Nursery rhymes

Judging Unwisely

NOT many years ago a man rented a store upon a street appropriately named Market Street. While very busy getting barrels, boxes and other things in- side, he happened to see a boy of eleven years standing by, and called to him, " See here, boy, if you'll help me to-day, I'll pay you well." The boy looked at him but made no answer. " Don't you want to work ? " The boy made some sort of gesture, but remained silent. " Oh ! you're some idler, I guess. Well, if you won't work or even speak, just pass along about your business." He thought the boy's lounging attitude and continued silence meant disrespect and defiance, and soon began to feel irritated over it

" Some young thief, I guess, watching his chance to steal something and run," thought he. Presently he advanced toward the boy with threatening look, when, to his amazement, the offender performed some peculiar gesture, and strange play of features, as he retreated backward.

" I'll teach you how to make faces and mock me; you've acted the nuisance long enough." And with- out further delay he raised his hand, when the boy, instead of running off, started, and fell in a heap upon the sidewalk. Several persons hastened to the spot and inquired what was the matter. " Why ! that lazy fellow refused work when I offered him pay and hung around even when I ordered him off, and finally made faces and disrespectful gestures at me; so I was going to slap him and he dropped like that. He is not hurt enough to even cry about it." " Sir, that is poor Danny, a deaf mute and cripple, perfectly inoffensive when you know him. We all humor him and let him stay around as long as he pleases, for his eyes are the chief blessings he possesses, and they can't injure anything." When they lifted Danny, they found a bruise upon his forehead, and tears were slowly creeping down his cheeks. He was carried into a store, and one of his friends who understood how to communicate with him, explained the merchant's mistake. You may be sure the man was heartily ashamed, and so anxious to prove his repentance that he did all in his power to relieve poor Danny's adversity and affliction.

Drawing materials, also white blocks of soft wood and patterns, with suitable tools, were furnished, and very often the merchant walked down to the plain house where Danny lived, and often, also, he took the lonely boy for a ride by carriage or railway. A comfortable chair and table with drawers, then by ar\d by a cabinet to hold Danny's works of art, transformed the plain room into an interesting one. The patient mother was very grateful to the new friend, and justly proud of her boy's work; and a pleasant picture they made, sitting in winter beside their glowing fire, with her sewing and Danny busy at his work-table. But for all this good result, the merchant said often : " If I had only known the truth, had not been so hasty in judgment, I might have done as much good without having done any injury."

Nursery rhymes

Nursery rhymes

The Hare and the Tortoise

Once a hare was roaming near a lake in a forest. Suddenly he saw a tortoise and mocked at him saying

"Hurry up, you slow coach! Don't you find life very dull taking so long to cover
a few yards? I could have run to the other side of the lake by now."

The tortoise felt teased and dared the hare to a race. The race was to be through the wood to a fixed goal.

The hare agreed laughingly. In a few minutes he was away and out of sight.

"What a funny race it is!" he said to himself , "I am already half way through.
But it is too cold; why not have a nap in the warm sunshine?"

The tortoise walked steadily on and on. In a short time, he passed by the sleeping hare.

The hare slept far longer then he had intended. When he woke up at last, he looked
around in surprise and said to himself," Not even a sigh of the poor tortoise anywhere so far; I had better trot along and finish the race."

The hare ran to the goal. He was amazed to see all the animals cheering the tortoise who had arrived just a minute earlier. how ashamed he felt indeed!

M o r a l : S l o w  a n d  s t e a d y  w i n s  t h e  r a c e

    Slow and steady wins the race.

Aesop For ChildrenAesop For Children
Hare and Tortoise

A Hare was making fun of the Tortoise one day for being so slow.

“Do you ever get anywhere?” he asked with a mocking laugh.

“Yes,” replied the Tortoise, “and I get there sooner than you think. I’ll run you a race and prove it.”

The Hare was much amused at the idea of running a race with the Tortoise, but for the fun of the thing he agreed. So the Fox, who had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started the runners off.

The Hare was soon far out of sight, and to make the Tortoise feel very deeply how ridiculous it was for him to try a race with a Hare, he lay down beside the course to take a nap until the Tortoise should catch up.

The Tortoise meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily, and, after a time, passed the place where the Hare was sleeping. But the Hare slept on very peacefully; and when at last he did wake up, the Tortoise was near the goal. The Hare now ran his swiftest, but he could not overtake the Tortoise in time.

Moral

    The race is not always to the swift.

The Apple Tree and the Farmer

Once upon a time, there lived a farmer in a village, beside a forest. He had a big garden that had an old apple tree and other plants, trees and beautiful flowers. When the farmer was a little boy, he spent much of his time playing with the apple tree. Those days, the apple tree had given the choicest of apples to him. However, as time passed, the apple tree became old and stopped bearing fruits.

