CHARLES, here are more ſtories for you,—ſtories about good boys, and [4] naughty boys, and ſilly boys; for you know what it is to be good now. And there is a ſtory about two fooliſh Cocks that were always quarrelling, which is very naughty. You do not quarrel? No. I am glad of it; but if you ſee any little boys that quarrel you may tell [5] them the ſtory of the Two Cocks. This is it:

There was once a Hen who lived in a farm-yard, and ſhe had a large brood of chickens. She took a great deal of care of them, and gathered them under her wings every night, and fed them, and nurſed them [6] very well: and they were all very good, except two Cocks, that were always quarrelling with one another. They were hardly out of the ſhell before they began to peck at each other; and when they grew bigger they fought till they were all bloody. If one picked [7] up a barley-corn the other always wanted to have it. They never looked pretty, be⯑cauſe their feathers were pulled off in fighting till they were quite bare; and they picked at one another's eyes till they were both almoſt blind. The old Hen very often told them [8] how naughty it was to quarrel ſo; but they did not mind her.

So one day theſe two Cocks had been fighting, as they al⯑ways did; and the biggeſt Cock, whoſe name was Chan⯑ticleer, beat the other, and crowed over him, and drove [9] him quite out of the yard. The Cock that had been beat ſlunk away and hid himſelf; for he was vexed he had been conquered, and he wanted ſadly to be revenged; but he [...]id not know how to manage [...], for he was not ſtrong [...]ough himſelf. So, after [10] thinking a great deal, he went to an old ſly Fox that lived near, and ſaid to him, Fox, if you will come with me I will ſhew you where there is a large fat Cock in a farm-yard, and you may cat him up if you will. The Fox was very glad, for he was [11] hungry enough; and he ſaid, Yes, I will come with all my heart, and I will not leave a feather of him. So they went together, and the Cock ſhewed Reynard the way into the farm-yard; and there was poor Chanticleer aſleep upon the perch. And [12] the Fox ſeized him by the neck, and ate him up; and the other Cock ſtood by and crowed for joy. But when the Fox had done, he ſaid, Chanticleer was very good, but I have not had enough; and ſo he flew upon the other [13] Cock, and ate him up too in a moment.

I will tell you a ſtory.

There was a little boy whoſe name was Harry; and his papa and mamma ſent [14] him to ſchool. Now Harry was a clever fellow, and loved his book; and he got to be firſt in his claſs. So his mamma got up one morning very early and called Betty the maid, and ſaid, Betty, I think we muſt make a cake for Harry, for he [15] has learned his book very well. And Betty ſaid, Yes, with all my heart. So they made a nice cake. It was very large, and ſtuffed full of plums and ſweetmeats, orange and citron; and it was iced all over with ſugar: it was white and ſmooth on [16] the top like ſnow. So this cake was ſent to the ſchool. When little Harry ſaw it he was very glad, and jump⯑ed about for joy, and he hardly ſtayed for a knife to cut a piece, but gnawed it like a little dog. So he ate till the bell rang for ſchool, and [17] after ſchool he ate again, and ate till he went to bed; nay, his bed-fellow told me that he laid his cake under his pillow, and ſat up in the night to eat ſome. So he ate till it was all gone.—But preſently after this little boy was very ſick and ill, [18] and every body ſaid, I won⯑der what is the matter with Harry—he uſed to be ſo briſk, and play about more nimbly than any of the boys; and now he looks pale and is very ill. And ſomebody ſaid, Harry has had a rich cake, and eat it all up very [19] ſoon, and that has made him [...]. So they ſent for Dr. [...]amomile, and he gave him [...] do not know how much [...]tter ſtuff. Poor Harry did [...] like it at all, but he was [...]rced to take it, or elſe he [...]ould have died, you know. [...] at laſt he got well again, [20] but his mamma ſaid [...] would ſend him no mo [...] cakes.

