Taro was a fisherman who lived long, long ago. He was young and strong, and he could catch fish more easily than anybody else. He was very kind,too. In all his life he had never hurt anything.
One time when Taro had been fishing all day, he was very tired and hungry. He was going home to rest and eat. On his way he saw a crowd of boys who had caught a turtle and were teasing it.
Taro felt so sorry for the turtle that he gave the boys some money, and they gave him the turtle. Taro stroked the turtle"s back. "Poor thing! " he said. "I will take you to your home in the sea. Perhaps you will live a thousand years. "So Taro put the turtle in the water and went home.
The next morning Taro got up early and went out in his boat to fish. He passed all the other boats and went far out to sea. "Oh, I am so happy! " he said. "I wish I could live a thousand years, like the turtle. "All at once Taro heard some one calling him. " Taro! Taro! Taro! " called the voice. "Who is calling me? " he asked. "I am calling you, Taro, " said a clear, soft voice. "I have come to thank you for saving my life. "There, by the side of the boat, was the turtle that Taro had put back into the water. "Will you go with me, Taro? " said the turtle. "I will take you to my home. It is in the Sea-King"s palace underneath the sea. It is always summer there. ""I am strong, " said Taro, "but I cannot swim so far as that. " "Get on my back, " said the turtle. "Oh, but you are too small, " replied Taro, looking sadly at the turtle.
But what did he see? The turtle was getting biggerand bigger. It grew bigger than Taro! "Now I am not too small, " said the turtle. Taro got on its back. Down they went into the sea through the clear water.
At last they saw a great gate, and behind it the Sea- King"s palace. All around it was the land of summer, where birds sang and flowers bloomed. Taro and the turtle went up to a great gate. A gate-keeper stood there. He was a fish, and all his helpers were fishes.
"This is Taro, " said the turtle. Then all at once the turtle was gone. "Come with us, Taro, " said the gate- keeper. " We know where to take you. " The gate opened, and Taro and the fishes went into the Sea-King"s palace.
They took him to a beautiful princess. Her dress was green, like the under side of a wave, and her voice was as clear as a bell.
"Come here, Taro, " she said. "Here in the land of summer I am a princess. When I go to your land I change to a turtle. I was the turtle you saved. This morning I heard you wish you could live a thousand years. Come and live with me. I will share everything with you. "So Taro and the princess lived a thousand years in the land of summer, under the sea.
About the Story.-This is a story that is loved by Japanese children. It has been told in English so that you can enjoy it, too. What kind of a man was Taro? Find two sentences in "Yoshi San and O Kiku" that tell how Japanese children are kind to animals.
Lesson 12
WHERE THE CABBAGES GROW
There"s a tiny wee house Of a tiny wee mouse
In the field where the cabbages grow;
There are six baby mice- For I"ve called once or twiceAnd found them at play, so I know.
There"s a wee wooden door; On the wee wooden floor Stand six little stools in a row;There are books here and there, And a cushioned arm-chairThat mother mouse sits in to sew.
There"s a four-poster bed, With a foot and a head,And six cosy cots with railed sides; There are playthings, of course- One, a wee wooden horseThat each little mousikin rides.
There"s a window and sill (With a curtain of twill),Where a pimpernel blooms in a pot;
There are flowers in a jar-
"Twould be easier far
To describe all the things there are not! There"s a stove bright and new,And a Dutch oven, too,
And bellows to blow up the fire;
There"s a dusty, dark hole- I suppose for the coal,The next time I call I"ll inquire.
In the tiny wee house Of this tiny wee mouse,There is freedom from worry and care; When winter sets in,No mouse will grow thin-
There"ll be plenty for all, and to spare.
About the Author.-The name of the author is not known.
About the Poem.-What kind of mice live out in the open? Whatare some other things that you think would be in the mouse"s house? Perhaps you could write another verse about them. Make a drawing of two rooms in the house.
Suggestions for Verse-speaking.-Divide the class into five parts and let each part speak a verse. All join in the last verse.
Lesson 13
THE GOOD LITTLE GOBLIN
THERE was once a goblin who wanted to go to Fairyland. Most goblins hate the very sight of a fairy, and as for Fairyland-why, they can"t even bear to talk about it, much less want to see it! But this goblin, whose name was Scareacat, was not at all like other goblins. Instead of being naughty and fond of playing unkind tricks on people, he was quite a nice, kind little fellow, always ready to help anyone who might be in trouble.
Scareacat did not like being a goblin at all. He thought his name was a dreadfully ugly one, and, indeed, it didn"t fit him at all, for he wouldn"t have scared a fly, much less a cat!
Now Scareacat"s only chance of seeing the fairies at all was to watch for them on a midsummer night, when, as of course you know, fairies become visible to mortal eyes, and even goblins are able to see them if they wish to do so.
For many years, Scareacat had watched the fairy revels on a midsummer night without being discovered by the fairies. But, one year, as he was crouchingdown underneath a foxglove plant, he must in his excitement have leaned too far forward, for, suddenly, one of the fairies stopped dancing, and cried out, "A goblin-a goblin! " And she pointed straight at Scareacat"s hiding-place.
Drawn by Elsie J. McKissock
Fairy Revels
In a moment Scareacat was surrounded by elves and fairies, who dragged him out from the foxglove plant, and pushed him forward to the Fairy Queen"s throne.
