



Produced by Andrew Sly, Al Haines and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net









                        WORTH WHILE STORIES
                           FOR EVERY DAY

                  ARRANGED, COMPILED, AND EDITED
                                BY
                       LAWTON B. EVANS, A.M.

            WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE TEACHERS OF THE
                   PRIMARY GRADES OF THE PUBLIC
                      SCHOOLS OF AUGUSTA, GA.

                               1923
                      MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY
                        SPRINGFIELD, MASS.




                         COPYRIGHT, 1917,
                    BY MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY,
                        SPRINGFIELD, MASS.


                      _Bradley Quality Books_

              PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA




A WORD TO STORY TELLERS


In order to make story-telling most effective, the story-teller
should bear in mind certain conditions that are imposed by those
who listen.

1. _Know the story._ Know it well enough to tell it in your own
language, and in the language of the children who hear it. Know it
well enough to amplify, vary, improve, make all kinds of excursions
and side incidents, and yet return easily to the main body of the
story.

2. _Tell the story._ Do not read it. The speaker is free and
unbound by book or words; the reader is held by the formal page
before him. The stories in this book are condensed, too condensed
for reading and need the addition of words to make them of the
right consistency. Those words should be the narrator’s own; the
story then becomes the narrator’s story and not the author’s, and
that is as it should be.

3. _Act the story._ Do not be afraid of the dramatic side of
narration. Imitate all the sounds that belong to the story, such
as the winds blowing, the thunder rolling, a bear growling, a dog
barking, etc. Change your voice to meet the requirements of youth
and age. Throw yourself heart and soul into the spirit of the
narrative and do not be afraid to take all the parts, and to act
each one in turn.

4. _Impress the story._ Remember that the story is the main thing
and that the moral point is secondary. Do not make the story a
sermon, and do not dwell severely upon its ethical features. If the
story is amusing let it be without moral value. If it is historical
let it remain so. Generally speaking you can bring out the moral
features in a few words at the close. Children do not like too much
sermonizing.

5. _Use the story._ If the story lends itself to dramatization, by
all means let the children act the parts; if it is a good language
exercise, let them tell it or write it in their own words; if it
can be illustrated let them draw pictures on the board or at their
seats; if it can be used for handwork in any way, let them make
what they can.

6. _Enjoy the story._ Make it worth while for pupils to be punctual
in order to hear the story; recur often to past stories when
occasion recalls them to mind; let the imagination play around all
the incidents so that the mind will be filled with those images
that have been the joy of childhood since the world began.

  Augusta. Ga.                                    LAWTON B. EVANS.




CONTENTS


                                                      PAGE

  ABRAHAM AND ISAAC                                    185
  ABRAHAM LINCOLN (FEB. 12TH)                          281
  ABSALOM                                              322
  ADVENTURES OF PERSEUS, THE, PART ONE                  43
  ADVENTURES OF PERSEUS, THE, PART TWO                  46
  ADVENTURES OF THESEUS, THE, PART ONE                  92
  ADVENTURES OF THESEUS, THE, PART TWO                  94
  ADVENTURES OF THOR, THE                              103
  ALL FOOLS’ DAY (APRIL 1ST)                           346
  AN ARMY OF TWO                                       130
  ANDROCLUS AND THE LION                                17
  ANTONIO CANOVA                                       196
  APPLE TREE’S CHILDREN, THE                            39

  BAD-TEMPERED SQUIRREL, THE                             8
  BAKER BOYS AND THE BEES, THE                         409
  BARMECIDE FEAST, THE                                 353
  BEAUTIFUL HAND, THE                                    1
  BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, PART ONE                       260
  BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, PART TWO                       262
  BELL OF ATRI, THE                                    344
  BENNY IN BEASTLAND                                   269
  BEOWULF CONQUERS THE MARSH MONSTER                   187
  BEOWULF SLAYS THE FIRE DRAGON                        192
  BEOWULF SLAYS THE WATER WITCH                        189
  BINDING OF FENRIR, THE                               110
  BIRTH OF JESUS, THE                                  156
  BLIND MAN AND THE ELEPHANT, THE                        5
  BLUE RIBBON, THE                                      41
  BOBBIE, THE POWDER BOY                                89
  BOYHOOD OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE (FEB. 22ND)        315
  BOY WHO CRIED WOLF, THE                              279
  BOY WHO WANTED TO PLAY ALWAYS, THE                    34
  BRUCE AND THE SPIDER                                  21

  CERES AND HER DAUGHTER                               218
  CINDERELLA                                           383
  COLUMBUS (DISCOVERY DAY, OCT. 12TH)                   48
  COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY MOUSE, THE                405
  DAMON AND PYTHIAS                                    133
  DAVID AND GOLIATH                                     50
  DEATH OF BEOWULF, THE                                194
  DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT, PART ONE               369
  DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT, PART TWO               371
  DIRTY TOM                                             19
  DISCONTENTED MEMBERS, THE                              3
  DISCONTENTED TAILOR, THE                             180
  DISOBEDIENT DICKY BIRD, A                            237
  DOG’S GRATITUDE, A                                   412
  DOROTHY’S DREAM OF HAPPINESS                         255
  DRAGON SLAYER, THE                                   161
  DUMMLING’S GOOSE                                     381
  DUMMLING’S REQUEST                                   378

