JANUARY 30: The Little Old Man
“There was once a very strange old man,” said daddy, “who decided he would live at the top of the mountain. He liked to hear all the rumbling sounds and thought he’d like to help make them. He loved pine trees, too, of which there were plenty on top of the mountain. He told his family about his desire, and the next day they started off.
“At last they reached the top, and there were so many of them it did make a merry party.
“But it was almost dark, and they were all eager for supper.
“The grandmothers and mothers arranged the supper, and they had a most delicious meal too.
“They had moss soup, a salad of pine needles chopped up very fine, big berry pies and nuts, for they all wanted to eat mountain food at once. They sat on low stumps of trees while they ate.
“After they’d finished eating they all felt quite energetic, and so the old grandfather, who was the leader in everything, said:
“‘Let’s help with this storm which is coming on.’ And I should say they did!
“All the older ones bellowed at the tops of their lungs so that it sounded almost like roaring. The younger ones whistled and sang. The people who lived at the foot of the mountain shivered and said: ‘Oh, what a terrific storm! Listen to the sound of the wind!’
“But the old man and his family thought it fine fun.”