THE ROOSTER AND THE HENS

An objective story tied in with the personal.

THE ROOSTER AND THE HENS

Once there was an egg. Inside the egg there was a little chicken growing, for the mother hen had sat on it for three weeks. When the chicken was big enough he wanted to come out and so he went pick, peck, pick, peck, until he made a little hole in the shell. Then he stuck his bill through the hole and wiggled it until the shell cracked and he could get his head through. Then he wiggled it a little more and the shell broke and he could get his foot out. And then the shell broke right in two.

As soon as the little chicken was out he went scritch, scratch, with his little foot. Then he ran to a little saucer of water. He took a little water in his bill; then he held his head up in the air while the water ran down his throat. The mother hen went:

“Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck,”

and the little chicken ran to her calling:

“Cheep, cheep, cheep.”

Then he heard a funny little noise. He looked around and what do you think he saw? Another egg was cracking because another little chicken was going pick, peck inside. Soon out of the shell came a little baby brother. And then he heard another funny little noise, and another shell broke and out of the shell came a little baby sister. And then he heard another little noise and another shell broke and out of the shell came still another little sister. This went on until there were a lot of yellow baby chickens. Then all the little chickens went scritch, scratch, with their little feet looking for worms, and all the little chickens took a drink of water and held up their heads to let the water run down their throats. And all the little chickens ran to the mother hen calling:

“Cheep, cheep, cheep.”

Now all the little chickens began to grow. The little sisters all got little bits of combs on the tops of their heads and under their bills. Their little yellow feathers turned into all kinds of colors. But the little brother chicken, he got a great big red comb on the top of his head and under his bill, and he got long spurs on his ankles. On his neck the feathers grew long and yellow and behind on his tail they grew very long and all shiny green.

He was walking around one morning while it was still dark when suddenly he felt a funny feeling in his throat. He wanted to open his mouth. So he did, and out of his mouth this is what came:

He thought it sounded perfectly wonderful; so he opened his mouth again and out came the same sound:

Now when his sister hens heard this wonderful rooster-noise they all came running out of the chicken house. This made the rooster more pleased than ever. So he threw his head way back and he opened his beak wide and he crowed:

When his sister hens heard him say this each one began to cluck and say:

Then the rooster answered:

So the little black and white hen, she ran into the barn and up on the side of the wall she saw a little box. She jumped into the little box and there she laid an egg. Then she said:

Then the little yellow hen she jumped right into the manger and she wiggled around in the straw until she made a little nest where she laid an egg. Then she said:

Then the little black hen she saw another little box nailed on to the wall so she jumped up on it and she laid an egg and then she said:

And then the little white hen she could not find any place at all. She ran around and around. Finally she sat right down in the soft dust which by this time the sun had made all warm, until she made a little round hollow and there she laid an egg. Then she said:

When the rooster saw all these eggs he opened his mouth again and bragged:

And the little hens answered:

And if ever you are out in the country early in the morning you will hear the wonderful rooster-noise. And then you will hear the hens telling how many eggs they have laid for you.

THE LITTLE HEN AND THE ROOSTER

MY HORSE, OLD DAN

This verse utilizes a child’s love of enumeration and of movement. The School has found it the most successful of my verse for small children.

MY HORSE, OLD DAN

HOW SPOT FOUND A HOME

This story was worked out with the help of a five-year-old boy who supplied most of the content. It at once suggested dramatization to various groups of children to whom it was read. The refrains are definite corner posts in the story and are recognized as such by the children.

HOW SPOT FOUND A HOME

Once there was a cat. She was a black and white and yellow cat and the boys on the street called her Spot. For she was a poor cat with no home but the street. When she wanted to sleep, she had to hunt for a dark empty cellar. When she wanted to eat, she had to hunt for a garbage can. So poor Spot was very thin and very unhappy. And much of the time she prowled and yowled and howled.

Now one day Spot was prowling along the fence in the alley. She wanted to find a home. She was saying to herself:

Then suddenly she smelled something. Sniff! went her pink little nose. Spot knew it was smoke she smelled. The smoke came out of the chimney of a house. “Where there is smoke there is fire,” thought Spot, “and where there is fire, it is warm to lie.” So she jumped down from the fence and on her little padded feet ran softly to the door. There she saw an empty milk bottle. “Where there are milk bottles, there is milk,” thought Spot, “and where there is milk, it is good to drink.” So she slipped in through the door.