Now that the farmer was not getting any apples from the tree, he decided that the tree was useless. Therefore, he decided to cut the tree and use its wood to make some new furniture. He felt that since the tree was old and huge, he did not have to cure it, and it would make great furniture. He forgot that as a boy, he had spent his entire childhood climbing the tree and eating its apples.

Now the apple tree was home to several little animals in the neighborhood. This included squirrels, sparrows and a huge variety of birds and insects. When the farmer took his axe and began chopping the tree, all the little animals came rushing down.

They all began to plead with the farmer. They gathered round the farmer and said, “Please don’t cut the tree. We used to play with you when you were small, under this very tree. This is our home and we have no other place to go”.

The farmer was adamant. He raised his axe and the commotion grew.

“Please don’t chop and destroy my home and kids,” cried the squirrel.

“Please don’t chop and destroy my nest,” cried the little birds.

“Please don’t cut the apple tree,” cried the grasshopper.

The farmer, however, forgot his childhood and his animal friends. He began to chop the tree harder. All the little animals became desperate, and wanted to protect the apple tree at any cost.

The little animals said, “We will sing for you when you are toiling away in the fields. We will look after your little boy. He will not cry, but instead will be entertained and happy. You will like our songs and will not feel tired.”

However, their cries for help fell on deaf ears. Despite all their requests, the farmer continued to chop down the tree.

All of a sudden, he noticed something shiny. On inspecting it, he realized that it was a beehive, full of honey. He took a little and put it in his mouth. The taste of the honey woke up the little boy in him. Suddenly, the memories of his childhood came rushing back. The honey tasted so good that he wanted more. It brought a sense of happiness to him. He smiled and exclaimed, “This tastes amazing.”

Realizing the change in the farmer’s attitude, the little animals spoke in unison: The bee said, “I will always provide you with sweet honey.” The squirrel said, “I will share any amount of nuts that you want.” The birds cried, “We will sing as many songs as you want.”

Finally, the farmer realized his folly, and put down his axe. He understood that the tree was home to many lovely animals that provided him with so many things. He wanted his little boy to have the childhood that he had.

The farmer realized that the apple tree was not that fruitless. The little boy in him saved the apple tree.

He threw away the axe and said to the little creatures, “I promise that I would never cut this tree. I have realized my mistake and you all can now live in peace and harmony.”

The little creatures thanked the bee profusely. If the farmer had not found the beehive, they would have been homeless by now. They continued living happily in the old apple tree.

Moral: Each and every living thing in nature is of some use: we should not destroy any living thing.

The Canary and the Prophecy

THERE was another boy, a little older. He was very fond of birds and felt willing to do anything he was able to perform, to earn money enough to buy himself a canary and a cage. Very soon he managed to find employment, sometimes one thing and sometimes another, always so prompt, faithful and cheerful that he soon found persons inquiring after him, instead of having to hunt work.

After what seemed a very long time, for birds used to be very dear in those days, my little friend had a sum sufficient, and started out, as happy as could be, to make his purchase. The bird was selected ; the price was $5.oo, and the cage was $1.50. He then bought ten cents' worth of seed to feed it, intending to soon purchase more. The merchant began laughing and ridiculing him about the small package of feed. The poor boy left the store with his treasure, but far from being as happy as when he entered it, and going home with burning cheeks and heavy heart, he told his gentle mother.

The father arrived and was informed and immediately started down town. When he entered the store, the merchant knew something was coming, and soon found out what it was. ''Where was your man- hood when you could ridicule a little child that had worked for weeks and weeks to pay you a high price for a bird and cage? I promise you here that that boy will rise and have name and wealth when you are down and poor! You may watch him and I will watch you!"

The man of avarice shrank before the eye and voice of the man who uttered those significant words.

Within ten years the merchant had lost his fine store, his comfortable home property, and was scarcely earning a living, besides being an object of sympathy, from his altered health and dejected appearance. Two years later, and while he still lived, the boy had realized the fulfillment of that portion of his father's prophecy which related to him, by an office of trust and emolument, which his proven integrity and ability had qualified him for, being conferred upon him.

In Far-Away Bohemia

NOT many months ago something was shown and told to me of a youth whom I had known in his in-fancy. Time flies swiftly, and I could hardly realize that the lovely boy I had once held in my arms was already a man and a hero.

I was visiting a lady when another entered the room with something carefully folded in her hands, and said, "I am going to show you this, because you will appreciate it and understand my feelings." What do you think it was? A dark blue apron, made to come up across the breast and down below the knees, like a butcher's apron. Then she told me its story. Her son had been called to go and preach the gospel in Bohemia. He was very young, and must have been filled with the spirit of his mission to go cheerfully so far away across the world among a strange people, he who had never before been separated from his own kindred and mountain home.

The country to which he went was a marked spot upon the earth for the great scenes which had been enacted there, and must be dear to the Lord for the sake of the great and good men who laid down their lives for love of his word.

