Whosecar?
OnedayMr.andMrs.Whitegoshoppingbycar.Theystoptheircarnearastore.Theybuyalotofthingsandtheywanttoputthethingsinthecar.ButMr.Whitecan’topenthedoorofthecar,sotheyaskapolicemantohelpthem.Thepolicemanisveryfriendlytohelpthem.Justthenamancomesupandshouts:“Whatareyoudoingwitmycar?”Mr.andMrs.Whitetakealookatthecar’snumberandtheyarefrozenthere.Itisn’ttheircar.
TheWindAndTheSun
Onedaythewindsaidtothesun,“Lookatthatmanwalkingalongtheroad.Icangethiscloakoffmorequicklythanyoucan.”“Wewillseeaboutthat,”saidthesun.“Iwillletyoutryfirst.”Sothewindtriedtomakethemantakeoffhiscloak.Heblewandblew,butthemanonlypulledhiscloakmorecloselyaroundhimself.“Igiveup,”saidthewindatlast.“Icannotgethiscloakoff.”Thenthesuntried.Heshoneashardashecould.Themansoonbecamehotandtookoffhiscloak.
Foxandcock
Onemorningafoxseesacock.Hethinks,"Thisismybreakfast.''''Hecomesuptothecockandsays,"Iknowyoucansingverywell.Canyousingforme?''''Thecockisglad.Hecloseshiseyesandbeginstosing.Thefoxseesthatandcatcheshiminhismouthandcarrieshimaway.Thepeopleinthefieldseethefox.Theycry,"Look,look!Thefoxiscarryingthecockaway.''''Thecocksaystothefox,"Mr.Fox,doyouunderstand?Thepeoplesayyouarecarryingtheircockaway.Tellthemitisyours.Nottheirs.''''Thefoxopenshismouthandsays,"Thecockismine,notyours.''''Justthenthecockrunsawayfromthefoxandfliesintothetree.
HereComesaWolf!
Onceanaughtyboywaslookingafterhissheepinthemountain.Hewantedtomakeajokebecausehefeltlonely.Hecriedloudly,"Herecomesawolf!Help!"Onhearingit,thevillagersallranuptosavehim,buthelaughedandfeltfunny.Thesamethinghappenedagainthenextday,andthevillagersgotangrywithhim.Andthen,awolfdidcomeoneday.Theboyshoutedagainandagain,butnobodycameup.Theboywaskilledatlast.Remember:Nevertellalie!
MakingHisMark
OnceuponatimeamanfromtheStateofChuwascrossingariverbyboat.Butcarelesslyhisswordfellintothewater.Immediatelyhemadeamarkontheboat.Hesaid,"Thisiswheremyswordfelloff."Whentheboatstoppedmoving,hewentintothewatertolookforhisswordattheplacewherehehadmarkedtheboat.Ofcoursehecouldn''tfindit.Hedidn''tknowtheboathadmovedbuttheswordhadno.TwoMonks
OncethereweretwomonksinSichuan.Onewaspoor,andtheotherwasrich.Onedaythepoormonkaskedtherichon,"IwanttogotoNanhai.Whatdoyouthinkofit?"Therichoneasked,"Whatdoyoudependontogothere?"Thepooroneanswered,"Abottleandabasin."Therichonelaughedandsaid,"Ihavebeenthinkingaboutgoingtherebyboatformanyyears,butIhavefailed.Howcanyougothere?"Thenextyear,thepoormonkreturnedfromNanhai.Therichonelookedashamed.
TheCrowandtheFox
Onedayacrowfoundapieceofmeat.Shepickeditupandflewtoatalltree.Shewasjustgoingtoeatthemeatwhenafoxsawher.Hecameandstoodunderthetreeandsaid,"Howbeautifulyouare!"Thecrowwasgladtohearthat.Thenthefoxsaid,"Icanseeyourbeautifulface,butIcan''thearyourbeautifulvoice.Whydon''tyousingasong?"Thecrowbegantosing.Butwhensheopenedhermouth,shedroppedthemeat,andthefoxpickeditupatonce.
TwoFriends
Twofriendswerewalkingintheforest.Oneistall,andtheotherisshort.Thetallmansaidtotheother,"Wearegoodfriends.Ifanybeastcomes,I\''llhelpyou."Theshortmananswered,"Ofcourse,wearegoodfriends."Atthistimeabearcametothem.Thetallmanquicklyclimbedupatree,buttheshortonecouldn\''t.Hesaid,"Helpme,Ican\''tclimbup."Butthetallmansaid,"No,thetreeisnotstrong."Theshortmanhadtothrowhimselftothegroundandheldhisbreath.Thebearsmelthimandwentaway.Thetallmancamedownandasked,"Whatdidthebearsaytoyou?""Herunsawayfromyouwhenyouareingreatneed.Heisnotyourfriend,"heanswered.Remember:Afriendinneedisafriendindeed.
AnAntandaBird
Onceanantwasdrinkingbyasmallriverandfellin.Shetriedherbesttoteachthebank,butshecould\''tmoveatall.Atthistime,abirdthrewapieceofwoodtoher.Shewassaved.Whentheantwasdryingherselfinthegrass,amancame,carryingaguninhishand.Justasthemanwasgoingtokillthebird,theantbithimononeofhisfeet.Thebirdflewawayatonce.Remember:Weshouldhelpeveryone,andweourselvesoftenneedhelp.THEREDSHOES
Therewasoncealittlegirlwhowasveryprettyanddelicate,butinsummershewasforcedtorunaboutwithbarefeet,shewassopoor,andinwinterwearverylargewoodenshoes,whichmadeherlittleinstepsquitered,andthatlookedsodangerous!InthemiddleofthevillagelivedoldDameShoemaker;shesatandsewedtogether,aswellasshecould,alittlepairofshoesoutofoldredstripsofcloth;theywereveryclumsy,butitwasakindthought.Theyweremeantforthelittlegirl.ThelittlegirlwascalledKaren.
