how to tell children stories(如何给孩子讲故事)-第25章
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who the little strange dog was。
But one day Wylie went to walk with her two masters； and they
happened to meet some sheep farmers。 The sheep farmers stopped short
and stared at Wylie； and then they cried out； 〃Why； THAT'S THE DOG！
That's the wee fell yin！〃 And so it was。 The little strange dog who helped
with the sheep was Wylie。
Her masters； of course； didn't know what the farmers meant； till they
were told all about what I have been telling you。 But when they heard
about the pretty strange dog who came to market all alone； they knew at
last where Wylie went； every Tuesday night。 And they loved her better
than ever
Wasn't it wise of the dear little dog to go and work for other people
when her own work was taken away？ I fancy she knew that the best
people and the best dogs always work hard at something。 Any way she did
that same thing as long as she lived； and she was always just as gentle； and
silky…haired； and loving as at first。
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LITTLE DAYLIGHT＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from At the Back of the North Wind； by George
Macdonald。
Once there was a beautiful palace； which had a great wood at one
side。 The king and his courtiers hunted in the wood near the palace； and
there it was kept open； free from underbrush。 But farther away it grew
wilder and wilder； till at last it was so thick that nobody knew what was
there。 It was a very great wood indeed。
In the wood lived eight fairies。 Seven of them were good fairies； who
had lived there always； the eighth was a bad fairy； who had just come。 And
the worst of it was that nobody but the other fairies knew she WAS a fairy；
people thought she was just an ugly old witch。 The good fairies lived in
the dearest little houses！ One lived in a hollow silver birch； one in a little
moss cottage； and so on。 But the bad fairy lived in a horrid mud house in
the middle of a dark swamp。
Now when the first baby was born to the king and queen； her father
and mother decided to name her 〃Daylight；〃 because she was so bright and
sweet。 And of course they had a christening party。 And of COURSE they
invited the fairies； because the good fairies had always been at the
christening party when a princess was born in the palace； and everybody
knew that they brought good gifts。
But； alas； no one knew about the swamp fairy； and she was not
invited；which really pleased her； because it gave her an excuse for doing
something mean。
The good fairies came to the christening party； and； one after another；
five of them gave little Daylight good gifts。 The other two stood among
the guests； so that no one noticed them。 The swamp fairy thought there
were no more of them； so she stepped forward； just as the archbishop was
handing the baby back to the lady…in…waiting。
〃I am just a little deaf；〃 she said； mumbling a laugh with her toothless
gums。 〃Will your reverence tell me the baby's name again？〃
〃Certainly； my good woman；〃 said the bishop； 〃the infant is little
Daylight。〃
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〃And little Daylight it shall be； forsooth；〃 cried the bad fairy。 〃I decree
that she shall sleep all day。〃 Then she laughed a horrid shrieking laugh；
〃He； he； hi； hi！〃
Everyone looked at everyone else in despair； but out stepped the sixth
good fairy； who by arrangement with her sisters had remained in the
background to undo what she could of any evil that the swamp fairy might
decree。
〃Then at least she shall wake all night；〃 she said； sadly。
〃Ah！〃 screamed the swamp fairy； 〃you spoke before I had finished；
which is against the law； and gives me another chance。〃 All the fairies
started at once to say； 〃I beg your pardon！〃 But the bad fairy said； 〃I had
only laughed ‘he； he！' and ‘hi； hi！' I had still ‘ho； ho！' and ‘hu； hu！' to
laugh。〃
The fairies could not gainsay this； and the bad fairy had her other
chance。 She said；
〃Since she is to wake all night； I decree that she shall wax and wane
with the moon！ Ho； ho； hu； hu！〃
Out stepped the seventh good fairy。 〃Until a prince shall kiss her
without knowing who she is；〃 she said； quickly。
The swamp fairy had been prepared for the trick of keeping back one
good fairy； but she had not suspected it of two； and she could not say a
word； for she had laughed 〃ho； ho！〃 and 〃hu； hu！〃
The poor king and queen looked sad enough。 〃We don't know what
you mean；〃 they said to the good fairy who had spoken last。 But the good
fairy smiled。 〃The meaning of the thing will come with the thing；〃 she
said。
That was the end of the party； but it was only the beginning of the
trouble。 Can you imagine what a queer household it would be； where the
baby laughed and crowed all night； and slept all day？ Little Daylight was
