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STORY LESSONS

ON

CHARACTER-BUILDING (MORALS)

AND

MANNERS.




STORY LESSONS ON CHARACTER-BUILDING (MORALS) AND MANNERS

BY LOIS BATES

          AUTHOR OF "KINDERGARTEN GUIDE," "NEW RECITATIONS FOR INFANTS,"
          "GAMES WITHOUT MUSIC," ETC.

          LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
          39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
          NEW YORK AND BOMBAY
          1900




PREFACE.


ALTHOUGH it is admitted by all teachers, in theory at least, that morals
and manners are essential subjects in the curriculum of life, how very
few give them an appointed place in the school routine. Every other
subject has its special time allotted, but these--the most important
subjects--are left to chance, or taken up, haphazard, at any time;
surely this is wrong.

Incidents often occur in the school or home life which afford fitting
opportunity for the inculcation of some special moral truth, but maybe
the teacher or mother has no suitable illustration just at hand, and the
occasion is passed over with a reproof. It is hoped that where such want
is felt this little book may supply the need.

The stories may be either told or read to the children, and are as
suitable for the home as the school. "The Fairy Temple" should be read
as an introduction to the Story Lessons, for the _teaching_ of the
latter is based on this introductory fairy tale. If used at home the
blackboard sketch may be written on a slate or slip of paper. The
children will not weary if the stories are repeated again and again
(this at least was the writer's experience), and they will be eager to
pronounce what is the teaching of the tale. In this way the lessons are
reiterated and enforced. The method is one which the writer found
exceedingly effective during long years of experience. Picture-teaching
is an ideal way of conveying truths to children, and these little
stories are intended to be pictures in which the children may see and
contrast the good with the bad, and learn to love the good. The faults
of young children are almost invariably due either to thoughtlessness or
want of knowledge, and the little ones are delighted to learn and put
into practice the lessons taught in these stories, which teaching should
be applied in the class or home as occasion arises. _E.g._, a child is
passing in front of another without any apology, the teacher says,
immediately: "Remember Minnie, you do not wish to be rude, like she was"
(Story Lesson 111). Or if a child omits to say "Thank you," he may be
reminded by asking: "Have you forgotten 'Alec and the Fairies'?" (Story
Lesson 95). The story lessons should be read to the children until they
become perfectly familiar with them, so that each may be applied in the
manner indicated.




CONTENTS.


  1.--MORALS.

  CHAPTER                                                  PAGE
        I. INTRODUCTORY STORY--
          1. The Fairy Temple                                1

       II. OBEDIENCE--
          2. The Two Voices                                  4
          3. (Why we Should Obey.) The Pilot                 6
          4. (Why we Should Obey.) The Dog that did not
                   like to be Washed                         7
          5. (Ready Obedience.) Robert and the Marbles       9
          6. (Unready, Sulky Obedience.) Jimmy and the
                   Overcoat                                  9

      III. LOYALTY--
          7. Rowland and the Apple Tart                     10

       IV. TRUTHFULNESS--
          8. (Direct Untruth.) Lucy and the Jug of Milk     12
          9. (Untruth, by not Speaking.) Mabel and Fritz    13
         10. (Untruth, by not Telling _All_.) A Game of
                   Cricket                                  14
         11. (Untruth, by "Stretching"--Exaggeration.)
                   The Three Feathers                       16

        V. HONESTY--
         12. Lulu and the Pretty Coloured Wool              17
         13. (Taking Little Things.) Carl and the Lump
                   of Sugar                                 19
         14. (Taking Little Things.) Lilie and the Scent    19
         15. Copying                                        20
         16. On Finding Things                              22

       VI. KINDNESS--
         17. Squeaking Wheels                               23
         18. Birds and Trees                                24
         19. Flowers and Bees                               25
         20. Lulu and the Bundle                            26
      VII. THOUGHTFULNESS--
         21. Baby Elsie and the Stool                       27
         22. The Thoughtful Soldier                         28

     VIII. HELP ONE ANOTHER--
         23. The Cat and the Parrot                         29
         24. The Two Monkeys                                30
         25. The Wounded Bird                               31

       IX. ON BEING BRAVE--
         26. (Brave in Danger.) How Leonard Saved his
                   Little Brother                           32
         27. (Brave in Little Things.) The Twins            33
         28. (Brave in Suffering.) The Broken Arm           34
         29. (Brave in Suffering.) The Brave Monkey         35

