



Produced by Dianne Bean





BUTTERCUP GOLD AND OTHER STORIES

By Ellen Robena Field




  Copyrighted, 1894, by the Bangor (Maine) Kindergarten Association

  This book is lovingly dedicated to the dear kindergarten
  children, and particularly to my little friend, Alice Caro Wing.



  "Children are God's apostles, day by day sent forth preach of
  love and hope and peace."--Lowell.



          "Come to me, O, ye children!
          And whisper in my ear
          What the birds  and winds are singing
          In your sunny atmosphere.

          Ye are better than all the ballads
          That were ever sung or said;
          For ye are living poems
          And all the rest are dead."--Longfellow.



          "And Nature, the old nurse, took
          The child upon her knee,
          Saying: 'Here is a story-book
          Thy Father has written for thee."--Longfellow.




The Little New Year

One cold morning Maurice awoke from his dreams and sat up in bed and
listened. He thought he heard a knock at his window; but though the moon
was shining brightly, Jack Frost had been so busily at work that Maurice
could not see through the thickly painted panes. So he crept sleepily
out of bed, and opened the window, and whispered: "Who is there?"

"I am," replied a tinkling voice. "I am the little New Year, ho! ho! And
I've promised to bring a blessing to everyone. But I am such a little
fellow I need somebody to help me distribute them. Won't you please come
out and help?"

"Oh, it's so cold!" said Maurice; "I'd rather go back to my warm bed;"
"and he shivered as Jack Frost, who was passing, tickled him under the
chin with one of the frosty paint brushes.

"Never mind the cold," urged the New Year; "please help me."

So Maurice hurried into his clothes, and was soon out in the yard. There
he found a rosy-cheeked boy a little smaller than himself, pulling a
large cart which seemed to be loaded with good things. On one side of
this cart was painted the word "Love," and on the other "Kindness." As
soon as the New Year saw Maurice he said, "Now please take hold and help
me pull;" and down the driveway and up the hill they travelled until
they came to an old shanty.

"Here is where I make my first call," said the New Year. Maurice looked
wonderingly at him. "Why, nobody lives here but an old colored man who
works for us; and he hasn't any children!" "He needs my help," said
the New Year; "for grown people like to be thought of just as much as
children do. You shovel out a path to his door, while I unload some of
my blessings; and the little hands went busily at work, piling up warm
clothing, wood, and a new year's dinner, the New Year singing as he
worked:--

          "Oh, I am the little New Year; ho! ho!
          Here I come tripping it over the snow,
          Shaking my bells with a merry din;
          So open your door and let me in."

Old Joe, hearing some noise outside, came to the door, and when he saw
all the nice gifts the tears ran down his cheeks for gladness; and as he
carried them into the house, he whispered: "The dear Lord has been here
to-night."

"Where am we going now?" asked Maurice, as they ran down the hill. "To
take some flowers to a poor sick girl," answered the New Year.

Soon they came to a small white house, where the New Year stopped. "Why,
Bessie, our sewing girl lives, here," said Maurice. "I didn't know she
was sick." "See," said the New Year, "this window is open a little; let
us throw this bunch of pinks into the room. They will please her when
she wakes, and will make her happy for several days."

Then they hurried to other places, leaving some blessing behind them.

"What a wonderful cart you have," said Maurice; "though you have taken
so much out, it never seems to get empty." "You are right, Maurice,
there is never any end to love and kindness. As long as I find people to
love and be kind to, my cart is full of blessings for them; and it will
never grow empty until I can no longer find people to help. If you will
go with me every day and help me scatter my blessings, you will see how
happy you will be all the long year."

"A happy New Year!" called some one; and Maurice found himself in bed,
and his sister standing in the doorway smiling at him. "Have you had a
pleasant dream, dear?" she asked.

"Why, where is the little New Year?" said Maurice; "he was just here
with me."

"Come into Mamma's room and see what he has brought you," answered his
sister. There in a snowy white cradle he found a tiny baby brother, the
gift of the New Year. How happy Maurice was then! But he did not forget
his dream. Old Joe and Bessie had their gifts, too, and Maurice tried so
hard to be helpful that he made all his friends glad because the happy
New Year had come.