More than a thousand years ago, many of that people were searching for the truth with such earnestness that they cheerfully devoted their fortunes and their lives to that end. They lived one long-continued warfare in its pursuit, and many at last perished in the flames or by the sword, but Bohemia was the place to which still came the lovers of the Bible to speak together in secret, and from there the truth spread into other countries, while the faithful at home hid and preserved the Holy Bible from complete destruction, through century after century. Nation after nation made war upon these religionists, and they were deprived of their rights one by one, until neither their property nor lives were safe.

So to that country stained with the blood, her streams clouded with the ashes, of martyrs, went Louis, to tell them a new meaning of the Scriptures, tidings of great joy, the restoration of the Gospel, and the second coming of our Lord and Saviour to reign upon the earth, surrounded by the pure, the noble, and all who have suffered and died for his cause.

But the laws of that country are still very strict, and Louis was compelled to adopt a disguise by which he could enter the houses and leave a few printed pages to open the minds of the people to further inquiry. So he, with a companion, traveled together as tinkers, with an outfit for mending kitchen utensils, and this was the apron he wore.

Oh, what humility ! thus to descend to fulfill the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Can you imagine the anxiety, the hopes and prayers, of his father, his loving mother, and all the kindred who had known him from infancy to manhood, while he wandered through that land whose record was volume after volume of religious discussions and persecutions ?

But he who called him to go, brought him back in safety and honor. Joy and peace are theirs for faith that has been proven, and work well done. There are many nations yet to be visited and invited to the truth, and the missionary can truly see that " the harvest is great but the laborers are few," and the hearts of men are inclined more to seeking after riches and pleasure than giving their service unto the Lord.

All honor to the young missionary who wore the garb of humility and bore his Master's message. Such are builders in His kingdom, and He will delight to own and bless them.

The Indians' Test

EARLY in the history of the American people, there was a powerful tribe of Indians living close to a white village. The Indians mistrusted the sincerity of the settlers' friendship and showed some signs of this doubt. The white men discovered this and their head men desired a council held to tiy to arrange some definite terms of peace and security.

The Indians listened to the white men and at last one of them answered for the rest: " We have come at your request and heard your talk. It is near night. If you expect us to have confidence in you, that we may feel safe in your coming and going among us, prove it by letting one of your children spend the night with us, and we will bring him to you in the morning." These words caused a great sensation in the hearts of the white men, but they knew that a refusal would seal upon them the enmity of the Indians. One brave man left the room, and in a few moments returned with his only son. In the presence of all assembled, the father told his son how the safety of the whole settlement, and perhaps other towns also, depended upon the fulfillment of this obligation. He told his child that God would watch over him and bring him back in safety. The dear boy, who was about six years of age, listened in implicit confidence, and expressed his willingness to go and not fear the red men.

As the strange company of warriors filed out of the settlement, the pretty boy looked back with smiling face and cried, " Good-night," while hardy men retained their feelings only until he could no longer discover their faces. Then, with full hearts, tearful eyes and trembling tongues, they re-entered the building and fervently besought God to watch over the precious hostage lent. Few slept that night; mothers clasped their babes, and, weeping, prayed. The earliest day-light found watchers gazing upon the distant line of forest that bordered the plain. At last, figures were dimly seen approaching, then faster and faster they came, until the fair face of the beloved child could be seen. The chief himself led him by the hand to his parents, and then and there ratified for his people the compact of peace and defense with the whites. The child said that they treated him with kindest care, gave him curious things to please him, and made for him a bed of softest furs.

How beautiful was this child's obedience and faith, and of what inestimable value was his courage to that village! I wish that I could tell you his name, but have searched in vain for the lost book in which I read it. How proud must have been every heart whose life was thus weighed in the mighty balance against his single one ! Perhaps many times that we know not of, great importance may rest upon the obedience of each one of us, in our path of life as Latter-day Saints.

Unhelpful Friends

Bunny rabbit lived in the forest. He had many friends. He was proud of his friends.

One day Bunny rabbit heard the loud barking of wild dogs. He was very scared. He decided to ask for help. He quickly went to his friend deer. He said, “Dear friend, some wild dogs are chasing me. Can you chase them away with your sharp antlers?”

The deer said, “That is right, I can. But now I am busy. Why don’t you ask bear for help?”

Bunny rabbit ran to the bear. “My dear friend, you are very strong. Please help me. Some wild dogs are after me. Please chase them away,” he requested to the bear.

The bear replied, “I am sorry. I am hungry and tired. I need to find some food. Please ask the monkey for help.”

Poor Bunny went to the monkey, the elephant, the goat and all his other friends. Bunny felt sad that nobody was ready to help him.

He understood that he had to think of a way out by himself. He hid under a bush. He lay very still. The wild dogs did not find the bunny. They went chasing other animals.

Bunny rabbit learnt that he had to learn to survive by himself, not depending on his unhelpful friends.

Moral: It is better to rely on yourself than depend on others.