        X. TRY, TRY AGAIN--
         30. The Sparrow that would not be Beaten           35
         31. The Railway Train                              36
         32. The Man who Found America                      37

       XI. PATIENCE--
         33. Walter and the Spoilt Page                     38
         34. The Drawings Eaten by the Rats                 39

      XII. ON GIVING IN--
         35. Playing at Shop                                40
         36. The Two Goats                                  41

     XIII. ON BEING GENEROUS--
         37. Lilie and the Beggar Girl                      41
         38. Bertie and the Porridge                        42

      XIV. FORGIVENESS--
         39. The Two Dogs                                   43

       XV. GOOD FOR EVIL--
         40. The Blotted Copy-book                          43

      XVI. GENTLENESS--
         41. The Horse and the Child                        45
         42. The Overturned Fruit Stall                     46

     XVII. ON BEING GRATEFUL--
         43. Rose and her Birthday Present                  47
         44. The Boy who _was_ Grateful                     47

    XVIII. SELF-HELP--
         45. The Crow and the Pitcher                       48

      XIX. CONTENT--
         46. Harold and the Blind Man                       49

       XX. TIDINESS--
         47. The Slovenly Boy                               50
         48. Pussy and the Knitting                         51
         49. The Packing of the Trunks                      53

      XXI. MODESTY--
         50. The Violet                                     54
         51. Modesty in Dress                               55

     XXII. ON GIVING PLEASURE TO OTHERS--
         52. "Selfless" and "Thoughtful". A Fairy Tale      56
         53. The Bunch of Roses                             56
         54. Edwin and the Birthday Party                   57
         55. Davie's Christmas Present                      59

    XXIII. CLEANLINESS--
         56. Why we Should be Clean                         61
         57. Little Creatures who like to be Clean          62
         58. The Boy who did not like to be Washed          63
         59. The Nails and the Teeth                        64

     XXIV. PURE LANGUAGE--
         60. Toads and Diamonds. A Fairy Tale               66

      XXV. PUNCTUALITY--
         61. Lewis and the School Picnic                    67

     XXVI. ALL WORK HONOURABLE--
         62. The Chimney-sweep                              69

    XXVII. BAD COMPANIONS--
         63. Playing with Pitch                             70
         64. Stealing Strawberries                          71

   XXVIII. ON FORGETTING--
         65. Maggie's Birthday Present                      73
         66. The Promised Drive                             74
         67. The Boy who Remembered                         75

     XXIX. KINDNESS TO ANIMALS--
         68. Lulu and the Sparrow                           76
         69. Why we Should be Kind to Animals               77
         70. The Butterfly                                  78
         71. The Kind-hearted Dog                           78

      XXX. BAD TEMPER--
         72. How Paul was Cured                             79
         73. The Young Horse                                80

     XXXI. SELFISHNESS--
         74. The Child on the Coach                         82
         75. Edna and the Cherries                          82
         76. The Boy who liked always to Win                83
         77. The two Boxes of Chocolate                     84
         78. Eva                                            85

    XXXII. CARELESSNESS--
         79. The Misfortunes of Elinor                      86

   XXXIII. ON BEING OBSTINATE--
         80. How Daisy's Holiday was Spoilt                 87

    XXXIV. GREEDINESS--
         81. Stephen and the Buns                           89

     XXXV. BOASTING--
         82. The Stag and his Horns                         90

    XXXVI. WASTEFULNESS--
         83. The Little Girl who was Lost                   91

   XXXVII. LAZINESS--
         84. The Sluggard                                   91

  XXXVIII. ON BEING ASHAMED--
         85. The Elephant that Stole the Cakes              92

   XXXIX. EARS AND NO EARS--
         86. Heedless Albert                                94
         87. Olive and Gertie                               95

       XL. EYES AND NO EYES--
         88. The Two Brothers                               97
         89. Ruby and the Wall                              98

      XLI. LOVE OF THE BEAUTIFUL--
         90. The Daisy                                      99

     XLII. ON DESTROYING THINGS--
         91. Beauty and Goodness                           100

    XLIII. ON TURNING BACK WHEN WRONG--
         92. The Lost Path                                 101

     XLIV. ONE BAD "STONE" MAY SPOIL THE "TEMPLE"--
         93. Intemperance                                  103


  2.--MANNERS.