Mother Nature's House Cleaning

One morning Mother Nature stood at the door of her house looking out
over the world. King Winter's reign was over and he had gone back to
his home at the North Pole; and Spring was coming over the hill with her
three little helpers to make Mother Nature a visit.

Let us see who these helpers were. First there was roguish March with
his rosy cheeks, and his curly hair flying in the winds that blew
all about him. Next came Baby April with her apron full of violets,
daffodillies, and green grasses. Part of the time she smiled sweetly,
and part of it she frowned till the big tear drops chased each other
down her cheeks. Last came May, playing tag with the sunbeams, wandering
knee-deep in flowers, and calling to the birds that sang around her:

Mother Nature watched them coming and murmured, "Such a dirty world as
King Winter has left behind him! It must be cleaned up before the little
girls, April and May, come, but March I am sure will want to help me do
it."

She beckoned to the frolicsome boy who came racing down the hill to
see what she wanted. "I must have some rain to wash away all this dirty
snow," she said; so March whistled to the East Wind, who blew together
the rain-clouds, and soon the tiny rain drops were busy at work washing
the floors of the world, and in a short time the snow was all gone.
Then Mother Nature wanted the sky ceilings cleaned, so this time March
whistled to the West Wind who began to sweep away the cloud cobwebs from
the sky till the cheery old sun smiled again, and shone Mother Nature a
bright "good morning."

"Now March," said she, "there is one more thing you can do to help. You
must start the work for Baby April." Then March, with the South Wind
to help him, awoke the seeds, whispered to the trees to begin to bud,
started the brooks singing, and called the robins back from the South.

When his visit was over Mother Nature thanked him for helping her so
well on all of the thirty-one days he had spent with her, and told him
she would send for him again when her next cleaning day came around.




How the Raindrops and Sunbeams Helped

One morning Mother Nature looked about her, and said: "My children have
had such a nice long rest and it will do them good, for they have a busy
summer before them. It is time to go to work now, and as some of the
babies just won't wake up till they have to, I must send for my helpers
at once." The long days carried her messages, which in our language
would have read something like this:--

My Dear Helpers, Sunbeams, and Raindrops:--

You are needed down here on earth. It is time to dress my plant
children, and give them work to do. The birds must be called back from
the South, and the cocooons must be opened so that my butterflies can
come out. I shall have to make good soil and get my clover beds ready
for the honey makers. Come at once, as some have been sleeping too long
already. Whisper to the trees as you pass that it is time they were
budding, Be gentle with all, for they are my children, and I love them.

Good-bye, from your Mother Nature

This she directed to the Sunbeams at Blue Sky Park, and the Raindrops at
Cloud Land. When the message reached these little helpers, they started
off at once to obey the call, and the sun gave such a merry laugh, that
Grandma came to the door of the farm house and remarked: "How warm it
is today, quite like spring; I believe I will set out my geraniums." But
just then a silvery voice said: "Wait a little while longer till we make
the ground soft," and pop came a raindrop upon the dear old lady's
nose, and she hurried into the house, saying "What queer weather we are
having! first sun and then rain." Then the Raindrops and Sunbeams smiled
at each other, and danced more merrily, for they knew what good work
they were doing to the great brown house where the flowers dwell.

The tap, tap, of the Raindrops wake them up, and when they raised their
sleepy heads and felt the warm kisses of the Sunbeams, they were glad
and began to grow. Soft breezes called to the leaves to come out, and
soon the brown coats which the trees had worn all winter were replaced
by new green dresses. Pussy willow and snowdrop were the first to
herald the spring, and crocus and violet soon followed. Out in the woods
blossomed tiny pink and white May flowers. Little seeds burst off their
jackets and sent up green plumes. Then Mother Nature called her helpers
again and told them to search for the lilies, and dress them in white
robes for Easter. And so each beautiful flower came again--and the birds
sang once more, and the children were glad that spring had come again.
The little helpers had done their work well, and were happy--and every
one thanked God for the spring.




Rock-A-By Baby

"Rock-a-by baby in the tree top, When the wind blows the cradle will
rock."

