There was once a poor widow who lived in a lonely cottage. In front of the cottage was a garden wherein stood two rose-trees, one of which bore white and the other red roses. She had two children who were like the two rose-trees, and one was called Snow-white, and the other Rose-red. They were as good and happy, as busy and cheerful as ever two children in the world were, only Snow-white was more quiet and gentle than Rose-red. Rose-red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields seeking flowers and catching butterflies; but Snow-white sat at

Now this is the next tale, and it tells how the Camel got his big hump.
In the beginning of years, when the world was so new and all, and the Animals were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel, and he lived in the middle of a Howling Desert because he did not want to work; and besides, he was a Howler himself. So he ate sticks and thorns and tamarisks and milkweed and prickles, most `scruciating idle; and when anybody spoke to him he said `Humph!` Just `Humph!` and no more.
Presently the Horse came to him

Once upon a time an Indian hunter built himself a house in the middle of a great forest, far away from all his tribe; for his heart was gentle and kind, and he was weary of the treachery and cruel deeds of those who had been his friends. So he left them, and took his wife and three children, and they journeyed on until they found a spot near to a clear stream, where they began to cut down trees, and to make ready their wigwam. For many years they lived peacefully and happily in this sheltered place, never leaving

There was once a turtle who lived among a great many people of different kinds, in a large camp near a big river which was born right up amongst the snows, and flowed straight away south till it reached a sea where the water was always hot.
There were many other turtles in the camp, and this turtle was kind and pleasant to them all, but he did not care for any of them very much, and felt rather lonely.
At last he built himself a hut, and filled it with skins for seats, and made it as comfortable as any hut

A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. These apples were always counted, and about the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one of them was gone. The king became very angry at this, and ordered the gardener to keep watch all night under the tree. The gardener set his eldest son to watch; but about twelve o`clock he fell asleep, and in the morning another of the apples was missing. Then the second son was ordered to watch; and at midnight he

There was once a butterfly who wished for a bride, and, as may be supposed, he wanted to choose a very pretty one from among the flowers. He glanced, with a very critical eye, at all the flower-beds, and found that the flowers were seated quietly and demurely on their stalks, just as maidens should sit before they are engaged; but there was a great number of them, and it appeared as if his search would become very wearisome. The butterfly did not like to take too much trouble, so he flew off on a visit to the daisies. The

IN the days when everybody started fair, Best Beloved, the Leopard lived in a place called the High Veldt. `Member it wasn`t the Low Veldt, or the Bush Veldt, or the Sour Veldt, but the `sclusively bare, hot, shiny High Veldt, where there was sand and sandy-coloured rock and `sclusively tufts of sandy- yellowish grass. The Giraffe and the Zebra and the Eland and the Koodoo and the Hartebeest lived there; and they were `sclusively sandy-yellow-brownish all over; but the Leopard, he was the `sclusivest sandiest-yellowish-brownest of them alla greyish-yellowish catty-shaped kind of beast, and he matched the `sclusively yellowish-greyish-brownish

Once upon a time there lived an old couple who had one son called Martin. Now when the old man`s time had come, he stretched himself out on his bed and died. Though all his life long he had toiled and moiled, he only left his widow and son two hundred florins. The old woman determined to put by the money for a rainy day; but alas! The rainy day was close at hand, for their meal was all consumed, and who is prepared to face starvation with two hundred florins at their disposal? So the old woman counted out

One day a wolverine was out walking on the hill-side, when, on turning a corner, he suddenly saw a large rock.
`Was that you I heard walking about just now?` he asked, for wolverines are cautious animals, and always like to know the reasons of things.
`No, certainly not,` answered the rock; `I don`t know how to walk.`
`But I SAW you walking,` continued the wolverine.
`I am afraid that you were not taught to speak the truth,` retorted the rock.
`You need not speak like that, for I have SEEN you walking,` replied the wolverine, `though I am quite sure that you could never

An honest farmer had once an ass that had been a faithful servant tohim a great many years, but was now growing old and every day more andmore unfit for work. His master therefore was tired of keeping him andbegan to think of putting an end to him; but the ass, who saw thatsome mischief was in the wind, took himself slyly off, and began hisjourney towards the great city, “For there,` thought he, “I may turnmusician.`
After he had travelled a little way, he spied a dog lying by theroadside and panting as if he were tired. “What makes you