  EGYPTIANS ARE DROWNED IN THE RED SEA, THE            140
  ELEPHANT’S TRUNK, THE                                 82

  FAIRY FISH QUEEN, THE                                416
  FAITHFUL BRUNO                                       285
  FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE, THE                         297
  FOOLISH FRED                                         168
  FOUR-LEAF CLOVER                                     392
  FREYJA’S NECKLACE                                    108
  FRIEDRICH FROEBEL (APRIL 21ST)                       376

  GIFTS OF THE NORTH WIND, THE                         149
  GINGERBREAD MAN, THE                                 311
  GIRL WHO WANTED EVERYTHING, THE                      299
  GOLDEN TOUCH, THE                                    348
  GOLD GIRL AND THE TAR GIRL, THE                      364
  GOOSE BOY AND THE KING, THE                          283
  GOOSE GIRL, THE, PART ONE                            163
  GOOSE GIRL, THE, PART TWO                            166
  GRATEFUL INDIAN, THE                                  87

  HANS IN LUCK                                         175
  HESTER’S EASTER OFFERING                             388
  HOW A GIRL SAVED A FORT                              182
  HOW ARTHUR BECAME KING                                60
  HOW ARTHUR CAME BY HIS SWORD                          62
  HOW GEORGE SAVED THE TRAIN                           126
  HOW JACK CAME TO HAVE A WINDOW BOX                   253
  HOW ROBIN HOOD BECAME AN OUTLAW                      325
  HOW ROBIN HOOD CEASED TO BE AN OUTLAW                334
  HOW ROBIN HOOD MET FRIAR TUCK                        329
  HOW THE LITTLE BIRD REACHED HOME                     244
  HOW THE RABBIT GOT ITS COTTON TAIL                   233
  HOW WE CAME TO HAVE UMBRELLAS                        249

  JACK AND JILL                                         37
  JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK, PART ONE                     10
  JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK, PART TWO                     12
  JACK AND THE GIANT                                   290
  JOHNNY’S RABBIT                                      251
  JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN, PART ONE                    112
  JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN, PART TWO                    115
  JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN, PART THREE                  117
  JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN, PART FOUR                   119
  JOURNEY OF A DROP OF WATER, THE                      246
  JULIA’S PRESENCE OF MIND                             407

  KILLING THE BIRDS                                    226
  KIND-HEARTED POLICEMAN, THE                          399
  KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES                            147
  KING COPHETUA AND THE BEGGAR MAID                    396
  KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE, THE                       64
  KRIS AND THE BEAR                                     97

  LAME PRINCE, THE                                     267
  LATONA                                               216
  LEADERSHIP OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE                 320
  LEAK IN THE DIKE, THE                                198
  LEGEND OF THE MOUNTAIN ASH, THE                      121
  LEGEND OF THE SPIDER WEB, THE                         14
  LEGEND OF THE WOODPECKER, THE                        235
  LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER’S GRANDDAUGHTER, THE               207
  LITTLE GRAY LAMB, THE                                 76
  LITTLE PINE TREE WHO WISHED FOR NEW LEAVES, THE      159
  LITTLE RED HEN, THE                                   30
  LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD                                178
  LOOKING-GLASS WITCH, THE                             367
  LOUIS AND THE THREE WISHES                           145

  MAGIC POT, THE                                       423
  MIGHTY MEN, THE                                      414
  MIRROR, THE                                           23
  MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES                               137
  MOTHER EARTH’S CHILDREN                              212

  NÜRNBERG STOVE, THE, PART ONE                        339
  NÜRNBERG STOVE, THE, PART TWO                        341

  ODIN AND THE DWARFS                                  101
  ONE-EYE, TWO-EYES, AND THREE-EYES, PART ONE          355
  ONE-EYE, TWO-EYES, AND THREE-EYES, PART TWO          357

  PASSING OF SIR GALAHAD, THE                           69
  PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN, THE                           265
  PIG AND THE SHEEP, THE                                25
  PIPPA PASSES                                         142
  PLANTING AN ORCHARD (ARBOR DAY)                      288
  PRINCE AND THE DRAGON, THE                           128
  PRINCESS LOSES THE FOOT RACE, THE                    258
  PROUD KING, THE, PART ONE                            360
  PROUD KING, THE, PART TWO                            362
  PUSS IN BOOTS, PART ONE                              301
  PUSS IN BOOTS, PART TWO                              304

  RABBIT TRIES TO CATCH FISH, THE                       73
  RACE WITH A FLOOD, A                                  99
  RAGS                                                 421
  ROBERT E. LEE (JAN 19TH)                             240
  ROBERT’S RIDE                                         78
  ROBIN’S EGGS, THE                                    313
  ROBIN HOOD MEETS LITTLE JOHN                         327