Helena was playing with her dolls under the Maple tree in the garden. It
was the first warm day of spring, and the little girl was glad to be
out of doors again, and to rock her babies to sleep on one of the low
branches.

But she was not the only one singing a lullaby that bright sunny
morning, for Mother Nature was singing one, too, and a soft breeze was
gently tucking some little brown cradles to and fro in the tree tops.
Some were very, very small, and others were larger, but each held a
wee leaf baby, fast asleep. The next time Helena came out to play, the
babies in the treetop were waking up, and she could see them in their
dainty green nightdresses, peeping out at the world. During the next
week they grew a great deal, and one of them crept out of their cradles
which fell down to the ground, leaving the babies still up in the tree
top.

By the time Spring went away, the babies had grown large and strong, and
spread beautiful green parasols to give shade to their friends through
the hot, dusty days of summer. When Autumn came, Mother Nature gave
them a holiday, and how pretty they looked in their gay gowns as they
frolicked with the wind!

Then they said good-by to the Maple tree, and went dancing and whirling
over the fields to meet King Winter. When Helena looked into their old
homes on the tree, she found some more tiny brown cradles, and knew that
in them were new leaf babies that sleep safely til Spring comes again to
visit Earthdom, and wakes each "baby in the tree top."




A Child of Spring

          I know a little maiden,
          She is very fair and sweet,
          As she trips among the grasses
          That kiss her dainty feet;
          Her arms are full of flowers,
          The snow-drops, pure and white,
          Timid blue-eyed violets,
          And daffodillies bright.

          She loves dear Mother Nature,
          And wanders by her side;
          She beckons to the birdlings
          That flock from far and wide.
          She wakes the baby brooklets,
          Soft breezes hear her call;
          She tells the little children
          The sweetest tales of all.

          Her brow is sometimes clouded,
          And she sighs with gentle grace,
          Till the sunbeams, daring lovers,
          Kiss the teardrops from her face.
          Well we know this dainty maiden,
          For April is her name;
          And we welcome her with gladness,
          As the springtime comes again.




Mr. Frog's Story

Down in the garden is a pretty brook, and something funny happened one
day as I was sitting watching the tadpoles and minnows playing tag and
hide-and-go-seek. All at once something gave a jump out of the water and
with a loud "kerchunk," landed on a stone near by. It was Mr. Frog, and
as "kerchunk" in frog language means "how do you do?" I replied politely
and inquired for his health.

He assured me that he was well and happy, and went on talking. "Did you
know that I was once a tadpole just like those little creatures in the
brook?

"I have heard people say that you were," I answered. "You would not
believe it to look at me now, would you?"

"No," I said, for certainly he did not look at all like the queer little
animals I was watching.

"Yes," he continued, "once I was a tiny black egg in a globe of clear
white jelly, and floated around along the bank of this same brook. Soon
I grew into a wee tadpole, and freed myself from the globe of jelly,
and found I could swim about. I had a long flat tail which I used as
a paddle to help me swim. I had no feet nor legs then, but I grew very
fast, and soon two legs came out near my tail, and by and by two front
ones came, and I did not need my tail any more, so it disappeared. Then
I discovered that I had a long, slender tongue to catch insects with. My
skin, too, had changed, and is now covered with beautiful spots, and if
you look at my eyes you will see how bright they are.

"I live beside this brook with my family, and my cousins, the toads;
and in the spring and summer evenings we sing to our little tadpole
children, and tell them of the time when they, too, will grow up and be
toads and frogs."

Here Mr. Frog paused, and before I could thank him for his interesting
story, he gave a loud "kadunk," which means "good-by," and with a splash
he was off for a swim in the brook.




The Robin

One day, while walking home from the Kindergarten, I met some travellers
coming from the South. They did not come on the car or the boat, but
they travelled very quickly. As they passed me I fancied I heard them
say, "How do you do? We are glad to see you again. Are there plenty of
houses to rent this Spring? You will have a great many more visitors by
and by, for our friends are coming North as soon as the weather gets a
little warmer."