Now there was anoth [...] boy, who was one of Harry [...] ſchool-fellows: his name [...] Peter; the boys uſed [...] call him Peter Careful. [...] Peter had written his mam [...] [21] [...] very neat pretty letter— [...]ere was not one blot in [...] all. So his mamma ſent [...] a cake. Now Peter [...]ought with himſelf, I will [...]ot make myſelf ſick with [...]is good cake, as ſilly Harry [...]id; I will keep it a great [...]hile. So he took the cake, [22] and tugged it up ſtairs. I was very heavy: he cou [...] hardly carry it. And [...] locked it up in his box, [...] once a day he crept ſlily [...] ſtairs, and ate a very litt [...] piece, and then locked [...] box again. So he kept [...] ſeveral weeks, and it was n [...] [23] [...]one, for it was very large; [...]ut, behold! the mice got [...]nto his box and nibbled [...]ome. And the cake grew [...]ry and mouldy, and at [...]aſt was good for nothing [...] all. So he was obliged [...] throw it away, and it [...]rieved him to the very heart, [24] and no body was ſorry [...] him.

Well; there was anothe [...] little boy at the ſame ſchoo [...] whoſe name was Billy. And one day his mamma ſent him a cake, becauſe ſhe love [...] him dearly, and he loved he [...] dearly. So when the cak [...] [25] ame, Billy ſaid to his ſchool⯑fellows I have got a cake, come let us go and eat it. So they came about him like a parcel of bees; and Billy took a ſlice of cake himſelf, and then gave a piece to one, and a piece to another, and [...] piece to another, till it was [26] almoſt gone. Then Billy put the reſt by, and ſaid, I will eat it to-morrow. So he went to play, and the boys all played together very mer⯑rily. But preſently after an old blind Fiddler came into the court: he had a long white beard; and, becauſe he [27] was blind, he had a little dog in a ſtring to lead him. So he came into the court, and ſat down upon a ſtone, and ſaid, My pretty lads, if you will, I will play you a tune. And they all left off their ſport, and came and ſtood round him. And [28] Billy ſaw that while he play⯑ed the tears ran down his cheeks. And Billy ſaid, Old man, why do you cry? And the old man ſaid, Becauſe I am very hungry—I have no⯑body to give me any din⯑ners or ſuppers—I have no⯑thing in the world but this [29] little dog; and I cannot work. If I could work I would. Then Billy went without ſaying a word, and fetched the reſt of his cake which he had intended to have eaten another day, and he ſaid, Here, old man! here is ſome cake for you. The [30] old man ſaid, Where is it? for I am blind, I cannot ſee it. So Billy put it into his hat. And the Fiddler thank⯑ed him, and Billy was more glad than if he had eaten ten cakes.

Pray which do you love [31] beſt? do you love Harry, or Peter, or Billy beſt?

Little boy, come to me. Tell me how far from home have you been in your life? I think I ſhould like to go a great long way with you, [32] and ſee what we could ſee: for there are a great many places in the world beſides home. Bring your hat. Good-bye, Papa. Farewell, Billy, and Harry, and every body. We are going a great way off. And we ſhall go down the lane, and through [33] the church-yard, and by the corner houſe, and over the ſtile, till we have got quite into the fields. How pretty the fields will look! for it will be ſummer days again before we go. And there will be yellow flowers, and white flowers, and graſs, [34] and trees, and hedges; and the graſshoppers will chirp, chirp, under our feet. Do not try to catch them; it will only hinder us, and we have a great way to go.

Pray what are thoſe pretty creatures that look ſo meek and good-natured, and have [35] ſoft thick white wool upon their backs, like a great coat, and make a noiſe like the little baby when it cries? Thoſe are ſheep and lambs. And what are thoſe creatures with horns, that are bigger than the ſheep? Some of them are black, and ſome [36] red: they make a loud noiſe, but they do not look as if they would hurt any body. Thoſe are cows that give milk. Stroke them. Poor cows! Stand ſtill and look back. Now we cannot ſee papa's houſe at all; and we can ſee only the top of the [37] church ſteeple. Let us go a little farther. Now look back. Now we cannot ſee the church at all. Farewell! We are going a great way. Shall we ever come back again? Yes, we ſhall come back again; but we muſt [38] go on now. Come, make haſte.