Inside was a warm, warm kitchen. Spot trotted softly to the front of the stove and there she curled up. She was very happy, so she closed her eyes and began to sing:

Bang! went the kitchen door. Spot opened one sleepy eye. In front of her stood a cross, cross woman. The cross, cross woman scowled. She picked up poor Spot and threw her out of the door, screaming:

With a bound Spot jumped back to the fence.

So she trotted along the fence. In a little while sniff! went her little pink nose again. She smelled more smoke. She stopped by a house with two chimneys. The smoke came out of both chimneys! “Where there are two fires there must be room for me,” thought Spot. She jumped off the fence and pattered to the door. By the door there were two empty milk bottles. “Where there is so much milk there will be some for me,” thought Spot. But the door was shut tight. Spot ran to the window. It was open! In skipped Spot. There was another warm, warm kitchen and there was another stove. Spot trotted softly to the stove and curled up happy and warm. She closed her eyes and softly sang:

“Ssssspt!” hissed something close by. Spot leapt to her feet. “Ssssspt!” she answered back. For there in front of her stood an enormous black cat. His back was humped, his hair stood on end, his eyes gleamed and his teeth showed white.

Spot gave one great jump out of the window and another great jump to the top of the fence. For Spot was little and thin and the great black cat was strong and big. And he didn’t want Spot in his home.

Poor Spot trotted along the fence, thinking:

In a little while she smelled smoke again. Sniff! went her little pink nose. This time she stopped by a house with three chimneys. The smoke came out of all the chimneys! “Where there are three fires there must be room for me,” thought Spot. So she jumped off the fence and pattered to the door. By the door were three empty milk bottles! “Where there is so much milk there must be children,” thought Spot and then she began to feel happy. But the door was shut tight. She trotted to the window. The window was shut tight too! Then she saw some stairs. Up the stairs she trotted. There she found another door and in she slipped. She heard a very pleasant sound.

There on the hearth burned an open fire with a warm, warm rug in front of it. On the rug was a little table and on the table were two little mugs of milk. Spot curled up on the rug under the table and began to sing:

Pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat! Spot heard some little feet coming. A little boy in a nightgown ran into the room. “Look,” he called, “at the pretty spotted cat under our table!” Then pat, pat, pat, pat, pat! And a little girl in a nightgown ran into the room. “See,” she called, “the pussy has come to take supper with us!” Then the little boy, quick as a wink, put a saucer on the floor and poured some of his milk into it and the little girl, quick as a wink, poured some of hers in too.

In and out, in and out, in and out, went Spot’s pink tongue lapping up the milk. Then she sat up and washed her face very carefully. Then she curled up and closed her eyes and began to sing. That was her way of saying “Thank you, little boy and little girl! I’m so glad I’ve found a home!”

THE DINNER HORSES

THE GROCERY MAN

The material for these stories came from questions and observations on the part of three- and four-year-olds arising largely from their trips on the city streets. The children should be allowed to name the various kinds of food.

THE DINNER HORSES

In a certain house on a certain street there lives a certain little girl and her name is Ruth (one of children’s names). She sleeps in a little bed in a room with a big window opening on to the street. She sleeps all night in the little bed with her eyes closed tight. In the morning she opens her eyes and it’s just beginning to get light. Then she stretches and stretches her legs. Then she stops still and listens. For she hears him coming, coming, coming down the street. Clopperty, clopperty, clopperty, clop! comes the milk horse down the street! He stops in front of Ruth’s house. Ruth hears him. Then she hears the driver jump out and pat, pat, pat, she hears his feet coming to the door. Clank, clink, clank, go the milk bottles in his hands. Clank! she hears him put them down. Then fast she hears his feet, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat. “Go on, Dan!” she hears him call, and clopperty, clopperty, clopperty, clop! off goes the milk horse down the street.

Then after a while she hears something else. It’s quite light now. Ruth thinks it must be time to get up. She stretches and stretches her legs. Then she stretches and stretches her arms. Then she stops still and listens.

For she hears him coming, coming, coming down the street. Clippety, lip, lip, lip, clippety, lip, lip, lip! comes the bread horse down the street. He stops in front of Ruth’s house. Ruth hears him. Then she hears the driver jump out and pat, pat, pat, she hears his feet coming to the door. Rattle, crackle, goes the paper as he puts down the loaves of bread all wrapped up to keep them clean. Then fast she hears his feet, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat. “Go on, Bill!” she hears him call and clippety, lip, lip, lip, clippety, lip, lip, lip! off goes the bread horse down the street.

