go. She always had a good time at
grandma's.

She put the things into her little basket and ran off.

* * * * * * *

wolf - mill - shall
going - first - wood

When Red Riding-Hood came to the wood, she met a big wolf.

"Where are you going?" said the wolf.

Red Riding-Hood said, "I am going to see my grandma. Mama has made
her a cake and some butter."

"Does she live far?" said the wolf.

"Yes," said Red Riding-Hood, "in the white house by the mill."

"I will go too, and we shall see who will get there first," said the
wolf.

* * * * * * *

short - flowers - soft
stopped - tapped - pull
pick - voice - string

The wolf ran off and took a short way, but Red Riding-Hood stopped to
pick some flowers.

When the wolf got to the house, he tapped on the door.

The grandma said, "Who is there?" The wolf made his voice as soft as
he could. He said, "It is little Red Riding-Hood, grandma."

Then the old lady said, "Pull the string and the door will open."

The wolf pulled the string and the door opened.

He ran in and ate the poor old lady.

Then he jumped into her bed and put on her cap.

* * * * * * *

tapped - thank - dear

arms - hug - called

When Red Riding-Hood tapped on the door, the wolf called out, "Who is
there?" Red Riding-Hood said, "It is your little Red Riding-Hood,
grandma."

Then the wolf said, "Pull the string and the door will open."

When she went in, she said, "Look, grandma, see the cake and butter
mama has sent you."

"Thank you, dear, put them on the table and come here."

* * * * * * *

better - hear - eyes
ears - how - teeth
ate - cruel - poor

When Red Riding-Hood went near the bed, she said, "Oh, grandma, how
big your arms are!"

"The better to hug you, my dear."

"How big your ears are, grandma."

"The better to hear you, my dear."

"How big your eyes are, grandma."

"The better to see you, my dear."

"How big your teeth are, grandma!"

"The better to eat you."

Then the cruel wolf jumped up and ate poor little Red Riding-Hood.

* * * * * * *

just - hunter - scream
killed - heard - open

Just then a hunter came by. He heard Red Riding-Hood scream. The
hunter ran into the house and killed the old wolf.

When he cut the wolf open, out jumped Little Red Riding-Hood and
her grandma.

The Apples of Idun

once - hills - field
journey - rocks - cattle
walked - pieces - three

Once upon a time three of the gods went on a journey.

One was Thor and one was Loki. Loki was ugly and mean.

The gods liked to walk over the hills and rocks. They could go very
fast for they were so big.

The gods walked on and on.

At last they got very hungry. Then they came to a field with cattle.

Thor killed a big ox and put the pieces into a pot.

* * * * *

meat - share - talking
cross - eagle - right

They made a big fire but the meat would not cook. They made the fire
bigger and bigger, but the meat would not cook.

Then the gods were very cross.

Some one said, "Give me my share, and I will make the meat cook."

The gods looked to see who was talking. There in an oak tree was a big
eagle.

The gods were so hungry that they said, "Well, we will."

* * * * *

supper - stuck - enough
minute- claws - stones
pole - against - flew

The supper was ready in a minute.

Then the eagle flew down to get his share. He took the four legs
and there was not much left but the ribs.

This made Loki cross for he was very hungry. He took a long pole
to hit the eagle. But the pole stuck to the eagle's claws. The other
end stuck to Loki.

Then the eagle flew away. He did not fly high. He flew just high
enough for Loki to hit against the stones.

* * * * *

please - giant - flying
tried - feathers - suit

Loki said, "Please let me go! Oh, please let me go!"

But the eagle said, "No, you tried to kill me. I will not let you go."

And the eagle hit him against the stones.

Loki said again, "Please let me go!"

But the eagle said, "No, I have you now."

Then Loki knew the eagle was a giant and not a bird.

This giant had a suit of eagle's feathers. He was flying in his eagle
suit when he saw Loki.

* * * * *

city - beautiful - apples
felt - growing - young

Now the gods lived in a city named Asgard.

In this city Idun kept the beautiful golden apples. When the gods
felt they were growing old, they ate the apples and were young again.

The giant wanted to be like the gods. So he said to Loki, "I will
let you go, if you will get me the apples of Idun."

But Loki said, "I can't do that."