Ontheverydayhermotherwasburied,Karenreceivedtheredshoes,andworethemforthefirsttime.Theywerecertainlynotintendedformourning,butshehadnoothers,andwithstockinglessfeetshefollowedthepoorstrawcoffininthem.
Suddenlyalargeoldcarriagedroveup,andalargeoldladysatinit:shelookedatthelittlegirl,feltcompassionforher,andthensaidtotheclergyman:
"Here,givemethelittlegirl.Iwilladopther!"AndKarenbelievedallthishappenedonaccountoftheredshoes,buttheoldladythoughttheywerehorrible,andtheywereburnt.ButKarenherselfwascleanlyandnicelydressed;shemustlearntoreadandsew;andpeoplesaidshewasanicelittlething,butthelooking-glasssaid:"Thouartmorethannice,thouartbeautiful!"Nowthequeenoncetravelledthroughtheland,andshehadherlittledaughterwithher.Andthislittledaughterwasaprincess,andpeoplestreamedtothecastle,andKarenwastherealso,andthelittleprincessstoodinherfinewhitedress,inawindow,andletherselfbestaredat;shehadneitheratrainnoragoldencrown,butsplendidredmoroccoshoes.TheywerecertainlyfarhandsomerthanthoseDameShoemakerhadmadeforlittleKaren.Nothingintheworldcanbecomparedwithredshoes.
NowKarenwasoldenoughtobeconfirmed;shehadnewclothesandwastohavenewshoesalso.Therichshoemakerinthecitytookthemeasureofherlittlefoot.Thistookplaceathishouse,inhisroom;wherestoodlargeglass-cases,filledwithelegantshoesandbrilliantboots.Allthislookedcharming,buttheoldladycouldnotseewell,andsohadnopleasureinthem.
Inthemidstoftheshoesstoodapairofredones,justlikethosetheprincesshadworn.Howbeautifultheywere!Theshoemakersaidalsotheyhadbeenmadeforthechildofacount,buthadnotfitted.
"Thatmustbepatentleather!"saidtheoldlady."Theyshineso!""Yes,theyshine!"saidKaren,andtheyfitted,andwerebought,buttheoldladyknewnothingabouttheirbeingred,elseshewouldneverhaveallowedKarentohavegoneinredshoestobeconfirmed.Yetsuchwasthecase.
Everybodylookedatherfeet;andwhenshesteppedthroughthechanceldooronthechurchpavement,itseemedtoherasiftheoldfiguresonthetombs,thoseportraitsofoldpreachersandpreachers''wives,withstiffruffs,andlongblackdresses,fixedtheireyesonherredshoes.Andshethoughtonlyofthemastheclergymanlaidhishanduponherhead,andspokeoftheholybaptism,ofthecovenantwithGod,andhowsheshouldbenowamaturedChristian;andtheorganpealedsosolemnly;thesweetchildren''svoicessang,andtheoldmusic-directorssang,butKarenonlythoughtofherredshoes.
Intheafternoon,theoldladyheardfromeveryonethattheshoeshadbeenred,andshesaidthatitwasverywrongofKaren,thatitwasnotatallbecoming,andthatinfutureKarenshouldonlygoinblackshoestochurch,evenwhensheshouldbeolder.
ThenextSundaytherewasthesacrament,andKarenlookedattheblackshoes,lookedattheredones--lookedatthemagain,andputontheredshoes.
Thesunshonegloriously;Karenandtheoldladywalkedalongthepaththroughthecorn;itwasratherdustythere.
Atthechurchdoorstoodanoldsoldierwithacrutch,andwithawonderfullylongbeard,whichwasmoreredthanwhite,andhebowedtotheground,andaskedtheoldladywhetherhemightdusthershoes.AndKarenstretchedoutherlittlefoot.
"See,whatbeautifuldancingshoes!"saidthesoldier."Sitfirmwhenyoudance";andheputhishandouttowardsthesoles.
Andtheoldladygavetheoldsoldieralms,andwentintothechurchwithKaren.
AndallthepeopleinthechurchlookedatKaren''sredshoes,andallthepictures,andasKarenkneltbeforethealtar,andraisedthecuptoherlips,sheonlythoughtoftheredshoes,andtheyseemedtoswiminit;andsheforgottosingherpsalm,andsheforgottopray,"OurFatherinHeaven!"Nowallthepeoplewentoutofchurch,andtheoldladygotintohercarriage.
Karenraisedherfoottogetinafterher,whentheoldsoldiersaid,"Look,whatbeautifuldancingshoes!"AndKarencouldnothelpdancingasteportwo,andwhenshebeganherfeetcontinuedtodance;itwasjustasthoughtheshoeshadpoweroverthem.Shedancedroundthechurchcorner,shecouldnotleaveoff;thecoachmanwasobligedtorunafterandcatchholdofher,andheliftedherinthecarriage,butherfeetcontinuedtodancesothatshetrodontheoldladydreadfully.
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