After breakfast when Ruth is all ready to go to school she hears a big auto coming down the street. Kachug-a-chug-a-chug comes the grocery auto down the street. It stops at Ruth’s house. Ruth runs and looks out of the window. She sees the driver jump out and take from the back of the auto a basket all full of things. She can see spinach and potatoes and a package of sugar and——and——and——.

Then pat, pat, pat, the driver runs to the door. Prrrrrr! she hears the bell ring and Ruth knows that the driver is giving Bessie all the things at the kitchen door. Then pat, pat, pat back comes the driver, jumps into the auto and kachug-a-chug-a-chug! off goes the grocery auto down the street!

On the way to school Ruth passes another wagon. Rattling and clattering, she hears the butcher’s wagon come down the street. “Is there anything in that wagon for us?” asks Ruth. And her mother answers, “Yes, a little chicken.” Then rattling and clattering off to Ruth’s house goes the butcher’s wagon down the street.

Now while Ruth is away at school Bessie washes the spinach and chops it up fine and puts it on the stove to boil. She puts the little chicken in a pan and puts it in the oven to roast. Then she puts some big potatoes in the oven to bake. Then she slices some bread and cuts off a piece of butter and pours out some glasses of milk.

When Ruth comes home from school she smells something good. “Dinner’s all ready,” calls Bessie. Ruth answers, “Come father, come mother. I’m hungry.”

So Ruth and her father and mother sit down at the table and they drink the milk and they eat the bread and the spinach and the potatoes and the chicken which the milk horse and the bread horse and the grocery auto and the butcher’s wagon brought in the morning.

THE GROCERY MAN

Prrrip! prrrip! prrrip! the telephone rings in the grocery store. “Hello,” says the grocery man. “Who are you?”

“I’m Ruth’s mother. Good morning, Mr. Grocery Man.”

“Good morning, Ruth’s Mother. What can I send you today?”

“Please, Mr. Grocery Man, send me some potatoes and some graham crackers and a package of sugar and some carrots.”

“Is that all, Ruth’s Mother?”

“Yes, that’s all. Goodbye, Mr. Grocery Man.”

“Goodbye, Ruth’s Mother.”

So the grocery man hangs up the telephone and takes a basket and in the basket he puts some potatoes, some graham crackers, a package of sugar and some carrots.

Then prrrip! prrrip! prrrip! the telephone rings again.

“Hello!” says the Grocery Man. “Who is this?”

“This is John’s Mother. Good morning, Mr. Grocery Man.”

“Good morning, John’s Mother. What can I send you today?”

“Please, Mr. Grocery Man, send me some spinach and some apples and some butter and some eggs.”

“Is that all, John’s Mother?”

“Yes, that’s all. Goodbye, Mr. Grocery Man.”

“Goodbye, John’s Mother.”

So the Grocery Man hangs up the telephone and takes another basket and in the basket he puts some spinach and some apples and some butter and some eggs.

Then prrrip! prrrip, prrrip! the telephone rings another time.

“Hello!” says the Grocery Man. “Who are you?”

“I’m Robert’s Mother. Good morning, Mr. Grocery Man.”

“Good morning, Robert’s Mother. What can I send you today?”

“Please, Mr. Grocery Man, send me some prunes and some macaroni and some salt and some oatmeal.”

“Is that all, Robert’s Mother?”

“Yes, that’s all. Goodbye, Mr. Grocery Man.”

“Goodbye, Robert’s Mother.”

So the Grocery Man hangs up the telephone and takes another basket and in the basket he puts some prunes and some macaroni and some salt and some oatmeal. Then he carries Ruth’s basket out and puts it in a wagon on the street. Then he carries John’s basket out and puts it in the wagon. At last he carries Robert’s basket out and puts that in the wagon with the others. Then the driver jumps to the seat and gathers up the reins and says “Go on, Old Dan,” and clopperty, clopperty clop! off goes Old Dan down the street.

Old Dan goes clopperty, clopperty, clop till he gets to Ruth’s house and there he stops. The driver jumps out and takes the basket and pat, pat, pat, go his feet running to the door. Prrrr! he rings the bell and gives Ruth’s mother the potatoes, the graham crackers, the sugar and the carrots. Then pat, pat, pat, he is back in the wagon. “Go on, Old Dan,” and clopperty, clopperty, clop! off goes Old Dan down the street.