      XLV. PRELIMINARY STORY LESSON--
         94. The Watch and its Springs                     104

     XLVI. ON SAYING "PLEASE" AND "THANK YOU"--
         95. Fairy Tale of Alec and his Toys               105

    XLVII. ON BEING RESPECTFUL--
         96. Story Lesson                                  108

   XLVIII. PUTTING FEET UP--
         97. Alice and the Pink Frock                      109

     XLIX. BANGING DOORS--
         98. How Maurice came Home from School             110
         99. Lulu and the Glass Door                       111

        L. PUSHING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE--
        100. The Big Boy and the Little Lady               112

       LI. KEEPING TO THE RIGHT--
        101. Story Lesson                                  113

      LII. CLUMSY PEOPLE--
        102. Story Lesson                                  114

     LIII. TURNING ROUND WHEN WALKING--
        103. The Girl and her Eggs                         115

      LIV. ON STARING--
        104. Ruth and the Window                           116

       LV. WALKING SOFTLY--
        105. Florence Nightingale                          117

      LVI. ANSWERING WHEN SPOKEN TO--
        106. The Civil Boy                                 118

     LVII. ON SPEAKING LOUDLY--
        107. The Woman who Shouted                         119

    LVIII. ON SPEAKING WHEN OTHERS ARE SPEAKING--
        108. Margery and the Picnic                        120

      LIX. LOOK AT PEOPLE WHEN SPEAKING TO THEM--
        109. Fred and his Master                           122

       LX. ON TALKING TOO MUCH--
        110. Story Lesson                                  122

      LXI. GOING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE--
        111. Minnie and the Book                           124
        112. The Man and his Luggage                       124

     LXII. WHEN TO SAY "I BEG YOUR PARDON"--
        113. Story Lesson                                  125
        114. The Lady and the Poor Boy                     126

    LXIII. RAISING CAP--
        115. Story Lesson                                  126

     LXIV. ON OFFERING SEAT TO LADY--
        116. Story Lesson                                  127

      LXV. ON SHAKING HANDS--
        117. Reggie and the Visitors                       129

     LXVI. KNOCKING BEFORE ENTERING A ROOM--
        118. The Boy who Forgot                            130

    LXVII. HANGING HATS UP, ETC.--
        119. Careless Percy                                130

   LXVIII. HOW TO OFFER SWEETS, ETC.--
        120. How Baby did it                               132

     LXIX. YAWNING, COUGHING AND SNEEZING--
        121. Story Lesson                                  132

      LXX. HOW A SLATE SHOULD NOT BE CLEANED--
        122. Story Lesson                                  133

     LXXI. THE POCKET-HANDKERCHIEF--
        123. Story Lesson                                  135

    LXXII. HOW TO BEHAVE AT TABLE--
        124. (On Sitting Still at Table.) Phil's Disaster  136
        125. (On Sitting Still at Table.) Fidgety Katie    136
        126. (Thinking of Others at Table.) The Helpful
                   Little Girl                             137
        127. (Upsetting Things at Table.) Leslie and the
                   Christmas Dinner                        138
        128. Cherry Stones                                 138

   LXXIII. ON EATING AND DRINKING--
        129. Rhymes                                        140
        130. Rhymes                                        141

    LXXIV. FINALE--
        131. How another Queen Builded                     142




LIST OF SUBJECTS ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED.


1.--MORAL SUBJECTS.

                                                          PAGE
  All Work Honourable                                       69
  Ashamed, On being                                         92
  Bad Companions                                            70
  Boasting                                                  90
  Brave, On being                                           32
  Carelessness                                              86
  Cleanliness                                               61
  Content                                                   49
  Copying                                                   20
  Destroying Things, On                                    100
  Ears and no Ears                                          94
  Exaggeration                                              16
  Eyes and no Eyes                                          97
  Fairy Temple                                               1
  Finding Things                                            22
  Forgetting                                                73
  Forgiveness                                               43
  Generous, On being                                        41
  Gentleness                                                45
  Giving In, On                                             40
  Giving Pleasure to Others, On                             56
  Good for Evil                                             43
  Grateful, On being                                        47
  Greediness                                                89
  Help one Another                                          29
  Honesty                                                   17
  How another Queen Builded                                142
  Intemperance                                             103
  Introductory Story                                         1
  Kindness                                                  23
  Kindness to Animals                                       76
  Laziness                                                  91
  Love of the Beautiful                                     99
  Loyalty                                                   10
  Modesty                                                   54
  Nails, The                                                64
  Obedience                                                  4
  Obstinate, On being                                       87
  Patience                                                  38
  Punctuality                                               67
  Pure Language                                             66
  Self-Help                                                 48
  Selfishness                                               82
  Teeth, The                                                65
  Thoughtfulness                                            27
  Tidiness                                                  50
  Truthfulness                                              12
  Try, Try Again                                            35
  Turning Back when Wrong                                  101
  Wastefulness                                              91


2.--MANNERS.

