Second Grade Read Aloud Banquet

Songs for December


Some One

Some one came knocking

At my wee, small door;

Some one came knocking,

I'm sure—sure—sure;

I listened, I opened,

I looked to left and right,

But naught there was a-stirring

In the still dark night;

Only the busy beetle

Tap-tapping in the wall,

Only from the forest

The screech-owl's call,

Only the cricket whistling

While the dewdrops fall,

So I know not who came knocking,

At all, at all, at all.

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Week 49 The Bird's Nest from The Birds' Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin Antonio Canova from Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin Peter Learns Something about Spooky from The Burgess Bird Book for Children by Thornton Burgess Buying the Porringer from The Christmas Porringer by Evaleen Stein Robber Hans from The Christmas Porringer by Evaleen Stein The Little Colour Grinder from Gabriel and the Hour Book by Evaleen Stein Brother Stephen's Inspiration from Gabriel and the Hour Book by Evaleen Stein
Captain Smith's Speech from Richard of Jamestown by James Otis
The New Laws from Richard of Jamestown by James Otis
The Accident from Richard of Jamestown by James Otis 		Sleepy Bumblebees (Part 1 of 3) from Outdoor Visits by Edith M. Patch Karen Asks about Christmas from The Christmas Porringer by Evaleen Stein I Bring My Tale to a Close from Robinson Crusoe Written Anew for Children by James Baldwin The Jar of Rosemary from The Story-Teller by Maud Lindsay A Christmas Star from The Children's Book of Christmas Stories by Asa Don Dickinson The Privateer Story from The Sandman: His Sea Stories by Willliam J. Hopkins
The Christmas Tree in the Nursery by Richard Watson Gilder An Old Christmas Carol, Anonymous A Song of the Snow by Madison Cawein The Friendly Beasts, Anonymous A Christmas Song by Phillips Brooks Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Bethlehem, Anonymous
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The Aesop for Children  by Milo Winter

Belling the Cat

The mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from their dens by night or day.

Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said:

"I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat's neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming."

All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said:

"I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But let me ask one question Who will bell the Cat?"

It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it.


[Illustration]