"Yes," I replied, "some of the houses you occupied last spring are
waiting for you, and you will find pleasant places on which to build
new ones in Crab Apple Lane, Woodbine Walk, Maple Park, and Apple Tree
Avenue."

"Thank you," they called, and hurried on, leaving me to wonder what
sort of a journey they had. All day long I saw them flying to and fro,
carrying loads of straw and mud.

Just at twilight there came a rap at my window, and there stood Mr.
Robin Redbreast, looking in as saucily as you please. "I thought you'd
be there," he chirped; "and if you will look out a minute, I'll show you
my house."

Sure enough, there was a tiny home on Apple tree Avenue, just at the
corner of Branch Alley. There was a cellar of mud, and the rest of the
cottage was neatly woven of straw. "How do you like it?" he chirped.

Of course I admired it, and asked him if he was all ready to go to
housekeeping. "All but the beds," he replied, "but if you will give me
some hair and a few feathers, I will soon have a soft place for our eggs
to rest on."

I threw some out, and in a short time the nest was lined. Then Robin
flew off, returning the next day with his mate, who showed her delight
at the new home by cozily settling down in it.

Every morning the birds gave a concert above my window, and one day I
heard some new notes, and, peeping out, saw that five little robins had
come to brighten the cozy nest. Such a busy time as the papa and mamma
Redbreasts had now! Such a digging for worms to drop into the big mouths
which seemed to be always asking for food! In a few weeks the baby birds
learned to fly, and left the nest to make new homes and sing their own
sweet songs.

The old birds stayed on the Avenue awhile longer, but when the leaves
put on their holiday dresses, and the flowers tied on their nightcaps
and went to sleep, the Redbreasts sang good-by to their friends and,
spreading their wings, flew away over the house tops toward the Sunny
South.




Easter Carol

          The  world is filled with gladness;
          The bells of Easter ring;
          Each pure white lily's waking,
          To welcome infant spring.

          Chorus.

          Oh, dear little children, listen,
          And hear what the glad bells say!
          The sweetest chime they ever rang--
          "Our  Lord is risen to-day!"

          II.

          Birds are flying across the sky;
          Their songs ring through the air;
          They carol of the Father's love
          He shows us everywhere.

          Chorus.

          Oh, dear little children, listen,
          And hear what the birdlings say!
          The sweetest song they ever sang--
          "Our  Lord is risen to-day!"




The Lily Sisters

Once upon a time there were three little sisters dressed in green, who
lived together in a beautiful palace which was owned by a Great King.
Such a beautiful palace as it was! The ceilings were made of turquoise
and opal, and soft, velvety green carpets covered the floors.

Many other children lived with these little sisters, and they had such
a kind nurse called Dame Nature, who taught them how to do their work
well; for everybody had some work to do for the Great King.

Surely no one could be unhappy in such a wonderful home, and yet, I, am
sorry to say, one of the little sisters was always discontented.

She knew, for Dame Nature had told her, that some day the Great King
would come to see who had done loving work for him, and would give the
good lilies beautiful white robes and golden crowns, but she was not
willing to wait until the King was ready and saw fit to do it.

When the Sunbeam children came to play, she would hang down her head and
sulk, and after a while they would leave her alone, and play with her
sisters.

When Professor Rain's school was out, and the jolly little raindrops
coaxed her to play with them, she would say crossly, "You am too rough,
let me alone!" and they would go and play with the happy little sisters
as the sunbeams had done; for everybody loved the two good little lily
sisters, who were sorry to see how naughty the other lily was.

But they tried to do their best to help her, and kept on growing.

One day the Great King, who had seen how well they tried to do, thought
they deserved their robes and crowns, so he sent the sunbeams dancing
away to awaken the inhabitants of the palace for the crowning.

Away they went, peeping through the curtains, and flying into the
windows of the palace and waking all the little children with kisses.

Then they took off the old green dresses of the sisters, and put pure
white robes on them and gave them crowns of pure gold. The other little
sister wished then that she had tried to do right, and drooped until she
faded away.

