A Knight

 

A Knight

I know a jolly little lad.
He is a "Gallant Knight"
He goes ahead and does his best
in what he knows is right.

Otto The Otter

Otto The Otter's Favorite Story

      Otto the otter was born in a hole in the riverbank. It was not just any kind of hole that happened to be there, but a fine made-on-purpose hole that Father and Mother Otter had dug themselves. It was high enough above the water so that it was warm and dry, but the doorway was at the end of a long tunnel and opened right into the river.
       That underwater doorway worried Otto. How could he get out of an underwater doorway unless he knew how to swim? But how could he learn to swim if he stayed home? Whenever he asked his mother about it, she said, "Wait and see." But one day she said something different. She said, "You're old enough now to find out. Climb on my back, and whatever happens, don't let go."
       Otto climbed on his mother's back, and off she went down the tunnel. She went so fast that Otto didn't have time to think. One minute he was in the tunnel and the next he was in the water. And the next he was out of the water and up on top of the riverbank.
       There was a warm brightness roundabout that made him feel good. "That is sunshine," explained his mother. Young Otto liked sunshine, but what he really wanted was to learn to swim, and he said so.
       "Wait a bit," said his mother. "Watch your father and me till you see how it's done. You weren't born knowing how to swim, even if you were born wanting to know."
       Father Otter came just then and began playing with his son. Otto thought that was great fun and never guessed that Father was testing the baby muscles to see if they were strong and healthy.
       "Now watch me," said Father, "and you'll see some fun."
       He went over to a place on the bank that was as slick as wet fish. It was slick because Father and Mother had been sliding on it with their slick wet bodies. He tucked his front feet beneath his tummy, gave a push with his hind feet, and -- whee-ee -- down the slippery slick slide he went lickety-cut.
       He was back up on the bank again in no time. Then it was Mother Otter's turn. She tucked her front feet beneath her tummy, gave a push with her hind feet, and -- whee-ee -- down the slippery slick slide she went lickety-cut.
       Otto thought that looked like even more fun than swimming. He edged closer and closer to the slide so that he could see exactly how it was done. He got closer and closer - and he put just one foot on one corner of that slippery slick slide, just to see how it felt. And then --whoosh! His feet shot out from under him and he turned a flip-flop in the air and came down on the slickest part of that slippery slick slide. Down he went into the water --kersplash! 

       Quick as a flash Mother Otter was beside him, no, beneath him. She came up under him and had him safe on her back before he could say gulp.

       When she was sure he was all right, she said, "Now that you're in the water, you might as well learn to swim. Kick your feet now. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. That's it. I'll be right here to hold you up."

       Little Otto struck out bravely. One, two, three, four. He wasn't the least bit afraid, because he was sure that his mother was holding him up. But clever Mrs. Otter had other plans. She kept sinking lower and lower into the water. Soon she wasn't holding him up at all. He was really swimming by himself, and he didn't know it!

       At last Mother Otter turned quickly and came up to the surface beside Otto. He was so surprised to see her that he almost stopped swimming.

       "Keep kicking," cautioned his mother. "One, two, three, four."

       She sounded so encouraging that Otto began kicking with all his might, his feet churning the water like four little paddles.

       Just then Father Otter came along.

       "Look, Father, I'm swimming all by myself," Otto cried. I'm going to go swimming every day of my life."

        And so he did. He became one of the best swimmers on the river, and one of the best fishermen, too. 

 A river otter named Buddy is rescued.

Read More About Otters:

• One Otterly Adorable Character
• Get to know the keepers of the kelp forests
• Second Chances: Tilly the river otter
• Sea otter gets adopted... 

The Baker's Shop

The Baker's Shop

A Hippity hippity hop! Heigh-ho!
Away to the baker's shop we go!
The baker makes buns;
They are two for a penny.
If you haven't the money,
You cannot get any.
A hippity hippity hop!

A Lullaby

 A Lullaby by Frank Dempster Sherman

Slumber, slumber, little one, now
The bird is asleep in his nest on the bough;
The bird is asleep, he has folded his wings,
And over him softly the dream-fairy sings:
Lullaby, lullaby-lullaby!
Pearls in the deep-
Stars in the sky,
Dreams in our sleep;
So lullaby!

Slumber, slumber, little one, soon
The fairy will come in the ship of the moon:
The fairy will come with the pearls and the stars,
And dreams will come singing through shad-
owy bars:
Lullaby, lullaby-lullaby!
Pearls in the deep-
Stars in the sky,
Dreams in our sleep;
So lullaby!

Slumber, slumber, little one, so;
The stars are the pearls that the dream-fairies
know,
The stars are the pearls, and the bird in the
nest, 
A dear little fellow the fairies love best:
Lullaby, lullaby-lullaby!
Pearls in the deep-
Stars in the sky,
Dreams in our sleep;
So lullaby!

The Sandman

The Sandman

The Sandman comes across the land,
At evening when the sun is low;
Upon his back a bag of sand-
His step is soft and slow.
I never hear his gentle tread,
But when I bend my sleepy head,
''The Sandman's coming!" mother says,
And mother tells the truth, always!

I guess he's old, with silver hair,
He's up so late! He has to go
To lots of children, everywhere,
At evening, when the sun is low.
His cloak is long, and green, and old,
With pretty dreams in every fold-
His shoes are silken, mother says,
And mother tells the truth, always!

He glides across the sunset hill,
To seek each little child, like me;
Our all-day-tired eyes to fill
With sands of sleep, from slumber's sea.
I try my best awake to stay,
But I am tired out with play;
I'll never see him, mother says,
And mother tells the truth, always!

The Wind by Christina G. Rossetti

THE  WIND

WHO  has  seen  the  wind?
Neither  I  nor  you;
But  when  the  leaves  hang  trembling
The  wind  is  passing  through.

Who  has  seen  the  wind?
Neither  you  nor  I;
But  when  the  trees  bow  down  their  heads,
The  wind  is  passing  by.

Where do all the daises go?

 WHERE  DO  ALL  THE  DAISIES  GO?
by Isabella F. Bellows

WHERE  do  all  the  daisies  go?
I  know,  I  know!
Underneath  the  snow  they  creep,
Nod  their  little  heads  and  sleep,
In  the  springtime  out  they  peep;
That  is  where  they  go!

Where  do  all  the  birdies  go?
I  know,  I  know!
Far  away  from  winter  snow
To  the  fair,  warm  South  they  go;   
There  they  stay  till  daisies  blow,
That  is  where  they  go!

Where  do  all  the  babies  go?
I  know,  I  know!
In  the  glancing  firelight  warm,
Safely  sheltered  from  all  harm,
Soft  they  lie  on  mother's  arm,
That  is  where  they  go!