What is that tall thing that has four great arms which move very faſt? I believe if I was near it they would ſtrike me down. It is a Wind-mill. Thoſe arms are the ſails. The wind [39] turns them round. And what is a wind-mill for? It is to grind corn. You could have no bread if the corn were not ground. Well, but here is a river: how ſhall we do to get over it? Why do not you ſee how thoſe ducks do? they ſwim over. [40] But I cannot ſwim. Then you muſt learn to ſwim, I believe: it is too wide to jump over. O here is a Bridge! Somebody has made a bridge for us quite over the river. That ſomebody was very good, for I do not know what we ſhould have [41] done without it; and he was very clever too. I wonder now he made it. I am ſure I could not make ſuch a bridge.

Well, we muſt go on, on, on; and we ſhall ſee more [...]ivers, and more fields, and owns bigger than our town [42] a great deal—large towns, and fine churches, ſtreets and people—more than there is at the fair. And we ſhall have a great many high hills to climb. I believe I muſt get ſomebody to carry the little boy up thoſe high hills. And ſometimes we ſhall [...] [43] through duſty ſandy roads; and ſometimes through green [...]anes, where we ſhall hear the birds ſing. Sometimes we ſhall go over wide com⯑mons, where we ſhall ſee no [...]rees, nor any houſe; and [...]arge heaths, where there [...] hardly any graſs—only [44] ſome purple flowers, and a few black noſed little ſheep. Ha! did you ſee that pretty brown creature that ran acroſs the path? Here is another; and look! there is another: there are a great many. They are Rabbits. They live here, and make themſelves houſes [45] in the ground. This is a rabbit-warren.

Now we are come amongſt a great many trees—more trees than there are in the orchard by a great many; and taller trees. There is oak, and aſh, and elm. This is a Wood. What great [46] boughs the trees have! like thick arms. The ſun can⯑not ſhine amongſt the trees, they are ſo thick. Look, there is a ſquirrel! jumping from one tree to another. He is very nimble. What a pret⯑ty tail he has!

[47] Well; when we have gone on a great many days, through a great many fields and towns, we ſhall come to a great deep water, bigger a great many times than the [...]iver, for you can ſee over [...]he river, you know—you [...]an ſee fields on the other [48] ſide: but this is ſo large, and ſo wide, you can ſee nothing but water, water, as far as ever you can carry your eyes. And it is not ſmooth, like the river; it is all rough, like the great pot in the kitchen when it is boiling. And it is ſo deep [49] it would drown you if you were as tall as two church ſteeples. I wonder what they call this great water! there is an old, old fiſher⯑man, ſitting upon a ſtone drying himſelf; for he is very wet. I think we will aſk him. Pray, fiſherman, [50] what is this great water? It is the Sea: did you never hear of the ſea? What! is this great water the ſame ſea that is in our map at home? Yes, it is. Well, this is very ſtrange! we are come to the ſea that is in our map. But it is very little in the [51] map. I can lay my finger over it. Yes; it is little in the map, becauſe every thing is little in the map: the towns are little, and the rivers are little.

Pray, Fiſherman, is there any thing on the other ſide of this ſea? Yes; fields, [52] and towns, and people. Will you go and ſee them? I ſhould like to go very well; but how muſt we do to get over? for there is no bridge here. Do not you ſee thoſe great wooden boxes that ſwim upon the water? They are bigger than all papa's [53] houſe. There are tall poles in the middle, as high as a tree. Thoſe are maſts. See! now they are ſpread⯑ing the ſails. Thoſe white ſheets are the ſails. They are like wings. Theſe wooden boxes are like houſes with wings. Yes, and I will [54] tell you what, little boy! they are made on purpoſe to go over the ſea; and the wind blows them along faſter than a horſe can trot. What do they call them? They call them Ships. You have ſeen a ſhip in a picture. Shall we get in? What have [55] thoſe men in the ſhip got on? they have jackets and trow⯑ſers on, and checked ſhirts. They are ſailors. I think we will make you a ſailor; and then inſtead of breeches you muſt have a pair of trowſers. Do you ſee that ſailor, how he climbs up the [56] ropes? He is very nimble. He runs up like a monkey. Now he is at the top of the maſt. How little he looks! But we muſt get in. Come, make haſte: they will not ſtay for us. What are you doing? picking up ſhells! We muſt get into a boat [57] firſt, becauſe the ſhip is not near enough. Now we are in.

