The Golden Touch The Milkmaid and Her Pail
The Greek king Midas did a good deed for a Satyr. Molly, the milkmaid’s job was to milk the cows and
This prompted Dionysus, the god of wine, to grant sell the milk at the market. She started thinking about
him a wish. Midas asked for everything he touched to the things she would spend her money on. While
turn to gold. Dionysus’ warned him not to do so, but walking to the market, she spotted a chicken and
Midas could not be swayed. Midas excitedly started thought that she could earn more money by buying a
touching everything and turning them into gold. chicken and selling its eggs. She started to think how
Soon, he became hungry. But he couldn’t eat jealous she could make the other milkmaid with all
anything because even his food turned to gold. His the things she could buy from the milk and egg
beloved daughter saw him in distress and ran to hug money. She started to skip in excitement, and soon
him. However, she, too, turned to gold. He realised the milk spilled over. She went home with empty
then the golden touch was not a blessing. pails and no money. Her mother then reminds her
that she shouldn’t count her chicken until they hatch.
Moral: Greed leads one to downfall.
Moral: Do not depend on something until you are
sure it will happen.
Elephant and Friends
A lonely elephant was looking for friends in the The Needle Tree
forest. The monkey declined to be the elephant’s
There were two brothers; the older one was always
friend because the elephant could not swing in the
mean to the younger one. The older one would chop
trees. The rabbit turned the elephant because it was
firewood in the forest and sell it in the market. One
too big to fit in the burrow. The frog refused to be the
day, he stumbled across a magical tree. The tree
elephant’s friend because it could not jump. Every
begged him not to cut him down and promised him
other animal said no to the poor elephant. The next
golden apples in exchange. The older brother felt
day, all the animals in the forest were running away
disappointed with the number of apples he received.
in fear. The elephant stopped a bear who said that
He decided to cut down the tree anyway, but the tree
the tiger was attacking them all. The elephant nicely
showered him with hundreds of needles. The boy was
asked the tiger to stop, but the tiger told the elephant left lying on the forest ground in pain. His younger
to stay out of the way. The elephant proceeded to brother finally found him and carefully took out
kick the tiger and scare it away. The other animals every needle. The older brother finally apologised for
then realised that the elephant was the perfect size treating his brother badly. The magical tree saw this
to be their friend. exchange. It decided to give them more golden
apples.
Moral: Friends can be any shape or size.
Moral: Kindness will always be rewarded. dislikes December
inside.
Cat
MY CAT IS FAT
BY MARILYN SINGER
BY JAMES MCDONALD
I prefer
warm fur, I’ve a cat named Vesters,
a perfect fire And he eats all day.
to lie beside, He always lays around,
a cozy lap And never wants to play.
where I can nap,
an empty chair Not even with a squeaky toy,
when she's not there. Nor anything that moves.
I want heat When I have him exercise,
on my feet He always disapproves.
on my nose
on my hide. So we’ve put him on a diet,
No cat I remember But now he yells all day.
And even though he’s thinner, his heart beat—
He still won’t come and play. but never
his quiet
feet.
On Quiet Feet Tiny Little Snowflakes
BY NIKKI GRIMES by Lucy Larcom
When my dad walks Tiny little snowflakes,
into a room,
In the air so high,
or down
the street, Are you little angels,
he inches Floating in the sky?
up on me
Robed so white and spotless,
silent
as shadow, Flying like a dove,
and I don't know Are you little creatures,
he's there
From the world above?
until I feel
his hug. Whirling on the sidewalk,
Sometimes
when he is Dancing in the street,
near Kissing all the faces
I might even Of the children sweet,
hear
Loading all the housetops,
Powdering all the trees,—
Cunning little snowflakes,
