Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910 edition. Excerpt: ...neck; and still they were opening by thousands, till the pine-tree hollow was filled with them. Presently the girl spied a beautiful carved casket, which had been hidden under a pile of spicy leaves, and from inside of it came a rustling sound, the softest sound that was ever heard. She lifted the lid, and out flew a cloud of butterflies. Eainbow-tinted, softly, glitteringly, gayly fluttering, out they flew by thousands and thousands, and hovered about the maiden's head; and the soft sound of their wings, which mortal ears are too dull to hear, seemed to say, "Welcome! Welcome!" At the same moment a great flock of beautiful birds came flying, and lighted on the branches all around, and they, too, sang, "Welcome! Welcome!" The maiden clasped her hands and cried, "Why are you all so glad to see me? I feel--I know--that you are all mine, and I am yours; but how is it? Who am I i What is my name?" And buds and flowers and rainbow-hued butterflies and sombre pine-trees all answered in joyous chorus, "Spring! the beautiful, the long expected! Hail to the maiden Spring!" THE WOODPECKER From An Old Legend Once upon a time, longer than long ago, when the good St. Peter walked about the earth looking to see how men lived, he came one day to the door of a cottage where an old woman was baking cakes. She was neat and tidy, with a red cap on her head, a black silk dress, and a white apron which she tied behind in a great white bow. She was baking spice cakes, with raisins and currants in them, and they smelled wonderfully good as St. Peter stopped at the door and asked for something to eat. "Madam," he said, "I have travelled far and am tired and hungry. Will you give me one of the cakes you are...
