Second Grade Read Aloud Banquet

Songs for December




Elf and Dormouse

Under a toadstool

Crept a wee Elf,

Out of the rain

To shelter himself.


Under the toadstool,

Sound asleep,

Sat a big Dormouse

All in a heap.


Trembled the wee Elf

Frightened, and yet

Fearing to fly away

Lest he get wet.


To the next shelter

Maybe a mile

Sudden the wee Elf

Smiled a wee smile.


Tugged till the toadstool

Toppled in two

Holding it over him

Gayly he flew.


Soon he was safe home,

Dry as could be.

Soon woke the Dormouse

"Good gracious me!


Where is my toadstool!"

Loud he lamented,

And that's how umbrellas

First were invented.

  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

The Old Lion and the Fox

An old Lion, whose teeth and claws were so worn that it was not so easy for him to get food as in his younger days, pretended that he was sick. He took care to let all his neighbors know about it, and then lay down in his cave to wait for visitors. And when they came to offer him their sympathy, he ate them up one by one.

The Fox came too, but he was very cautious about it. Standing at a safe distance from the cave, he inquired politely after the Lion's health. The Lion replied that he was very ill indeed, and asked the Fox to step in for a moment. But Master Fox very wisely stayed outside, thanking the Lion very kindly for the invitation.

"I should be glad to do as you ask," he added, "but I have noticed that there are many foot prints leading into your cave and none coming out. Pray tell me, how do your visitors find their way out again?"

Take warning from the misfortunes of others.


[Illustration]