  SAINT GEORGE AND THE DRAGON                          228
  SAM DAVIS                                            124
  SAMSON                                               276
  SEEDS OF GOLD                                        214
  SHOEMAKER AND THE ELVES, THE                          28
  SHOOTING MATCH AT NOTTINGHAM TOWN, THE               332
  SIEGFRIED SLAYS THE DRAGON                           135
  SIR GALAHAD FINDS THE HOLY GRAIL                      67
  SIX SWABIANS, THE                                    171
  SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE, PART ONE                       203
  SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE, PART TWO                       205
  SNOWFLAKE                                            419
  SODOM AND GOMORRAH                                   374
  SPINDLE, THE SHUTTLE AND THE NEEDLE, THE             336
  STORY OF THE JACKBEAN                                390
  STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN, THE                   173
  SUNSHINE FAIRY, A                                    272
  SWISS WOOD CARVER, THE                                53

  THANKSGIVING                                          85
  THOR CONTENDS WITH THE GIANTS                        106
  THREE LITTLE GOLDFISH                                401
  THREE LUCKY SONS, THE                                385
  THRIFTY SQUIRRELS, THE                                32
  TINY TIM, PART ONE                                   152
  TINY TIM, PART TWO                                   154
  TOM THUMB, PART ONE                                  292
  TOM THUMB, PART TWO                                  295
  TRAVELING MUSICIANS, THE                             394
  TUBAL CAIN                                           201

  UGLY DUCKLING, THE, PART ONE                         221
  UGLY DUCKLING, THE, PART TWO                         223

  VISION OF SIR LAUNFAL, THE, PART ONE                  55
  VISION OF SIR LAUNFAL, THE, PART TWO                  57

  WAX WINGS                                            403
  WHAT THE STUPID SON LEARNED                          274
  WHITE CAT, THE, PART ONE                             306
  WHITE CAT, THE, PART TWO                             309
  WHY THE BLUEBIRD CARRIES HAPPINESS                   242
  WILLIAM TELL                                          80
  WIND AND THE SUN, THE                                210
  WISDOM OF SOLOMON, THE                               230
  WISE LITTLE PIG, THE                                 350
  WOODPECKER WHO WAS SELFISH, THE                       71

  YOUNG MANHOOD OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE              318




WORTH WHILE STORIES FOR EVERY DAY




THE BEAUTIFUL HAND

_The most beautiful thing in life is helping others, especially
those in need._


It is right to have clean hands and well kept nails. We should
remember that cleanliness of body is akin to purity of heart. I
shall tell you a story of some hands that were not only clean but
very beautiful.

Some young girls were talking by the brook, boasting of their
beautiful hands. One of them dipped her hands in the sparkling
water and the drops looked like diamonds falling from her palms.

“See what beautiful hands I have! The water runs from them like
precious jewels,” said she, and held up her hands for the others
to admire. They were very soft and white, for she had never done
anything but wash them in clear, cold water.

Another one of them ran to get some strawberries and crushed them
in her palms. The juice ran through her fingers like wine from a
wine press until her fingers were as pink as the sunrise in the
early morning.

“See what beautiful hands I have! The strawberry juice runs over
them like wine,” said she, and she held up her hands for the others
to admire. They were very pink and soft, for she had never done
anything but wash them in strawberry juice every morning.

Another one gathered some violets and crushed the flowers in her
hands until they smelled like perfume.

“See what beautiful hands I have! They smell like violets in the
deep woods in the spring time,” said she, and she held up her hands
for the others to admire. They were very soft and white, for she
had never done anything but wash them in violets every morning.

The fourth girl did not show her hands but held them in her lap. An
old woman came down the road and stopped before the girls. They all
showed her their hands and asked her which were the most beautiful.
She shook her head at each one and then asked to see the hands of
the last girl who held hers in her lap. The last girl raised her
hands timidly for the old woman to see.

“Oh, these hands are clean, indeed,” said the old woman, “but they
are hard with toil, helping her mother clean the house and nurse
the baby, and mend the clothes. They have carried food to the poor
and have nursed the sick babies in the neighborhood.”

Then the old woman fumbled in her pocket and brought out a ring set
with diamonds, with rubies redder than strawberries, and turquoise
bluer than violets.

“Here, wear this ring, my child; you deserve the prize for the most
beautiful hands, for they have been the most helpful.”

And the old woman vanished, leaving the four girls still sitting by
the brook.




THE DISCONTENTED MEMBERS

_All the parts must work together for the good of the whole. In
union there is strength and safety._


Once upon a time all the parts of the body began to complain of how
little the stomach did, and of what each one did to support that
lazy member.

“Just look at that stupid old stomach,” said the mouth. “It won’t
say a word; never sings a song. Won’t even say ‘thank you,’ for
what I let go by me on the way down to fill it up. I am getting
tired of opening and shutting and swallowing and never a word of
thanks.”

“You are perfectly