The Gingerbread Boy and Joyful Jingle Play Stories

Once upon a time Bobby Bright Eyes was sitting on the door step crying, when an airy, fairy voice sang:

Bobby was so surprised he looked around to see where the voice came from, but the Fairy was well hidden as she sang again:

Bobby Bright Eyes dropped into verse too, in his excitement and said:

Then the fairy sailed away.

Some time after, Bobby Bright Eyes sat on the door step looking very sad for soon he would be five years old, and he was thinking that he had never had a Birthday Party in his life.

At this very minute a ringing, singing voice cried out:

Bobby Bright Eyes replied:

So time went on, and one day the Fairy danced in a tree overhead in plain sight, singing:

Bobby Bright Eyes answered:

The Birthday Fairy knew then that Bobby Bright Eyes was nearly five years old, so she kissed him on both cheeks and followed him about all day singing:

Bobby had such bright eyes he was always seeing something to be done, without being told. So he ran on out to the barn and gave Pussy Whiskers, the Cat, a drink of milk.

Then Bobby ran on to the neighbor who baked beautiful birthday cakes and carried a letter for her to the Post Office, and,

Then Bobby ran errands for the big fat grocer, and,

Then Bobby shared an apple with the boy next door, and,

Then Bobby helped a Limpy-Lame Old Man across the street and,

Now every hour Bobby Bright Eyes grew nearer and nearer five years old, and the Birthday Fairy at last said,

At last Bobby replied, clapping his hands:

Then the Birthday Fairy danced right down beside him replying:

And before Bobby had time to say he was too poor to have a Birthday Party, pitter-patter, pitter-patter came Pussy Whiskers, carrying a small black kitten in her mouth for a Birthday present. She purred softly:

Bobby Bright Eyes was happy you may be sure.

Then, the neighbor who baked beautiful birthday cakes came saying:

It was a wonderful cake with pink and white icing upon it.

Then the big fat grocer came puffing along and cried:

Sure enough, he had five candles to put on the Birthday cake and when they were lighted they glittered like gold.

Then the little boy from next door ran over and threw a bouncing ball to Bobby Bright Eyes, saying:

Just as they were beginning to play ball the Limpy-Lame Old Man came, saying:

The Birthday Fairy had kept her secret well, so they all had the merriest kind of a time, and Bobby Bright Eyes had a Birthday Party after all. The Birthday Fairy was the merriest one of all for she sang as they cut the Birthday Cake: