LANGUAGE 



3319 



LANGUAGE 



Queen oj Hearts, and many simple stories. 

 These exercises keep the pupils interested and 

 also serve to strengthen their powers of expres- 

 sion. See DRAMA, page 1855. 



5. Material. The best primers and first read- 

 ers contain material of high literary value, but 

 unfortunately many books of poems and prose 

 selections for children and most of the edu- 

 cational journals publish much material for 

 language and reading work that is decidedly 

 below the standard approved by the best edu- 

 cators. Selections for memorizing and stories 

 to be read or told to the pupils should be 

 selected with the greatest care. When we have 

 the works of the masters to draw upon, why 

 seek inferior sources? The selections that fol- 

 low are given as illustrations of the sort of 

 material that should be selected: 



The Queen of Hearts, 

 She made some tarts 

 All on a summer's day : 

 The Knave of Hearts, 

 He stole those tarts, 

 And took them clean away. 



The King of Hearts, 



Called for the tarts, 



And beat the Knave full sore : 



The Knave of Hearts 



Brought back the tarts, 



And vowed he'd steal no more. 



The Swing 



ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON 



How do you like to go up in a swing, 



Up in the air so blue? 

 Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing 



Ever a child can do ! 



Up in the air and over the wall, 



Till I can see so wide, 

 Rivers and trees and cattle and all 



Over the countryside 

 Till I look down on the garden green, 



Down on the roof so brown 

 Up in the air I go flying again, 



Up in the air and down ! 



What Does Little Birdie Say? 



ALFRED TENNYSON 



What does little birdie say, 

 In her nest at peep of day? 



"Let me fly," says little birdie, 

 "Mother, let me fly away." 



Birdie, rest a little longer, 



Till the little wings are stronger. 



So she rests a little longer, 

 Then she flies away. 



What does little baby say, 

 In her bed at peep of day? 



Baby says, like little birdie, 

 "Let me rise and fly away." 



Baby, sleep a little longer, 



Till the little limbs are stronger. 



If she sleeps a little longer 

 Baby, too, shall fly away. 



Seven Times One 



JEAN INGELOW 



There's no dew left on the daisies and clover, 



There's no rain left in heaven : 

 I've said my "seven times" over and over, 



Seven times one are seven. 



I am old, so old I can write a letter ; 



My birthday lessons are done ; 

 The lambs play always, they know no better ; 



They are only one times one. 



moon ! in the night I have seen you sailing 

 And shining so round and low ; 



You were bright ! ah, bright ; but your light is 



failing 

 You are nothing now but a bow. 



You moon, have you done something wrong in 



heaven 

 That God has hidden your face? 



1 hope if you have you will soon be forgiven, 

 And shine again in your place. 



O velvet bee, you're a dusty fellow, 

 You've powdered your legs with gold ! 



O brave marsh rnarybuds, rich and yellow, 

 Give me your money to hold. 



O columbine, open your folded wrapper, 

 Where two twin turtle-doves dwell ! 



cuckoopint, toll me the purple clapper 

 That hangs in your clear green bell ! 



And show me your nest with the young ones in it ; 

 I will not steal them away ; 



1 am old ! you may trust me, linnet, linnet 



I am seven times one to-day. 



The Fox and the Crow 



A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of 

 cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a 

 tree. 



"That's for me, as I am a Fox," said Master 

 Renard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree. 



"Good-day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How 

 well you are looking to-day ; how glossy your 

 feathers ; how bright your eye. I feel sure your 

 voice must surpass that of other birds, just as 

 your figure does ; let me hear you sing, that I 

 may call you queen of birds." 



The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw 

 her best, but the moment she opened her mouth 

 the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be 

 snapped up by Master Fox. 



"That will do," said he. "That was all I 

 wanted. For your cheese I will give you a piece 

 of advice : Do not trust flatterers." 



The Owl and the Pussy-Cat 



The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea 



In a beautiful pea-green boat ; 

 They took some honey, and plenty of money 



Wrapped up in a five-pound note. 

 The Owl looked up to the stars above, 



And sang to a small guitar, 

 "Oh, lovely Pussy ! Oh, Pussy, my love ! 



What a beautiful Pussy you are !" 