Now we are upon the great ſea. Blow, blow wind! Sail away ſhip! There are little rooms in the ſhip. Thoſe little rooms are called cabins. Let us walk about, [58] and look at the ſhip. Why, you cannot walk ſteady: I am afraid you are tipſy! Be⯑cauſe the ſhip rolls about. But the ſailors can walk ſteady. The ſea is not like the river; it is greeniſh. Well; here is water enough if we ſhould be thirſty. Yes, here [59] is water enough; but you would not like to drink it. It is ſalt and bitter. You could not drink it. How faſt we go! Now the fields are a great way off. Now we cannot ſee any green fields at all, nor any houſes, nor any thing but the great [60] deep water. It is water all round as far as ever we can ſee. Yes, and ſky; we can ſee the ſky too. All ſky over our heads, and all water every where round us! Do not be afraid, little boy! Blow, blow, wind! ſail away ſhip! I ſee ſome [61] things in the ſea at a great diſtance. Thoſe are more ſhips and boats. How very ſmall they are! they look like nut ſhells in a great pond. O, Now we are com⯑ing to the green fields and towns on the other ſide of the ſea! I can ſee them a [62] little. Now I can ſee them very plain. And here is a little piece of green land, with the water running all round it. That is an iſland. A piece of land with water all round it, is an iſland. But we are not going there; we are going to the great land.

[63] Now we are at the land, Get out of the ſhip. Pray what country is this? This is France. France! why France is in the map too. And pray what is the name of that country we came from, where we live, and where papa lives? It is [64] England. And the deep ſea is between France and Eng⯑land? Yes, you know it is ſo in the map.

O, France is a pretty place It is warmer than our coun⯑try: and here are pretty flowers, and fine fruit, and large grapes. I never ſaw [65] ſuch large grapes in all my life. And the vines grow in the fields; they do not grow againſt walls, as our vines do. And there are a great many people, men, and wo⯑men, and little boys and girls, ſinging, and dancing about, and ſo merry! no⯑thing [66] can be like it. I think we will live here, and ſend for papa and Arthur. Let us go and talk with thoſe people. Here, you little girl! pray give us ſome [...] your nice fruit. Serviteur Monſieur. What do you ſay little girl? I do not under⯑ſtand [67] you. I cannot help that. Here is an old man cutting the vines; we will ſpeak to him. Pray, old man, will you give us ſome of your fruit? We are come a great way to ſee you. Serviteur Monſieur. What do you ſay? We do not know [68] what Serviteur Monſieur is, It is French. But we do not underſtand French. I can⯑not help that; you muſt go home and learn. And why do you ſpeak French? Be⯑cauſe this is France. Did not you know that every body ſpeaks French in [69] France? Ha, ha, ha! He he, he! Ho, ho, ho, ho! Here is a fooliſh little boy come a great way over the ſea, and does not know that every body ſpeaks French in France. Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he! Ho, ho, ho! Here is a fooliſh little boy [70] come a great way over the ſea, and does not know that every body ſpeaks French in France. Ha, ha ha! He he, he! Ho, ho, ho!—What ſhall we do, little boy? every body laughs at us; and all the little birds twitter and chirp at us. We [71] will go home again. Fare⯑well, France! We will not go to France again till papa has taught us to talk French. Let us get into the ſhip again. Blow, wind! ſail away, ſhip! Now we are [...]ot back again. Pray, papa, [...]ach the little boy French [72] before he goes a great way abroad again.