  Answering when Spoken To                                 118
  Banging Doors                                            110
  Cherry Stones (see "How to Behave at Table")             138
  Clumsy People                                            114
  Coughing                                                 132
  Eating and Drinking, On                                  140
  Excuse Me, Please (see "Going in Front of People")       124
  Going in Front of People                                 124
  Hanging Hats Up, etc.                                    130
  How to Behave at Table                                   136
  "I Beg Your Pardon," When to say                         125
  Keeping to the Right                                     113
  Knocking Before Entering a Room                          130
  Look at People when Speaking to Them                     122
  Manners                                                  104
  Offering Seat to Lady                                    127
  Offer Sweets, How to                                     132
  "Please," On Saying                                      105
  Pocket-handkerchief, The                                 135
  Preliminary Story Lesson                                 104
  Pushing in Front of People                               112
  Putting Feet Up                                          109
  Raising Cap                                              126
  Respectful, On being                                     108
  Shaking Hands, On                                        129
  Sitting Still at Table, On                               136
  Sneezing                                                 132
  Speaking Loudly, On                                      119
  Speaking when Others are Speaking, On                    120
  Spitting (see "How a Slate Should Not be Cleaned")       133
  Staring, On                                              116
  Talking Too Much, On                                     122
  "Thank You," On Saying                                   105
  Thinking of Others at Table                              137
  Turning Round when Walking                               115
  Upsetting Things at Table (see "Leslie and the
        Christmas Dinner")                                 138
  Walking Softly                                           117
  Yawning                                                  132




1.--MORAL SUBJECTS.




I. INTRODUCTORY STORY.


1. The Fairy Temple.

          (The following story should be read to the
          children =first=, as it forms a kind of groundwork
          for the Story Lessons which follow.)

It was night--a glorious, moonlight night, and in the shade of the leafy
woods the Queen of the fairies was calling her little people together by
the sweet tones of a tinkling, silver bell. When they were all gathered
round, she said: "My dear children, I am going to do a great work, and I
want you all to help me". At this the fairies spread their wings and
bowed, for they were always ready to do the bidding of their Queen. They
were all dressed in lovely colours, of a gauzy substance, finer than any
silk that ever was seen, and their names were called after the colours
they wore. The Queen's robe was of purple and gold, and glittered
grandly in the moonlight.

"I have determined," said the Queen, "to build a Temple of precious
stones, and =your= work will be to bring me the material." "Rosy-wings,"
she continued, turning to a little fairy clad in delicate pink, and fair
as a rose, "you shall bring rubies." "Grass-green," to a fairy dressed
in green, "your work is to find emeralds; and Shiny-wings, you will go
to the mermaids and ask them to give you pearls."

Now there stood near the Queen six tiny, fairy sisters, whose robes were
whiter and purer than any. The sisters were all called by the same
name--"Crystal-clear," and they waited to hear what their work was to
be.

"Sisters Crystal-clear," said the Queen, "you shall all of you bring
diamonds; we shall need so many diamonds."

There was another fairy standing there, whose robe seemed to change into
many colours as it shimmered in the moonlight, just as you have seen the
sky change colour at sunset, and to her the Queen said, "Rainbow-robe,
go and find the opal".

Then there were three other fairy sisters called "Gold-wings," who were
always trying to help the other fairies, and to do good to everybody,
and the Queen told them to bring fine gold to fasten the precious stones
together.

These are not =all= the fairies who were there; some others wore blue,
some yellow, and the Queen gave them all their work. Then she rang a
tiny, silver bell, and they all spread their wings and bowed before they
flew away to do her bidding.

After many days the fairies came together to bring their precious
treasures to the Queen. How they carried them I scarcely know, but there
was a little girl, many years ago, who often paused at the window of a
jeweller's shop to gaze at a tiny, silver boy, with silver wings,
wheeling a silver wheel-barrow full of rings, and the little girl
thought that perhaps the fairies carried things in the same way. Anyhow,
they all came to the Queen bringing their burdens, and she soon set to
work on the Temple.