Madam Wind and the Bird family gave a grand concert in Maple Tree Park.
Everything was full of gladness, and the lily sisters held a reception
all day, and many people came to congratulate them upon being crowned.
Among their visitors was wee Ruth, who kissed them and took them to a
little sick friend. He smiled as she pressed them into his hand, saying:
"Take them, please, for Easter," and in her sweet child language she
told the story of Easter, and of the wonderful work the Great King's Son
did for the people of the beautiful palace.




Nature's Violet Children

Once on a sunny hill in the woods grew a little colony of violets. They
had slept quietly through the long winter, tucked up snug and warm in
the soft, white snow-blankets that King Winter had sent Mother Nature for
her flower babies. Jack Frost had gone pouting over the hills because
the little sunbeams would not play with him, and spoiled his fancy
pictures. The tiny raindrops knocked at the door of Mother Nature's
great, brown house; and the birds called to the flowers to wake up.

So the violets raised their strong, hardy leaves, lifted up their dainty
heads, and were glad because spring had come. While they were so happy,
a little girl came to the woods in search of wild flowers. "How pretty
those violets are," she said. "I wish I could stay and watch the buds
open, but I will take some of them with me and keep them in water, and
they will remind me of this sunny hill, and perhaps they will blossom."

Then the violets were frightened and whispered, "Please don't take us!"
But Ruth did not hear them, and she pulled stem after stem till her
small hands were quite filled. Then she said good-by to the pretty
place, and the little violets said good-by, too.

When Ruth got home, she put the buds into a vase of water, and set them
in an open window where they could see the blue sky and feel the kisses
of the sunbeams. But the poor little violets drooped for a time, they
were so homesick, and whispered to each other, "Let us give up and die!"
A beautiful canary in a cage over their heads sang "cheer up! chirrup!"
but they would not listen to him at first.

By and by they said, "Why do you sing that to us? How can we be happy
away from our beautiful home?"

Still the bird sang "cheer up! chirrup! The sun is smiling at you and I
am singing to you. We are trying to make you glad. How nice it would
be if you would only blossom and make some one happy instead of hanging
your heads and trying to die. Do you think I like to be shut up here? If
some one would leave the door of my cage open, I would spread my wings
and fly out of the window, far away to the green woods and the blue sky.
But while I am here, I may as well sing and be glad. Cheer up! chirrup!"

"Perhaps he is right," said the buds, and they lifted up their heads
and began to grow. One bright spring morning Mother Nature passed by the
window and gave them each a lovely violet cap. Then they were, glad, and
Ruth was happy, too, because her buds had blossomed.

The cheery canary sang his sweetest carol to them, and the whole day was
bright because Mother Nature's little violet children had tried their
best to be happy and so had made others happy, too.

As the great red sun went down into the west, he heard the happy bird
still singing "cheer up! chirrup!"




Baby Caterpillar

Baby Caterpillar was tired. All summer long she had been travelling
slowly through the green world where she lived, and feeding on the green
leaves that grew near her home. Now Autumn had come and Mother Nature
had given a holiday to the leaves, who put on their new dresses of red
and gold and played tag with the breezes. Baby Caterpillar wanted to
play, too, but could not run so fast as the happy little leaves, and she
grew very tired and thought she would take a nap. So she found a cozy
place among the branches of a grape vine, and made herself a soft, silky
blanket. Then she rolled herself away within it, and then, in her queer
little cradle, went to sleep.

One night, late in the fall, Jack Frost came over the hill. He spied the
cradle swinging to and fro, and began to play roughly with it, for he is
a roguish little fellow, and touches everything that comes in his way.
But the warm blanket hid the little sleeper so that Jack could not find
her.

By and by King Winter came, bringing beautiful snow blankets to Mother
Nature's flower babies. He gently rocked the cradle as he passed, and
whispered, "Sleep, baby, sleep! You have no need of my blankets."

At last Spring came with the sunbeams, the best and merriest of Mother
Nature's helpers. They awoke the flowers from their long winter nap, and
called to the birds and the brooks to begin their songs. When they came
to the little brown cradle, they stopped to rest, and Baby Caterpillar
began to get very warm under the thick blanket. She woke up and
stretched herself, and her cradle broke, and she came out to greet the
Spring. But what a change! Instead of the old dingy dress that she
went to sleep in, she now had a beautiful yellow one; and, instead of
crawling among the leaves, she flew up and away into the sweet spring
air to play with the sunbeams and flowers; and the little children
called her a butterfly.




