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came sweeping and dusting and wiping and scrubbing； to make everything
grand and clean for the Christ…child's birthday。 Her broom went into all the
corners； poke； poke；and of course the spiders had to run。 Dear； dear；
HOW the spiders had to run！ Not one could stay in the house while the
Christmas cleanness lasted。 So； you see； they couldn't see the Christmas
Tree。
Spiders like to know all about everything； and see all there is to see；
and these were very sad。 So at last they went to the Christ…child and told
him about it。
〃All the others see the Christmas Tree； dear Christ…child；〃 they said；
〃but we； who are so domestic and so fond of beautiful things； we are
CLEANED UP！ We cannot see it； at all。〃
The Christ…child was sorry for the little spiders when he heard this； and
he said they should see the Christmas Tree。
The day before Christmas； when nobody was noticing； he let them all
go in； to look as long as ever they liked。
They came creepy； creepy； down the attic stairs； creepy； creepy； up the
cellar stairs； creepy； creepy； along the halls；and into the beautiful room。
The fat mother spiders and the old papa spiders were there； and all the
little teeny； tiny； curly spiders； the baby ones。 And then they looked！
Round and round the tree they crawled； and looked and looked and looked。
Oh； what a good time they had！ They thought it was perfectly beautiful。
And when they had looked at everything they could see from the floor；
they started up the tree to see more。 All over the tree they ran； creepy；
crawly； looking at every single thing。 Up and down； in and out； over every
branch and twig； the little spiders ran； and saw every one of the pretty
things right up close。
They stayed till they had seen all there was to see； you may be sure；
and then they went away at last； QUITE happy。
Then； in the still； dark night before Christmas Day； the dear Christ…
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child came； to bless the tree for the children。 But when he looked at it
WHAT do you suppose？it was covered with cobwebs！ Everywhere the
little spiders had been they had left a spider…web； and you know they had
been everywhere。 So the tree was covered from its trunk to its tip with
spider… webs； all hanging from the branches and looped round the twigs； it
was a strange sight。
What could the Christ…child do？ He knew that house…mothers do not
like cobwebs； it would never； never do to have a Christmas Tree covered
with those。 No； indeed。
So the dear Christ…child touched the spider's webs； and turned them all
to gold！ Wasn't that a lovely trimming？ They shone and shone； all over the
beautiful tree。 And that is the way the Christmas Tree came to have golden
cob… webs on it。
WHY THE MORNING…GLORY CLIMBS＇1＇
＇1＇ This story was given me by Miss Elisabeth McCracken； who wrote
it some years ago in a larger form； and who told it to me in the way she
had told it to many children of her acquaintance。
Once the Morning…Glory was flat on the ground。 She grew that way；
and she had never climbed at all。 Up in the top of a tree near her lived Mrs
Jennie Wren and her little baby Wren。 The little Wren was lame； he had a
broken wing and couldn't fly。 He stayed in the nest all day。 But the mother
Wren told him all about what she saw in the world； when she came flying
home at night。 She used to tell him about the beautiful Morning…Glory she
saw on the ground。 She told him about the Morning…Glory every day； until
the little Wren was filled with a desire to see her for himself。
〃How I wish I could see the Morning… Glory！〃 he said。
The Morning…Glory heard this； and she longed to let the little Wren see
her face。 She pulled herself along the ground； a little at a time； until she
was at the foot of the tree where the little Wren lived。 But she could not
get any farther； because she did not know how to climb。 At last she wanted
to go up so much； that she caught hold of the bark of the tree； and pulled
herself up a little。 And little by little； before she knew it； she was climbing。
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And she climbed right up the tree to the little Wren's nest； and put her
sweet face over the edge of the nest； where the little Wren could see。
That was how the Morning…Glory came to climb。
THE STORY OF LITTLE TAVWOTS＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from The Basket Woman； by Mary Austin。
This is the story an Indian woman told a little white boy who lived
with his father and mother near the Indians' country； and Tavwots is the
name of the little rabbit。
But once； long ago； Tavwots was not little； he was the largest of all
four…footed things； and a mighty hunter。 He used to hunt every day； as
soon as it was day； and light enough to see； he used to get up； and go to his
hunting。 But every day he saw the track of a great foot on the trail； before
him。 This troubled him； for his pride was as big as his body。
〃Who is this；〃 he cried； 〃that goes before me to the hunting； and makes
so great a stride？ Does he think to put me to shame？〃
〃T'…sst！〃 said his mother； 〃there is none greater than thou。〃
〃Still； there are the footprints in the trail；〃 said Tavwots。
And the next morning he got up earlier； but still the great footprints
and the mighty stride were before him。 The next morning he got up still
earlier； but there were the mighty foot… tracks and the long； long stride。
〃Now I will set me a trap for this impudent fellow；〃 said Tavwots； for
he was very cunning。 So he made a snare of his bowstring and set it in the
trail overnight。
And when in the morning he went to look； behold； he had caught the
sun in his snare！ All that part of the earth was beginning to smoke with the
heat of it。
〃Is it you who made the tracks in my trail？〃 cried Tavwots。
〃It is I；〃 said the sun； 〃come and set me free； before the whole earth is
afire。〃
Then Tavwots saw what he had to do； and he drew his sharp hunting…
knife and ran to cut the bowstring。 But the heat was so great that he ran
back before he had done it； and when he ran back he was melted down to
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half his size！ Then the earth began to burn； and the smoke curled up
against the sky。
〃Come again； Tavwots；〃 cried the sun。
And Tavwots ran again to cut the bowstring。 But the heat was so great
that he ran back before he had done it； and he was melted down to a
quarter of his size！
〃Come again； Tavwots； and quickly；〃 cried the sun； 〃or all the world
will be burnt up。〃
And Tavwots ran again； this time he cut the bowstring and set the sun
free。 But when he got back he was melted down to the size he is now！
Only one thing is left of all his greatness： you may still see by the print of
his feet as he leaps in the trail； how great his stride was when he caught
the sun in his snare。
THE PIG BROTHER＇1＇
＇1＇ From The Golden Windows； by Laura E。 Richards。 （H。 R。 Allenson
Ltd。 2s。 6d； net。）
There was once a child who was untidy。 He left his books on the floor；
and his muddy shoes on the table； he put his fingers in the jam pots； and
spilled ink on his best pinafore； there was really no end to his untidiness。
One day the Tidy Angel came into his nursery。
〃This will never do！〃 said the Angel。 〃This is really shocking。 You
must go out and stay with your brother while I set things to rights here。〃
〃I have no brother！〃 said the child。
〃Yes； you have；〃 said the Angel。 〃You may not know him； but he will
know you。 Go out in the garden and watch for him； and he will soon
come。〃
〃I don't know what you mean！〃 said the child； but he went out into the
garden and waited。
Presently a squirrel came along； whisking his tail。
〃Are you my brother？〃 asked the child。
The squirrel looked him over carefully。
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〃Well； I should hope not！〃 he said。 〃