MARCH 7: The Marbles
“The Marbles,” said daddy, “were very proud because they had been used so much by boys and girls—especially by boys.
“Then, too, the Elves had played marbles, as years before they had found out about them and thought they were lots of fun to play with.
“‘You are nothing but an ordinary Marble,’ said one large and very blue Marble to a little Marble.
“‘But I am useful for playing. And I joggle along and roll much better than you do. You are so big. You are quite awkward!’
“‘I’d feel pretty badly,’ said the big Marble, ‘if I were as cheap as you. You cost next to nothing. In fact, you didn’t even cost a cent. Not one whole cent!’
“The Marble rolled along a little way as if it couldn’t be too near the cheap Marble.
“‘But a cent bought me,’ said the little Marble.
“‘Yes,’ said the big Marble proudly, ‘it bought you and also a number of other marbles, too. You were one of five for a cent. One cent bought you and four others! Now, as for me! well, it took the whole of five cents to buy me!’
“‘I know it,’ said the little Marble sadly.
“‘My Master only bought me yesterday,’ said the big Marble. ‘His friends have not seen me. They’ll trade everything for me! Gracious—they’d trade dozens of little Marbles just for me! I cost five cents!’
“The children had arrived, but they did not seem to want to trade everything for it! One of them said,
“‘It is a beauty, but then it is not nearly so nice to play with as the smaller ones; besides, if I gave up a lot of small marbles for that big one I’d never be able to have a real game.’
“And all the other children said just the same thing.
“They played and they played. But the big Marble was so mad that it rolled away crookedly and no one thought so much of it.
“After the children had finished playing and had taken their marbles, and after the Master of the big Marble had put it away with the smaller ones, the little Marble which had been bought with four others for a cent said,
“‘Well, you may be handsome and big. But you are not nearly such fun as we are. Sometimes the cheap things are the most fun. It doesn’t mean because you cost five cents that you can give more pleasure.’
“‘I’m glad I can’t be used all the time like you all are,’ said the big Marble. ‘I am too fine for little Marbles, anyway.’
“But all the little Marbles were happy because they were the best for the children’s games.”