The Turquoise Story Book: Stories and Legends of Summer and Nature
General
The Turquoise Story Book: Stories and Legends of Summer and Nature
Nature -- Juvenile literature; Summer -- Juvenile literature
Then the young brave awakened. He sprang up and walked to a clear stream
which flowed near the Indian village. On the waters floated beautiful
white blossoms with delicate waxen leaves. Hundreds of lovely
water-lilies were waiting there to surprise the Indian children and
bring added joy into their lives.
THE TALE OF TWO TAILS
MARY H. WILSON
"Taddypole and Pollywog
Lived together in a bog;
Here you see the very pool
Where they went to summer school.
"By and by—'tis true, though strange,
O'er them came a wondrous change;
Here you see them on a log,
Each a most decided Frog."
MOTHER'S PORTFOLIO.
The little pond behind the machine-shop was full of tadpoles—wee
fellows—all head and tail. Jolliest of these were Taddypole and
Pollywog, two little cousins, who spent their time in countless swimming
matches or games of hide-and-seek among the stones which bordered the
pond.
Barefooted boys and girls peeped over the edge of the water to watch the
tadpoles darting hither and thither; then, with merry shouts, returned
to their own play.
Taddy's and Pollie's round eyes watched them curiously. Sometimes when
the landbabies waded in the shallow water these tiny water-babies played
fearlessly around their feet, nibbling their toes or playing leapfrog
over them.
So they passed merry days and when the twilight came, Taddy and Pollie
were ready to listen to the band concert. This, unfortunately, was given
on land, so the little tadpoles could not be present, but from the water
they could catch glimpses of Father Frog booming away on his big bass
drum, and hear the sweet chirping chorus of the tiny frog violinists in
the marsh near by.
"Oh, Pollie," cried Tadpole, "if we could only go to the concert! Why,
I'd be willing to give up hide-and-seek for a week just to get a little
nearer to the music."
"I know," said Pollywog gloomily. "I want to go myself, the very worst
kind of way. There's no use wishing, though, for we have no clothes that
would be suitable. Only green silk dress suits with polka dots are worn
this year. Besides, we can't stand it out of the water. It's too warm or
something, I don't know just what, but I always feel half smothered if I
try."
"Besides," reflected Taddy, "we haven't been invited. Only musicians are
asked, and we can't sing, you know."
Splash! Ker-Chunk! Father Frog hopped into the water, then out again on
a broad stone, where he began thundering a bass solo:
"Come along, come along,
Come along!"
"Oh, how I wish we could!" cried the little tadpoles, feeling that this
was a personal invitation. They swam as close as possible to the stone,
and gazed admiringly at the great singer.
"Could what?" grumbled Father Frog.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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