Children's Literature: A Textbook of Sources for Teachers and Teacher-Training ClassesCurry, Charles Madison
General
Children's Literature: A Textbook of Sources for Teachers and Teacher-Training Classes
Curry, Charles Madison
Children -- Books and reading; Children's literature -- Study and teaching
Among other things, this poor child was forced twice a day to draw water
above a mile and a half from the house, and bring home a pitcher full of
it. One day as she was at this fountain there came to her a poor woman,
who begged of her to let her drink. "Oh, yes, with all my heart,
Goody," said this pretty little girl; and rinsing the pitcher, she took
up some water from the clearest place of the fountain and gave it to
her, holding up the pitcher all the while that she might drink the
easier.
The good woman having drunk, said to her, "You are so very pretty, my
dear, so good and so mannerly, that I cannot help giving you a
gift"--for this was a fairy, who had taken the form of a poor country
woman to see how far the civility and good manners of this pretty girl
would go. "I will give you for gift," continued the fairy, "that at
every word you speak, there shall come out of your mouth either a flower
or a jewel."
When this pretty girl came home, her mother scolded at her for staying
so long at the fountain. "I beg your pardon, mamma," said the poor girl,
"for not making more haste"; and, in speaking these words, there came
out of her mouth two roses, two pearls, and two large diamonds.
"What is it I see there?" said her mother quite astonished. "I think I
see pearls and diamonds come out of the girl's mouth! How happens this,
my child?"--This was the first time she ever called her her child.
The poor creature told her frankly all the matter, not without dropping
out infinite numbers of diamonds. "In good faith," cried the mother, "I
must send my child thither. Come hither, Fanny. Look what comes out of
your sister's mouth when she speaks! Would you not be glad, my dear, to
have the same gift given to you? You have nothing else to do but go draw
water out of the fountain, and when a certain poor woman asks you to let
her drink, to give it her very civilly."
"It would be a very fine sight, indeed," said this ill-bred minx, "to
see me go draw water!"
"You shall go, hussy," said the mother, "and this minute." So away she
went, but grumbling all the way and taking with her the best silver
tankard in the house.
She was no sooner at the fountain than she saw coming out of the wood a
lady most gloriously dressed, who came up to her and asked to drink.
This was, you must know, the very fairy who appeared to her sister, but
who had now taken the air and dress of a princess to see how far this
girl's rudeness would go. "Am I come hither," said the proud, saucy
maid, "to serve you with water, pray? I suppose the silver tankard was
brought purely for your ladyship, was it? However, you may drink out of
it, if you have a fancy."
"You are not over and above mannerly," answered the fairy, without
putting herself in a passion. "Well, then, since you have so little
breeding and are so disobliging, I give you for gift, that at every word
you speak there shall come out of your mouth a snake or a toad."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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