Old Dan goes clopperty, clopperty, clop till he gets to John’s house and there he stops. The driver jumps out and takes another basket and pat, pat, pat go his feet running to the door. Prrrr! he rings the bell and gives John’s mother the spinach, the apples, the butter and the eggs. Then pat, pat, pat, he is back in the wagon. “Go on, Old Dan,” and clopperty, clopperty, clop! off goes Old Dan down the street.

Old Dan goes clopperty, clopperty, clop till he gets to Robert’s house and there he stops. The driver jumps out, takes another basket and pat, pat, pat, he is at the door. Prrrr! he rings the bell and gives Robert’s mother the prunes, the macaroni, the salt and the oatmeal. Then pat, pat, pat, he is back in the wagon. “Go on, Old Dan,” and clopperty, clopperty, clop! off goes old Dan down the street.

So Old Dan goes clopperty, clopperty, clop from house to house until he has left a basket with everybody who telephoned to the grocery man in the morning.

THE JOURNEY

This story, which is an adaptation of a five-year-old’s story quoted in the introduction, embodies the details given to me by another three-year-old child. The sound of the train should be intoned, as it was in the original telling.

THE JOURNEY

Once Ruth’s father was going to take a journey. He got out his suitcase. And in his suitcase he put his slippers, his pajamas, his tooth brush, some tooth paste, some clean underclothes, some clean shirts, some collars, some socks and some handkerchiefs. Then he kissed Ruth goodbye as she lay asleep in her bed and he kissed her mother goodbye and with his suitcase in his hand went up to the Pennsylvania Station.

At the train he met the negro porter. “What berth, sir?” said the porter. “Lower 10”, said Ruth’s father. So the porter took the suitcase and put it down at Number 10 which was all made up into two beds, one above the other, with green curtains hanging in front. Then Ruth’s father undressed. And in a few minutes he was asleep behind the green curtains.

Soon the train started and Ruth’s father never woke up. “Thum,” said the train (on many different keys) all through the night. “Thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum. Philadelphia! Thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum. Baltimore! Thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum. Washington!”

Then Ruth’s father got up and dressed himself, for it was morning. The negro porter carried his suitcase to the platform. “Goodbye, sir,” he said. “Goodbye, Porter,” said Ruth’s father. And then he went off to a hotel.

The next day it was time for him to go home. So Ruth’s father packed his suitcase again. In his suitcase he put his slippers, his pajamas, his tooth brush, some tooth paste, his dirty underclothes, his dirty shirts, his collars, his socks and his handkerchiefs. Then he went to the Pennsylvania Station in Washington.

At the train he met another negro porter. “What berth, sir?” said the porter. “Upper 6,” said Ruth’s father. So the porter took the suitcase and put it in the top bed of Number 6. Ruth’s father climbed up into the upper berth. Then he undressed and in a few minutes he was asleep behind the green curtains.

Soon the train started. “Thum,” said the train, though Ruth’s father never heard it he was so sound asleep. “Thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum. Baltimore! Thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum. Philadelphia! Thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum; thum, thum, thum, thum. New York!”

Then Ruth’s father got up and dressed himself for it was morning. The negro porter carried his suitcase to the platform. “Goodbye, sir,” he said. “Goodbye, Porter,” said Ruth’s father.

Then Ruth’s father jumped into a taxi and in a few minutes he was at home. Ruth came running down the stairs. “Here’s father,” she cried. “Here’s father in time for breakfast!” “My,” said Ruth’s father, giving her a hug, “It’s good to be home!”

PEDRO’S FEET

Here there is a definite attempt to let the sounds tell their own story.

PEDRO’S FEET

Little Pedro was a dog. He lived in New York City. He was owned by a little boy who loved him. For Pedro had big brown eyes and curly brown hair and when he wanted anything he would go:

“Hu-u-u, hu-u-u, hu-u-u!” And any one would have loved Pedro.

One day Pedro was lying on his front steps in the warm, warm sun. He put his nose on his little fore paws and went to sleep.

“Bzbzbzbzbzbzbzbzbz!” went a little fly in his ear.

“Yap, yap!” went Pedro’s jaws as he snapped at the fly. But he missed the fly.

“Bzbzbzbzbzbzbzbzbz!” went the little fly.

“Yap, yap!” went Pedro’s jaws. But he missed the fly again.

“Bzbzbzbzbzbzbzbzbz!”

“Yap, yap, yap!”

“Bzbzbzbzbzbzbzbzbz!”

“Yap, yap, yap, yap!”