You know how many legs a Horſe has? Yes, a Horſe has four legs. And do you know what an ani⯑mal is called that has four [73] legs? It is called a Qua⯑druped. The Cow is a quadruped; and the Dog, and the Lion, and all the beaſts. But birds are not quadrupeds, for they have only two legs. Some qua⯑drupeds have hoofs. The Horſe has hoofs; ſo has the [74] Aſs, and the Cow: but the Dog has no hoofs; the Dog has toes with claws; ſo the Dog is not hoofed, but digi⯑tated; and the Cat, and the Squirrel, and a great many more are digitated. The hoof of the horſe is whole, it is all in one piece; [75] but the hoof of the Cow is parted, as if it were two hoofs. That is being clo⯑ven-footed; the hoof is clo⯑ven. The Cow, and the Sheep, and the Hog, and the Stag, are all cloven-footed; but the Horſe, and the Aſs, have whole hoofs.

The Aſs ſays, I am a Quadruped; I am a very patient good creature. I have hoofs, and very long ears: I bray very loud. The horſe is frightened when I bray, and ſtarts back; but [77] I am very meek, and never hurt any thing. My young ones are colts: I ſuckle them. I am not ſo big as a horſe, and I cannot gallop faſt, but I work very hard. Sometimes I carry little boys on my back, two or three at a time, and they whip [78] me, and prick my ſides, to make me go faſter. I carry greens to market, and tur⯑nips, and potatoes; and ſometimes I carry a great load of pans, and mugs, and pots, with which my back is almoſt broke; and I get nothing for my dinner but [79] a few prickly thiſtles, and ſome coarſe graſs from off the common: and I have no ſtable to go into as a Horſe has; I always lie out in the fields, in the ſnow, and in the rain; but I am very con⯑tented. I give milk as well as the Cow; and my milk is [80] very good for people that are ſick, to make them well again.

Ha! what is there amongſt the furze? I can ſee only its eyes. It has very large full eyes. It is a Hare. It [81] is in its form, ſquatting down amongſt the buſhes to hide itſelf, for it is very fearful. The Hare is very innocent and gentle. Its colour is brown; but in countries which are very cold it turns white as ſnow. It has a ſhort buſhy tail; its lip [82] is parted, and very hairy; and it always moves its lips. Its hind egs are very long, that it may run the better. The Hare feeds upon herbs, and roots, and the bark of young trees, and green corn; and ſometimes it will creep through the hedge, and ſteal [83] into the gardens, to eat pinks and a little parſley; and it loves to play and ſkip about by moon-light, and to bite the tender blades of graſs when the dew is up⯑on them; but in the day⯑time it ſleeps in its form. It ſleeps with its eyes open [84] becauſe it is very fearful and timid; and when it hears the leaſt noiſe it ſtarts and pricks up its large ears. And [...] the huntſman ſounds his horn, and the poor harm⯑leſs Hare hears the Dogs com⯑ing, then it it runs away very ſwiftly ſtraight forward, ſtretch⯑ing [85] its legs, and leaves them all behind. But the Dogs purſue her, and ſhe grows tired, and cannot run ſo faſt as at firſt. Then ſhe doubles, and turns, and runs back to her form, that the hounds may not find her; but they run with their [86] noſes to the ground, ſmel⯑ling till they have found her out. So when ſhe has run five or ſix miles, at laſt ſhe ſtops, and pants for breath, and can run no fur⯑ther. Then the hounds come up, and tear her, and kill her. Then when ſhe [87] is dead, her little limbs which moved ſo faſt, grow quite ſtiff, and cannot move at all. A ſnail could go faſter than a hare when it is dead: and its poor little heart, that beat ſo quick, is quite ſtill and cold; and its round full eyes are dull and dim; [88] and its ſoft furry ſkin is all torn and bloody. It is good for nothing now but to be roaſted.

All birds that ſwim in the water are web-footed. Their toes are joined together by [89] a ſkin that grows between them; that is being web-footed; and it helps the birds to ſwim well, for then their feet are like the fins of a fiſh.

