And then , for the rest of the day , there was the box ! After all , I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way . It supplied her with such a variety of ideas to think of , and to talk about , whenever she had anybody to listen ! When she was in good humor , she could admire the bright polish of its sides , and the rich border of beautiful faces and foliage that ran all around it . Or , if she chanced to be ill-tempered , she could give it a push , or kick it with her naughty little foot . And many a kick did the box -- -LRB- but it was a mischievous box , as we shall see , and deserved all it got -RRB- -- many a kick did it receive . But , certain it is , if it had not been for the box , our active-minded little Pandora would not have known half so well how to spend her time as she now did . For it was really an endless employment to guess what was inside . What could it be , indeed ? Just imagine , my little hearers , how busy your wits would be , if there were a great box in the house , which , as you might have reason to suppose , contained something new and pretty for your Christmas or New-Year 's gifts . Do you think that you should be less curious than Pandora ? If you were left alone with the box , might you not feel a little tempted to lift the lid ? But you would not do it . O , fie ! No , no ! Only , if you thought there were toys in it , it would be so very hard to let slip an opportunity of taking just one peep ! I know not whether Pandora expected any toys ; for none had yet begun to be made , probably , in those days , when the world itself was one great plaything for the children that dwelt upon it . But Pandora was convinced that there was something very beautiful and valuable in the box ; and therefore she felt just as anxious to take a peep as any of these little girls , here around me , would have felt . And , possibly , a little more so ; but of that I am not quite so certain . On this particular day , however , which we have so long been talking about , her curiosity grew so much greater than it usually was , that , at last , she approached the box .
She was more than half determined XXXXX open it , if she could .
On as at if in of than that to with