Produced by David Edwards, woodie4 and the Online Distributed Proofreading Canada Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) [Illustration: cover] A Little Book OF PROFITABLE TALES BY EUGENE FIELD. A Little Book of PROFITABLE TALES. A Little Book of WESTERN VERSE. Second BOOK OF VERSE. Each, 1 vol., 16mo, $1.25. With Trumpet and Drum. One vol., 16mo, $1.00. A Little Book OF PROFITABLE TALES BY EUGENE FIELD NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1894 _Copyright, 1889_ BY EUGENE FIELD University Press: JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE. TO MY SEVEREST CRITIC, MY MOST LOYAL ADMIRER, AND MY ONLY DAUGHTER, MARY FRENCH FIELD, _THIS LITTLE BOOK OF PROFITABLE TALES_ IS Affectionately Dedicated. E. F. The Tales in this Little Book. PAGE THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE 3 THE SYMBOL AND THE SAINT 15 THE COMING OF THE PRINCE 31 THE MOUSE AND THE MOONBEAM 51 THE DIVELL'S CHRYSTMASSE 75 THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SEA 87 THE ROBIN AND THE VIOLET 95 THE OAK-TREE AND THE IVY 105 MARGARET: A PEARL 115 THE SPRINGTIME 135 RODOLPH AND HIS KING 147 THE HAMPSHIRE HILLS 155 EZRA'S THANKSGIVIN' OUT WEST 167 LUDWIG AND ELOISE 185 FIDO'S LITTLE FRIEND 195 THE OLD MAN 213 BILL, THE LOKIL EDITOR 223 THE LITTLE YALLER BABY 233 THE CYCLOPEEDY 245 DOCK STEBBINS 257 THE FAIRIES OF PESTH 269 The First Christmas Tree. THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE. Once upon a time the forest was in a great commotion. Early in the evening the wise old cedars had shaken their heads ominously and predicted strange things. They had lived in the forest many, many years; but never had they seen such marvellous sights as were to be seen now in the sky, and upon the hills, and in the distant village. "Pray tell us what you see," pleaded a little vine; "we who are not as tall as you can behold none of these wonderful things. Describe them to us, that we may enjoy them with you." "I am filled with such amazement," said one of the cedars, "that I can hardly speak. The whole sky seems to be aflame, and the stars appear to be dancing among the clouds; angels walk down from heaven to the earth, and enter the village or talk with the shepherds upon the hills."