Five Little Indian Brothers

Once there were five little brothers living in Farmer Lane's barn. There
were a great many other children there, too, but these little brothers
played by themselves, and chased each other across the wide floor of the
barn until they reached a corner where there was a large crack, and then
they could look out into the world. The first thing they saw was Farmer
Lane breaking up the rich brown earth with his plough, for Spring
had come, and told him it was time to do his planting, while the little
brothers were watching him, and wishing they could find a way to roll
out into the bright sunshine and help him, something happened. What do
you suppose it was?

A great brown hand came up behind them and in a moment they found
themselves in a wooden measure with many more of their friends. "What
is the matter?" said one little brother. "I don't know," said another.
"Maybe we are going to travel," said a third; while the two smallest
cuddled very closely together, and whispered, "We won't be afraid; God
will take care of us."

The measure was taken, out into the field, where Farmer Lane was
still at work, and soon, into the furrows made by the plow, the little
brothers were dropped one by one. They lay very still at first. It was
so strange and dark in their new home. By and by they found a friend, an
earth-worm, who told them wonderful stories, how God would take care of
them, and some day would give them a new life. Then the little brothers
were glad and hoped it would be soon. Thus the days went by. The warm
spring showers moistened the earth, and the sun shone so brightly that
the brothers danced for joy way down in their dark home. What do you
suppose happened when they danced? Why, their old coats split open, and
some little hands came out. They were helpful hands, too, and went to
work at once. Some of them went down into the earth to find food and
water for the whole plants, and the others reached upward to the air and
sunshine, and spread out beautiful, long green leaves.

Each day the plants grew taller and taller, and new buds came that
blossomed into flowery tassels that waved over the tops of the plants.
These tassels were fall of a golden dust called pollen, and as the wind
blew it to and fro, some of the tiny grains found little green cradles
along the sides of the plants, and crept into them. There they stayed,
growing strong and round, until one midsummer day the plants were full
of ripe, sweet ears of corn.

When were the five little brothers, do you ask? Why, they were five
little kernels of Indian corn that Farmer Lane planted one spring
morning, and each beautiful stalk of corn was the new life the
earth-worm told them about. God had taken care of them, and takes care
of of His little children, too.




Buttercup Gold

Did you ever hear of the pot of gold hidden at the end of the rainbow?
Some people think it is there now, but they are mistaken, for a long
time ago somebody found it. How he happened to find it, nobody knows,
for a great many people have searched in vain, and have never even been
able to discover that the rainbow has any ends at all. The man who found
it was very selfish and did not want anybody to know, for fear they
might want some of his money. So one night he put it in a bag, which
he slung over his shoulder, and walked across the fields toward a thick
wood where he meant to hide it.

In the bag was something beside the gold--something so small that the
greedy man in his hurry had not noticed it. It was a hole, and, as he
walked on, one by one the gold coins fell out into the grass. When he
reached the wood and found all of his money gone, he hurried back to
search for it, but something strange had happened. It was a midsummer
night, and the fairies were having a dance out in the meadows. They were
good, loving little people, and despised selfishness above everything.
One little fairy spied the glittering gold among the grasses. She had
seen the greedy man passing by, and knew he would soon be back to hunt
for his treasure. "It will do him no good," she said, "if he hides
it away, and neither will it help anybody else. I will change it into
something that will give joy to rich and poor."

When the greedy man reached the meadow he could see no gold money,
but in its place were bright, yellow flowers--buttercup gold for the
children.




The Raindrops

Up above us, near the Sky Country, in a place called Cloudland, live a
great many little people, called raindrops. They are very helpful,
and always try to do their best, because they know the great King of
Cloudland has work for them all. One morning two tiny raindrops were
sitting together looking down at Earthdom. "How dusty and hot everything
looks," said one drop. "Yes," replied the other, "let us go down and
see how much good we can do in Earthdom to-day." So these two little
raindrops called their brothers and sisters and told of their plan