* * * * *

bumped - gate - putting
stayed - golden - morning

So the eagle bumped him on the stones again.

Then Loki said, "I can't stand this. I will get the apples for you."

Loki and the eagle went to the city. The eagle stayed by the gate, but
Loki went into the city. He went up to Idun. She was putting the
apples into a beautiful golden box.

Loki said, "Good morning, Idun Those are beautiful apples."

And Idun said, "Yes, they are beautiful." "I saw some just like them,
the other day," said Loki.

* * * * *

strange - show
bring - picked

Idun knew there were no other apples like these, and she said, "That
is strange. I would like to see them."

Loki said, "Come with me and I will show them to you. It is only a
little way. Bring your apples with you."

As soon as Idun was out of the gates the eagle flew down. He picked
her up in his claws. Then he flew away with her to his home.

* * * * *

after - pale - falcon
passed - story - began

Day after day passed and Idun did not come back. The gods did not have
the golden apples to eat, so they began to get old.

At last they said, "Who let the apples go?"

Then Loki looked pale and the gods said, "Loki, you did it." And Loki
said, "Yes, I did."

He did not tell a story that time.

Then Loki said, "I will get Idun and the apples back, if I may have
the falcon suit."

* * * * *

changed - faster

The gods said, "You may have it, if you will bring the apples back."

Loki put on the falcon suit and flew away. He looked like a big bird
flying.

When Loki came to the giant's home, he was glad the giant was not
there. He changed Idun into a nut and then flew away with the nut.

When the giant came home, Idun was gone. The golden apples were gone,
too.

Then the giant put on his eagle suit and flew after Loki.

Loki heard the eagle coming. Loki flew faster.

* * * * *

breath - over - changed
walls - blazed - burned

Poor Loki was all out of breath. The eagle flew faster and faster.

Then the gods got on the walls to look for Loki. They saw him coming
and the eagle after him.

So they made fires on the walls. At last Loki flew over the walls.

Then the gods lighted the fires. The fires blazed up.

The eagle flew into the fire and was burned.

As soon as Loki put the nut down, it changed to Idun.

The gods ate the beautiful golden apples and were young again.

The Hammer Lost and Found

everything - planned

The Frost Giants did not like the sunshine. They did not like to see
the flowers. They did not like to hear the birds sing. They wanted to
spoil everything.

The Frost Giants wanted to get into Asgard. But they did not know how.
They were afraid of Thor and his hammer. They said, "If we can only
get the hammer, we can get into Asgard."

They talked and planned all night. At last one Frost Giant said, "I
know how we can get the hammer. I will dress in a bird suit. Then I
will fly up to Thor's house and get the hammer."

The next night the Frost Giant flew into the house while Thor was
asleep.

He took the hammer and flew away with it.

When Thor woke, he put out his hand to get the hammer. It was gone.

He said, "Loki, the hammer is gone. The Frost Giants have taken it. We
must get it back."

Loki said, "I can get it back, if Freyja will let me have her falcon
suit."

So he went to Freyja and said, "Will you let me have your falcon suit?
I can get the hammer back if you will." Freyja said, "Yes, of course I
will. If I had a gold suit you could have it. Any thing to get the
hammer back."

* * * * *

people - city - Thrym
strange - buried - eight
miles - deep - falcon

Loki took the falcon suit and put it on. He flew over the city. All
the people saw him flying. They said, "What a strange bird!" They did
not know that it was Loki going for the hammer.

When Loki came to the city of the Frost Giants, he took off the falcon
suit. He walked and walked until he came to Thrym's house. Thrym was
the giant who took the hammer.

Thrym was sitting on the porch, making gold collars for his dogs.

When he saw Loki, he said, "What do you want?"

Loki said, "I have come for the hammer."

The old giant laughed and said, "You will never get that hammer. It is
buried eight miles deep in the ground.

"But there is one way you can get it. I will give you the hammer if
you get Freyja for my wife."

* * * * *

clothes - shook - necklace

So Loki went back to Asgard.

Thor said, "Well, did you get the hammer?"

"No, but we can get it if Freyja will be Thrym's wife."

Then they went to Freyja's house. They said, "Put on your very best
clothes and come with us. You must be Thrym's wife."

Freyja said, "Do you think I will be the Frost Giant's wife? I won't
be his wife."