as merry and bright all night as any baby in the world； but with the first
sign of dawn she fell asleep； and slept like a little dormouse till dark。
Nothing could waken her while day lasted。 Still； the royal family got used
to this； but the rest of the bad fairy's gift was a great deal worse；that
about waxing and waning with the moon。 You know how the moon grows
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bigger and brighter each night； from the time it is a curly silver thread low
in the sky till it is round and golden； flooding the whole sky with light？
That is the waxing moon。 Then； you know； it wanes； it grows smaller and
paler again； night by night； till at last it disappears for a while； altogether。
Well； poor little Daylight waxed and waned with it。 She was the rosiest；
plumpest； merriest baby in the world when the moon was at the full； but as
it began to wane her little cheeks grew paler； her tiny hands thinner； with
every night； till she lay in her cradle like a shadow…baby； without sound or
motion。 At first they thought she was dead； when the moon disappeared；
but after some months they got used to this too； and only waited eagerly
for the new moon； to see her revive。 When it shone again； faint and silver；
on the horizon； the baby stirred weakly； and then they fed her gently； each
night she grew a little better； and when the moon was near the full again；
she was again a lively； rosy； lovely child。
So it went on till she grew up。 She grew to be the most beautiful
maiden the moon ever shone on； and everyone loved her so much； for her
sweet ways and her merry heart； that someone was always planning to stay
up at night； to be near her。 But she did not like to be watched； especially
when she felt the bad time of waning coming on； so her ladies…in…waiting
had to be very careful。 When the moon waned she became shrunken and
pale and bent； like an old； old woman； worn out with sorrow。 Only her
golden hair and her blue eyes remained unchanged； and this gave her a
terribly strange look。 At last； as the moon disappeared； she faded away to a
little； bowed； old creature； asleep and helpless。
No wonder she liked best to be alone！ She got in the way of wandering
by herself in the beautiful wood； playing in the moonlight when she was
well； stealing away in the shadows when she was fading with the moon。
Her father had a lovely little house of roses and vines built for her； there。 It
stood at the edge of a most beautiful open glade； inside the wood； where
the moon shone best。 There the princess lived with her ladies。 And there
she danced when the moon was full。 But when the moon waned； her ladies
often lost her altogether； so far did she wander； and sometimes they found
her sleeping under a great tree； and brought her home in their arms。
When the princess was about seventeen years old； there was a
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rebellion in a kingdom not far from her father's。 Wicked nobles murdered
the king of the country and stole his throne； and would have murdered the
young prince； too； if he had not escaped； dressed in peasant's clothes。
Dressed in his poor rags； the prince wandered about a long time； till
one day he got into a great wood； and lost his way。 It was the wood where
the Princess Daylight lived； but of course he did not know anything about
that nor about her。 He wandered till night； and then he came to a queer
little house。 One of the good fairies lived there； and the minute she saw
him she knew all about everything； but to him she looked only like a kind
old woman。 She gave him a good supper and a bed for the night； and told
him to come back to her if he found no better place for the next night。 But
the prince said he must get out of the wood at once； so in the morning he
took leave of the fairy。
All day long he walked； and walked； but at nightfall he had not found
his way out of the wood； so he lay down to rest till the moon should rise
and light his path。
When he woke the moon was glorious； it was three days from the full；
and bright as silver。 By its light he saw what he thought to be the edge of
the wood； and he hastened toward it。 But when he came to it； it was only
an open space； surrounded with trees。 It was so very lovely； in the white
moonlight； that the prince stood a minute to look。 And as he looked；
something white moved out of the trees on the far side of the open space。
It was something slim and white； that swayed in the dim light like a young
birch。
〃It must be a moon fairy；〃 thought the prince； and he stepped into the
shadow。
The moon fairy came nearer and nearer； dancing and swaying in the
moonlight。 And as she came； she began to sing a soft； gay little song。
But when she was quite close； the prince saw that she was not a fairy
after all； but a real human
