Fourth Grade Read Aloud Banquet

The Snake

A narrow fellow in the grass

Occasionally rides;

You may have met him,—did you not,

His notice sudden is.


The grass divides as with a comb,

A spotted shaft is seen;

And then it closes at your feet

And opens further on.


He likes a boggy acre

A floor too cool for corn

Yet when a child, and barefoot,

I more than once, at morn,


Have passed, I thought, a whip-lash

Unbraiding in the sun,—

When, stooping to secure it,

It wrinkled, and was gone.


Several of nature's people

I know, and they know me;

I feel for them a transport

Of cordiality;


But never met this fellow,

Attended or alone,

Without a tighter breathing,

And zero at the bone.

  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
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The Aesop for Children  by Milo Winter

The Miller, His Son, and the Ass

One day, a long time ago, an old Miller and his Son were on their way to market with an Ass which they hoped to sell. They drove him very slowly, for they thought they would have a better chance to sell him if they kept him in good condition. As they walked along the highway some travelers laughed loudly at them.

"What foolishness," cried one, "to walk when they might as well ride. The most stupid of the three is not the one you would expect it to be."

The Miller did not like to be laughed at, so he told his son to climb up and ride.

They had gone a little farther along the road, when three merchants passed by.

"Oho, what have we here?" they cried. "Respect old age, young man! Get down, and let the old man ride."

Though the Miller was not tired, he made the boy get down and climbed up himself to ride, just to please the Merchants.

At the next turnstile they overtook some women carrying market baskets loaded with vegetables and other things to sell.

"Look at the old fool," exclaimed one of them. "Perched on the Ass, while that poor boy has to walk."

The Miller felt a bit vexed, but to be agreeable he told the Boy to climb up behind him.


[Illustration]

They had no sooner started out again than a loud shout went up from another company of people on the road.

"What a crime," cried one, "to load up a poor dumb beast like that! They look more able to carry the poor creature, than he to carry them."

"They must be on their way to sell the poor thing's hide," said another.

The Miller and his Son quickly scrambled down, and a short time later, the market place was thrown into an uproar as the two came along carrying the Donkey slung from a pole. A great crowd of people ran out to get a closer look at the strange sight.


[Illustration]

The Ass did not dislike being carried, but so many people came up to point at him and laugh and shout, that he began to kick and bray, and then, just as they were crossing a bridge, the ropes that held him gave way, and down he tumbled into the river.

The poor Miller now set out sadly for home. By trying to please everybody, he had pleased nobody, and lost his Ass besides.

If you try to please all, you please none.