Thor said, "We can get the hammer back if you will."

But Freyja said, "No, I will not be his wife."

Loki said, "You will have to, if we get the hammer back."

Still Freyja said, "I will not go." And she was very angry. She shook
so hard that she broke her necklace and it fell to the floor.

* * * * *

bride - braided - wagon
vail - servant - goat

Then the gods said, "Thor, you must dress like Freyja. You will have
to play you are the bride."

Thor said, "I won't do it. You will all laugh at me. I won't dress up
like a girl."

They said, "Well, that is the only way we can get the hammer back."

Thor said, "I do not like to dress like a girl, but I will do it."
Then they dressed Thor up like Freyja.

They put on Freyja's dress, necklace and vail, and braided his hair.

Loki said, "I will dress up too, and be your servant."

They got into Thor's goat wagon and went to the Giants' home.

* * * * *

dinner - salmon - mead
whole - thirsty - barrels

When the Frost Giants saw them coming, they said, "Get ready, here
comes the bride! We will sit down to the table as soon as they come."

The dinner was ready on time. The table was full of good things. All
sat down.

The bride ate a whole ox and eight salmon before the others had a
bite.

"She must be very hungry," the Frost Giants said.

"Yes," Loki said, "she was so glad to come. She hasn't eaten anything
for eight days."

Then they brought in the mead.

The bride drank three barrels of mead.

"How thirsty she is!" said the Frost Giants.

Loki said, "Yes, she is very thirsty. She was so glad to come. She did
not drink anything for eight days."

* * * * *

kiss - stepped - whirled
lifted - shone - lap

Old Thrym said, "I had every thing I wanted but Freyja. Now I have
Freyja."

And Thrym went to kiss the bride. He lifted her vail, but her eyes
shone like fire.

Thrym stepped back. He said, "What makes Freyja's eyes shine so?"

Loki said, "Oh, she was so glad to come. She did not sleep for eight
nights."

Then Loki said, "It is time for the hammer. Go and get it and put it
in the bride's lap."

As soon as the hammer was in his lap, Thor tore off the vail.

He took the hammer and whirled it around. Fire flew from it. The
fire burned the house and the Frost Giants ran away.

So Thor got his hammer back.

The Little Match Girl

almost - match - across
dark - running - bare
year - slippers - fell

It was very cold. The snow fell and it was almost dark.

It was the last day of the year.

A little match girl was running in the street. Her name was Gretchen.
She had no hat on.

Her feet were bare. When she left home, she had on some big slippers
of her mama's. But they were so large that she lost them when she ran
across the street.

* * * * * * *

apron - curly - lights
bunch - about - smelled
could - matches - cooking

Gretchen had a lot of matches in her old apron.

She had a little bunch in her hand.

But she could not sell her matches. No one would buy them.

Poor little Gretchen!

She was cold and hungry.

The snow fell on her curly hair. But she did not think about that.

She saw lights in the houses.

She smelled good things cooking.

She said to herself, "This is the last night of the year."

* * * * * * *

knew - window - fire
money - even - pile

Gretchen got colder and colder.

She was afraid to go home. She knew her papa would whip her, if she
did not take some money to him.

It was as cold at home as in the street. They were too poor to have
a fire. They had to put rags in the windows to keep out the wind.

Gretchen did not even have a bed. She had to sleep on a pile of rags.

* * * * * * *

frozen - candle - sitting
lighted - thought - stove
near - think - step

She sat down on a door step.

Her little hands were almost frozen.

She took a match and lighted it to warm her hands. The match looked
like a little candle.

Gretchen thought she was sitting by a big stove. It was so bright.

She put the match near her feet, to warm them. Then the light went
out. She did not think that she was by the stove any more.

* * * * * * *

another - dishes - roast
table - cloth - ready
fork - knife - turkey

Gretchen lighted another match.

Now she thought she could look into a room. In this room was a table.

A white cloth and pretty dishes were on the table. There was a roast
turkey, too. It was cooked and ready to eat. The knife and fork were
in his back. The turkey jumped from the dish and ran to the little
girl.

The light went out and she was in the cold and dark again.

Christmas candles
many until

Gretchen lighted another match. Then she thought she was sitting by
a Christmas tree. Very many candles were on the tree. It was full
of pretty things.