The Swan ſays, My name [...] Swan: I am a large bird, [...]arger than a gooſe. My bill [90] is red, but the ſides of it are black, and I have black about my eyes. My legs are duſky, but my feet are red, and I am web-footed. My body is all white, [...] white as ſnow, and very beautiful. I have a very long neck. I live in rivers and [91] lakes. I eat plants that grow in the water, and ſeeds, and little infects, and ſnails. I do not look pretty when I walk upon the ground, for I cannot walk well at all; but when I am in the water, ſwimming ſmoothly along, arching my long neck, and [92] dipping my white breaſt, with which I make way through the water, I am the moſt graceful of all birds. I build my neſt in a little iſland amongſt the reeds and ruſhes. I make it of ſticks and long graſs: it is very large and high. Then I lay [93] my eggs, which are white, and very large, larger a great deal than a gooſe's egg; and I ſit upon them for two months; then they are hatched, and my young ones come out. They are called cygnets. They are not white at firſt, but grey⯑iſh. [94] If any body was to come near me when I am in my neſt, ſitting upon my eggs, or when I have my young ones, I ſhould fly at him; for I am very fierce to defend my young: and if you were to come to take them away, I ſhould beat [95] you down with my ſtrong pinion, and perhaps break your arm. I live a very great while.

The Sun ſays, My name is Sun: I am very bright. I riſe in the eaſt; and when [96] I riſe then it is day. I look in at your window with my bright golden eye, and tell you when it is time to get up; and I ſay, Sluggard, get up: I do not ſhine for you to lie in your bed and ſleep, but I ſhine for you to get up and work, and [97] read, and walk about. I am a great traveller, I travel all over the ſky; I never ſtop, and I never am tired. I have a crown upon my head of bright beams, and I ſend forth my rays every where. I ſhine upon the trees and the houſes, and upon the [98] water; and every thing looks ſparkling and beautiful when I ſhine upon it. I give you light, and I give you heat, for I make it warm. I make the fruit ripen, and the corn ripen. If I did not ſhine upon the fields, and upon the gardens nothing would [99] grow. I am up very high in the ſky, higher than all trees, higher than the clouds, higher than every thing. I am a great way off. If I were to come nearer you I ſhould ſcorch you to death, and I ſhould burn up the graſs, for I am all made of [100] hot glowing fire. I have been in the ſky a great while. Four years ago there was no Charles; Charles was not alive then, but there was a Sun. I was in the ſky be⯑fore papa and mamma were alive, a great many long years ago; and I am not [101] grown old yet. Sometimes I take off my crown of bright rays and wrap up my head in thin ſilver clouds, and then you may look at me; but when there are no clouds, and I ſhine with all my brightneſs at noon-day, you cannot look at me, for I [102] ſhould dazzle your eyes, and make you blind. Only the Eagle can look at me then: the Eagle with his ſtrong piercing eye can gaze upon me always. And when I am going to riſe in the morning and make it day, the Lark flies up in the ſky [103] to meet me, and ſings ſweetly in the air: and the Cock crows loud to tell every body that I am coming: but the Owl and the Bat fly away when they ſee me, and hide themſelves in old walls and hollow trees; and the Lion and the Tiger go into their [104] dens and caves, where they ſleep all the day. I ſhine in all places. I ſhine in England, and in France, and in Spain, and all over the earth. I am the moſt beautiful and glorious creature that can be ſeen in the whole world.

The Moon ſays My name is Moon; I ſhine to give you light in the night when the ſun is ſet. I am very beautiful and white like ſil⯑ver. You may look at me always, for I am not ſo [106] bright as to dazzle your eyes, and I never ſcorch you. I am mild and gentle. I let even the little glow⯑worms ſhine, which are quite dark by day. The ſtars ſhine all round me, but I am larger and brighter than the ſtars, and I look like a large pearl [107] amongſt a great many ſmall ſparkling diamonds. When you are aſleep I ſhine through your curtains with my gentle beams, and I ſay Sleep on, poor little tired boy, I will not diſturb you. The nightingale ſings to me, who ſings better than all the [108] birds of the air. She ſits up⯑on a thorn and ſings melodi⯑ouſly all night long, while the dew lies upon the graſs, and every thing is ſtill and ſilent all around.