Up jumped Pedro. “I can’t sleep with that fly in my ear! I’ll take a walk!” Down the steps he went. Skippety, skippety, skippety, skippety. He reached the sidewalk. On the sidewalk went his feet. You could hear them as they beat. Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter patter down the street.

When he came to the end of the block, he started across the street. Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter pat——

“Honk, honk! Look out, look out! Honk, honk!”

Jump-thump! went Pedro’s feet. Jump-jump jump-jump, jump-jump, thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump, jump-jump, jump-jump, jump-jump, pitter patter, pitter patter,—he’d reached the other side! And the auto hadn’t hurt him!

Again on the sidewalk went his feet. You could hear them as they beat pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter patter down the street.

When he came to the end of this block, he started across the next street.

Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter pat——

“Clopperty, clopperty, clopperty, clopperty! Get out of my way, get out of my way! Clopperty, clopperty, clopperty, clopperty!”

Jump-thump! went Pedro’s feet. Jump-jump jump-jump, jump-jump, thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump, jump-jump, jump-jump, jump-jump, pitter patter, pitter patter,—he’d reached the other side! And the horse hadn’t hurt him either!

Again on the sidewalk went his feet. You could hear them as they beat,—pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter patter down the street.

When he came to the end of this block, he started across the next street.

Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter pat—— Pedro stopped with one little front foot up in the air. In the middle of the street stood a man. He had on high rubber boots and he held a big hose.

Shrzshrzshrzshrzshrz—came the water out of the hose. It hit the street. Splsh splsh splsh splsh splsh! It ran in a little stream into the hole in the gutter,—gubble, gubble, gubble, gubble, gubble! This was something new to Pedro. He didn’t understand.

Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter patter. He thought he’d better find out about it.

“Hie, you little dog! Look out!” shouted the man.

Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter patter.

“Hie, you little dog. I say look out!”

Pitter patter, pitter pat—ssssssssss bang! the water hit him!

“Ki-eye! yow! yow!” Kathump, kathump, kathump, kathump; kathump, kathump, kathump, kathump! Fast, fast went Pedro’s feet, running, tearing down the street.

“Ki-eye! I’m going home!” Kathump, kathump, kathump, kathump! Down the sidewalk, ’cross the street, ’nother sidewalk, ’nother street, kathump, kathump, kathump, kathump! Pedro was at home. Skippety, skippety up the stairs. Pedro was at his own front door.

He stopped. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr—he shook himself. He scattered the water all around.

“Bow, wow, I’m glad I’m home! Bow, wow, I’m glad I’m home!”

Then he lay down in the warm, warm sun. And he put his nose on his little fore paws. And he closed his eyes and he went to sleep.

“Bzbzbzbzbzbzbzbzbz!”

But Pedro was too sound asleep to hear the fly.

“Whe-whuhuhu, whe-whuhuhu, whe-whuhuhu.” That’s the way he was breathing. For he was oh, so sound asleep! And there he is sleeping now.

HOW THE ENGINE LEARNED

THE KNOWING SONG

This story stresses the relationship of use in response to what seems to be a five-year-old method of thinking.

The school has found it best to let the younger children take the parts individually but to omit the parts in unison. The joy of the mere noise makes it difficult to bring them back for the close of the story. All the children have repeated the refrains after a few readings with evident enjoyment.

HOW THE ENGINE LEARNED THE KNOWING SONG

Once there was a new engine. He had a great big boiler; he had a smoke stack; he had a bell; he had a whistle; he had a sand-dome; he had a headlight; he had four big driving wheels; he had a cab. But he was very sad, was this engine, for he didn’t know how to use any of his parts. All around him on the tracks were other engines, puffing or whistling or ringing their bells and squirting steam. One big engine moved his wheels slowly, softly muttering to himself, “I’m going, I’m going, I’m going.” Now the new engine knew this was the end of the Knowing Song of Engines. He wanted desperately to sing it. So he called out:

Now there were two men who had come just on purpose to teach him how. And who do you suppose they were? The engineer and the fireman! When the engineer heard the new engine call out, he asked, “What do you want, new engine?”

And the engine answered:

Now the engineer and the fireman were pleased when they heard what the new engine wanted. But the engineer said:

Then he said to the fireman, “First we must give our engine some water.” So they put the end of a hose hanging from a big high-up tank right into a little tank under the engine’s tender. The water filled up this little tank and then ran into the big boiler and filled that all up too. And while they were doing this the water kept saying: