Fourth Grade Read Aloud Banquet

Berries

There was an old woman

Went blackberry picking

Along the hedges

From Weep to Wicking.

Half a pottle—

No more she had got,

When out steps a Fairy

From her green grot;

And says, "Well, Jill,

Would 'ee pick 'ee mo?"

And Jill, she curtseys,

And looks just so.

"Be off," says the Fairy,

"As quick as you can,

Over the meadows

To the little green lane,

That dips to the hayfields

Of Farmer Grimes:

I've berried those hedges

A score of times;

Bushel on bushel

I'll promise 'ee, Jill,

This side of supper

If 'ee pick with a will."

She glints very bright,

And speaks her fair;

Then lo, and behold!

She has faded in air.


Be sure old Goodie

She trots betimes

Over the meadows

To Farmer Grimes.

And never was queen

With jewellery rich

As those same hedges

From twig to ditch;

Like Dutchmen's coffers,

Fruit, thorn, and flower—

They shone like William

And Mary's bower.

And be sure Old Goodie

Went back to Weep,

So tired with her basket

She scarce could creep.

When she comes in the dusk

To her cottage door,

There's Towser wagging

As never before,

To see his Missus

So glad to be

Come from her fruit-picking

Back to he.


And soon as next morning

Dawn was grey,

The pot on the hob

Was simmering away;

And all in a stew

And a hugger-mugger

Towser and Jill

A-boiling of sugar,

And the dark clear fruit

That from Faërie came,

For syrup and jelly

And blackberry jam.


Twelve jolly gallipots

Jill put by;

And one little teeny one,

One inch high;

And that she's hidden

A good thumb deep,

Half way over

From Wicking to Weep.

  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 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.


[Illustration]

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.