Gretchen put up her little hands. The light went out.

The lights on the Christmas tree went up, up--until she saw they
were the stars.

* * * * * * *

grandma - never - before
dying - going - been

Then she saw a star fall.

"Some one is dying," said little Gretchen.

Her grandma had been very good to the little girl. But she was dead.

The grandma had said, "When a star falls some one is going to God."

The little girl lighted another match. It made a big light.

Gretchen thought she saw her grandma. She never looked so pretty
before. She looked so sweet and happy.

* * * * * * *

take - goes

"O grandma," said the little girl, "take me. When the light goes out
you will go away. The stove and the turkey and the Christmas tree all
went away."

Then Gretchen lighted a bunch of matches. She wanted to keep her
grandma with her. The matches made it very light.

The grandma took the little girl in her arms. They went up, up--where
they would never be cold or hungry.

They were with God.

* * * * * * *

found - next - burned
dead - froze - death

The next day came.

Some men found a little girl in the street. She was dead.

In her hand were the burned matches.

They said, "Poor little thing, she froze to death."

They did not know how happy she was in heaven.

The Little Pine Tree
pine - leaves - other
woods - needles - better
fairy - gold - sleep

A little pine tree was in the woods.

It had no leaves. It had needles.

The little tree said, "I do not like needles. All the other trees in
the woods have pretty leaves. I want leaves, too. But I will have
better leaves. I want gold leaves."

Night came and the little tree went to sleep. A fairy came by and gave
it gold leaves.

* * * * * * *

woke - cried - glass
little - again - pretty - night

When the little tree woke it had leaves of gold.

It said, "Oh, I am so pretty! No other tree has gold leaves."

Night came.

A man came by with a bag. He saw the gold leaves. He took them all and
put them into his bag.

The poor little tree cried, "I do not want gold leaves again. I will
have glass leaves."

* * * * * * *

sunshine - bright
looked - wind - blew

So the little tree went to sleep. The fairy came by and put the glass
leaves on it.

The little tree woke and saw its glass leaves.

How pretty they looked in the sunshine! 'No other tree was so bright.

Then a wind came up. It blew and blew.

The glass leaves all fell from the tree and were broken.

* * * * *

again - green
goat - hungry

Again the little tree had no leaves. It was very sad, and said, "I
will not have gold leaves and I will not have glass leaves. I want
green leaves. I want to be like the other trees."

And the little tree went to sleep. When it woke, it was like other
trees. It had green leaves.

A goat came by. He saw the green leaves on the little tree. The
goat was hungry and he ate all the leaves.

* * * * *

happy - best

Then the little tree said, "I do not want any leaves. I will not
have green leaves, nor glass leaves, nor gold leaves. I like my
needles best."

And the little tree went to sleep. The fairy gave it what it wanted.

When it woke, it had its needles again. Then the little pine tree
was happy.

The Story of the Sheep

ago - horns - fleece
king - Greece - loved
playing - Helle - grass
garden - catch - clouds

Long, long ago there lived a king in Greece. He had two little
children, a boy and a girl.

They were good children and loved each other very much.

One day they were playing in the garden.

"Oh, Helle, look!" said the boy.

There on the grass was a fine large sheep. This sheep had a fleece of
gold and his horns were gold, too.

The children wanted to pat the sheep, but they could not catch him.
When they went near, he ran away on the clouds.

* * * * *

grew - golden - hold
tame - ride - tight

Every day they played in the garden and every day the sheep came, too.

By and by he grew tame and let the children pat his golden fleece.

One day the boy said, "Helle, let us take a ride."

First he helped his sister on the sheep's back.

Then he got on and held to the horns.

"Hold tight to me, Helle," he said.

* * * * *

sky - dizzy - sea
sister - land - dragon
lose - nailed - Colchis

The sheep went up, up into the sky, and ran a long way on the clouds.
But Helle got dizzy and fell down into the sea.

The boy felt very bad to lose his sister, but went right on.

Then he came to the land Colchis. He killed the sheep and gave the
golden fleece to the king.

The king was glad to have it and nailed it to an oak tree.

By the tree was a dragon. The dragon never went to sleep. He would not
let any one but the king come to the tree.

So no one could get the golden fleece.