Story Lessons on Character-Building (Morals) and Manners Part 7

You have often played at keeping shop, have you not? Winnie and May were very fond of this game, and when it was holiday time they played it nearly every day. One morning they made the "shop" ready as usual; a stool was to be the "counter," and upon this they placed the scales, with all the things they meant to sell. When all was ready, Winnie stood behind the "counter," and said, "I will be the 'shopman'!"

"No!" exclaimed May, "=I= want to be 'shopman'; let me come behind the 'counter'." But Winnie would not move, then May tried to =pull= her away, and Winnie pushed May, and in the end both little girls were crying, and the game was spoilt. Were not they foolish?

How easy it would have been to take it in turns to be "shopman," and that would have been quite fair to both little girls. I am afraid we sometimes =forget= to be =fair= in our games. We will tell Winnie and May the story of the two goats.

36. The Two Goats.

Perhaps you know that goats like to live on the rocks, and as they have cloven feet (that is, feet that are split up the middle) they can walk in places that would not be at all safe for your little feet.

One day two goats met each other on a narrow ledge of rock where there was not room to pa.s.s. Below them was a steep precipice; if they fell down there they would soon be dashed to pieces. How should they manage?

It was now that one of the goats did a polite, kind, graceful act.

She knelt down on the ledge so that the other goat might walk over her, and when this was done, she rose up and went on her way, so both the goats were safe and unhurt.

The goat teaches us a beautiful lesson on "giving in".

(Blackboard.)

The Two Goats, Sometimes it is n.o.ble to give Way.

XIII. ON BEING GENEROUS.

37. Lilie and the Beggar Girl.

You will think "generous" is a long word, but the stories will help you to understand what it means.

Lilie was staying with her auntie, for her mother had gone on a voyage with father in his s.h.i.+p.

One day Lilie heard a timid little knock at the back door. She ran to open it, and saw standing outside a poor little girl about her own size, with no shoes or stockings on. She asked for a piece of bread, and Lilie's auntie went into the pantry to cut it. While she was away Lilie noticed the little girl's bare feet, and, without thinking, she took off her own shoes and gave them to her.

When the girl had gone, auntie asked, "Where are your shoes, Lilie?" And she replied, "I gave them to the little girl, auntie. I do not think mother would mind." It would have been better if Lilie had asked auntie before she gave away her shoes; but auntie did not scold her; she only said to herself, "What a generous little soul the child has".

38. Bertie and the Porridge.

Bertie was a rosy-faced, healthy boy. His mother lived in a little cottage in the country, and she was too poor to buy dainties for her child, but the good, plain food he ate was quite enough to make him hearty and strong.

His usual breakfast was a basin of porridge mixed with milk, and one bright, sunny morning he was sitting on the doorstep, waiting until it should be cool enough for him to eat, when he saw a very poor, old man leaning on the garden gate. Bertie felt sure the old man must be wanting something to eat, he looked so pale and thin, and being a generous-hearted boy, he carried down his basin of porridge to the old man, and asked him to eat it, which he did with great enjoyment, for he was very hungry. I think you will understand now what being Generous means. We may do good by giving away things that are of no use to us, but that is not being generous.

(Blackboard.)

We are Generous when we go without Things, that Others may have them.

XIV. FORGIVENESS.

39. The Two Dogs.[9]

One day two dogs had been quarrelling, and when they parted at night, they had not made it up, but went to rest, thinking hard things of each other, I fear. Next day, however, one of the dogs brought a biscuit to the other, and laid it down beside him, as much as to say, "Let us be friends". I think the other dog would be sure to forgive him after that, and we are sure they would both be much happier for being friends once more.

(Blackboard.)

If you Quarrel, make it up again.

XV. GOOD FOR EVIL.

40. The Blotted Copy-book.

Gladys and Dora were in the same cla.s.s at school, and when the teacher promised to give a prize for the cleanest, neatest and best-written copy-book, they determined to try and win the prize. Both the little girls wrote their copies very carefully for several days, but by-and-by Gladys grew a little careless, and her copies were not so well written as Dora's. Gladys knew this quite well, and yet she longed for the prize. What should she do? There was only one copy more to be written, and then it would have to be decided who should get the prize. Sad to say, Gladys thought of a very mean way by which she might spoil Dora's chance of it.

She went to school one morning very early--no one was there; softly she walked to Dora's desk, and drew out her neat, tidy copy-book, which she opened at the last page, and, taking a pen, she dipped it in ink, and splashed the page all over; then she put it back in the desk, and said to herself, "There, now, the prize will be mine".

But why does Gladys feel so wretched all at once? A little Voice that you have often heard spoke in her heart, and said, "Oh! Gladys, how mean, how unkind!" and she could not =help= being miserable.

Presently the school a.s.sembled, and when the writing lesson came round the teacher said, "Now, girls, take out your copy-books and finish them". Dora drew hers out, and when she opened it and saw the blots her cheeks grew scarlet and her eyes filled with tears. Just then she turned and saw Gladys glancing at her in an ashamed sort of way (as the elephant looked at his driver when he had stolen the cakes--Story Lesson 85), and Dora knew in her heart that it was Gladys who had spoilt her copy-book. But she did not tell any one, not even when the teacher said, "Oh! Dora, what a mess you have made on your nice copy-book!" but she was thinking all the time, and when she went home she said to her mother, "Mamma, may I give my little tin box with the flowers painted on it to Gladys?" "Why, Dora," said her mother, "I thought you were very fond of that pretty box!" "So I am," replied Dora, "that is why I want Gladys to have it; please let me give it to her, mother!" So Dora's mother consented, and next morning Gladys found a small parcel on her desk, with a sc.r.a.p of paper at the top, on which was written, "Gladys, with love from Dora". Dora was generous, you see; she returned good for evil, and Gladys felt far more sorrow for her fault than she would have done had Dora caused her to be punished. Neither Gladys nor Dora won the prize, but Gladys learnt a lesson that was worth more than many prizes, and Dora had a gladness in her heart that was better than a prize--the gladness that comes from listening to the Good Voice. "Good for Evil" is a beautiful "stone" to have in your Temple.

(Blackboard.)

It is Generous to Return Good for Evil.

FOOTNOTE:

[9] Romanes' _Animal Intelligence_.

XVI. GENTLENESS.

41. The Horse and the Child.

Gentleness is a beautiful word, and I daresay you know what it means.

When you are helping baby to walk, mother will say, "Be =gentle= with her," which means, "Do not be rough, do not hurt her". A =gentleman= is a man who is gentle, who will not =hurt=.

Did you ever hear of a horse who could behave like a gentleman? Here is the story.[10]