"The foundations must be laid with diamonds," said the Queen. "Where are
the six sisters? Ah! here they come with the lovely, shining diamonds,
which are like themselves, 'clear as crystal'. Now little Gold-wings,
bring =your= treasure," and the three little sisters brought the finest
of gold. So the work went merrily on, and the fairies danced in glee as
they saw the glittering Temple growing under the clever hands of the
Queen. She made the doors of pearls and the windows of rubies, and the
roof she said should be of opal, because it would show many colours when
the light played upon it.

At last the lovely building was finished, and after the fairies had
danced joyfully round it in a ring again and again, until they could
dance no longer, they gathered in a group round the dear Queen, and
thanked her for having made so beautiful a Temple.

"It is quite the loveliest thing in the world, I am sure," said
Rosy-wings.

"Not quite," replied the Queen, "mortals have it in their power to make
a lovelier Temple than ours."

"Who are'mortals'?" asked Shiny-wings.

"Boys and girls are mortals," said the Queen, "and grown-up people
also."

"I have never seen mortals build anything half so pretty as our Temple,"
said Grass-green; "their houses are made of stone and brick."

"Ah! Grass-green," answered the Queen, smiling, "you have never seen the
Temple I am speaking of, but it =is= better than ours, for it
lasts--lasts for ever. Wind and rain, frost and snow, will spoil our
Temple in time; but the Temple of the mortals lives on, and is never
destroyed."

"Do tell us about it, dear Queen," said all the fairies; "we will try to
understand."

"It is called by rather a long word," said the Queen, "its name is
'character'; =that= is what the mortals build, and the stones they use
are more precious than our stones. I will tell you the names of some of
them. First there is =Truth=, clear and bright like the diamonds; that
must be the foundation; no good character can be made without Truth."

Then the sisters Crystal-clear smiled at each other and said, "We
brought diamonds for truth".

"There are =Honesty=, =Obedience=, and many others," continued the
Queen, "and =Kindness=, which is like the pure gold that was brought by
Gold-wings, and makes a lovely setting for all the other stones."

The little fairies were glad to hear all this about the Temple which the
mortals build, and Gold-wings said that she would like above everything
to be able to help boys and girls to make their Temple beautiful, and
the other fairies said the same; so the Queen said they all might try to
help them, for each boy and girl =must= build a Temple, and the name of
that Temple is Character.




II. OBEDIENCE.


2. The Two Voices.

There was once a little boy who said that whenever he was going to do
anything wrong he heard two voices speaking to him. Do you know what he
meant? Perhaps this story will help you.

The boy's name was Cecil. Cecil's father had a very beautiful and rare
canary, which had been brought far over the sea as a present to him.

Cecil often helped to feed the canary and give it fresh water, and
sometimes his father would allow him to open the door of the cage, and
the bird would come out and perch on his hand, which delighted Cecil
very much, but he was not allowed to open the door of the cage unless
his father was with him.

One day, however, Cecil came to the cage alone, and while he watched the
canary, a little voice said, "Open the door and take him out; father
will never know". That was a =wrong= voice, and Cecil tried not to
listen. It would have been better if he had gone away from the cage, but
he did not; and the voice came again, "Open the door and let him out".
And another little voice said, "No, don't; your father said you must
not". But Cecil listened to the =wrong= voice; he opened the door
gently, and out flew the pretty bird. First it perched on his finger,
then it flew about the room, and then--Cecil had not noticed that the
window was open--then, before he knew, out of the window flew the
canary, and poor Cecil burst into tears. "Oh! if I had listened to the
=good= voice, the =right= voice, and not opened the door! Father will be
so angry." Then the =bad= voice came again and said, "Don't tell your
father; say you know nothing about it ". But Cecil did not listen this
time; he was too brave a boy to tell his father a lie, and he determined
to tell the truth and be punished, if necessary.

Of course his father was very sorry to lose his beautiful canary, and
more sorry still that his little son had been disobedient, but he was
glad that Cecil told him the truth.

Now do you know the two things that the =wrong= voice told Cecil to do?
It told him (1) Not to obey; (2) Not to tell the truth. I think we have
all heard those two voices, not with our ears, but =within= us. Let us
always listen to the =good= voice