Fourth Grade Read Aloud Banquet

Sea Fever

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, 
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gipsy life, 
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, 
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Week 47	The Fate of Injun Joe from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain	George IV—The First Gentleman in Europe from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall	The Story of Pliny from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre	Presents for the King from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein	Sir John Moore at Coruna from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge	The Proceedings of the Three Brothers from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton	The Darkest Day of All the World from Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
	With the Crusaders from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett The Christmas at Greccio from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett	The North Wind Doth Blow from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp	The Inspector General of the Army from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton	The Crow, the Jackal, the Wolf, and the Camel from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton	How the Emperor Albrecht Met His Death from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall	Strange Nests from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley	What Became of Giglio from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
			Precious Words by Emily Dickinson	The Pumpkin by John Greenleaf Whittier	Sir Patrick Spens from Poems, Anonymous		The Skeleton in Armor by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Week 48	Floods of Gold from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain	William IV—Two Peaceful Victories from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall	The Boiling Pot from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre	Rainolf in the Writing-Room from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein	The Victory of Talavera from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge	How Mr. Hans Prospered from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton	The Brightest Day of All the World from Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
	La Verna from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett The Troubadour's Last Song from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett	An Outdoor Lesson from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp	Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton The Duel from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton	The Camel Driver and the Adder from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton	The Battle of Morgarten from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall	Miners from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley	We Return to Rosalba from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
			In Memoriam, VII by Alfred Lord Tennyson				Nov 27
Week 49	Respectable Huck Joins the Gang from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain	Victoria—The Girl Queen from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall	Seasonal Story	Christmas Day of the Year 800 from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein	The Peasant Hero of Tyrol from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge	How Mr. Schwartz Prospered from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton	Seasonal Story
	Seasonal Story	Leafing from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	More Wasp Stories from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley	How Hedzoff Rode Back to King Giglio from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
	Old Christmas by Mary Howitt	Seasonal Poem	The Snow by Emily Dickinson	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem
Week 50	Seasonal Story	Victoria—When Bread Was Dear from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	The Empire at Its Height from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge	How Little Gluck Prospered from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton	Seasonal Story
	Seasonal Story	A Chapter of Things To Hear This Fall from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	The Carpenters from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley	How a Tremendous Battle Took Place and Who Won It from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
	While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night by Nahum Tate	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	An Ancient Christmas Carol, Anonymous
Week 51	Seasonal Story	Victoria—Peace from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	The Shannon and the Chesapeake from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge	The Worker in Sandalwood from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Upon the Rock by Lisa M. Ripperton	Seasonal Story
	Seasonal Story	Honk, Honk, Honk! from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Winter Wasps from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley	How They All Journeyed Back to the Capital from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
		Seasonal Poem	Winter by Alfred Lord Tennyson	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	A Christmas Carol by Christina Georgina Rossetti
Week 52	Seasonal Story	Victoria—War from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge	The Little Match-Girl from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton	Seasonal Story
	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	Seasonal Story	And Now We Come to the Last Scene in the Pantomime from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray Summary from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
		Seasonal Poem	The Death of the Old Year by Alfred Lord Tennyson	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	Seasonal Poem	An Old Christmas Carol, Anonymous
Week 53


Week 54


Week 55


Week 56


Week 57


Week 58


Week 59


Week 60


Week 61


Week 62


Week 63


Week 64


Week 65


Week 66


Week 67


Week 68


Week 69


Week 70


Week 71


Week 72


Week 73


Week 74


Week 75


Week 76


Week 77


Week 78


Week 79


Week 80


Week 81


Week 82


Week 83


Week 84


Week 85


Week 86


Week 87


Week 88


Week 89


Week 90


Week 91


Week 92


Week 93


Week 94


Week 95


Week 96


Week 97


Week 98

The Aesop for Children by Milo Winter

The Animals and the Plague

Once upon a time a severe plague raged among the animals. Many died, and those who lived were so ill, that they cared for neither food nor drink, and dragged themselves about listlessly. No longer could a fat young hen tempt Master Fox to dinner, nor a tender lamb rouse greedy Sir Wolf's appetite.

At last the Lion decided to call a council. When all the animals were gathered together he arose and said

"Dear friends, I believe the gods have sent this plague upon us as a punishment for our sins. Therefore, the most guilty one of us must be offered in sacrifice. Perhaps we may thus obtain forgiveness and cure for all.

"I will confess all my sins first. I admit that I have been very greedy and have devoured many sheep. They had done me no harm. I have eaten goats and bulls and stags. To tell the truth, I even ate up a shepherd now and then.

"Now, if I am the most guilty, I am ready to be sacrificed. But I think it best that each one confess his sins as I have done. Then we can decide in all justice who is the most guilty."

"Your majesty," said the Fox, "you are too good. Can it be a crime to eat sheep, such stupid mutton heads? No, no, your majesty. You have done them great honor by eating them up.

"And so far as shepherds are concerned, we all know they belong to that puny race that pretends to be our masters."

All the animals applauded the Fox loudly. Then, though the Tiger, the Bear, the Wolf, and all the savage beasts recited the most wicked deeds, all were excused and made to appear very saint-like and innocent.

It was now the Ass's turn to confess.

"I remember," he said guiltily, `"that one day as I was passing a field belonging to some priests, I was so tempted by the tender grass and my hunger, that I could not resist nibbling a bit of it. I had no right to do it, I admit—"

A great uproar among the beasts interrupted him. Here was the culprit who had brought misfortune on all of them! What a horrible crime it was to eat grass that belonged to someone else! It was enough to hang anyone for, much more an Ass.

Immediately they all fell upon him, the Wolf in the lead, and soon had made an end to him, sacrificing him to the gods then and there, and without the formality of an altar.

The weak are made to suffer for the misdeeds of the powerful.