This trough is my trough,
And the sooner you're off,"

Says the pig, "why the better you'll do!"

"You're not a bit fair,

And you're cross as a bear: What harm do I do in your pen?

But a pig is a pig,

And I don't care a fig

For the worst you can say," says the hen.

Says the pig, "You will care

If I act like a bear

And tear your two wings from your neck."

(A long pause here, and change of voice.)

"What a nice little pen

You have got!" says the hen, Beginning to scratch and to peck.

Now the pig stood amazed, And the bristles, upraised A moment past, fell down so sleek. "Neighbor Biddy," says he, "If you'll just allow me,

I will show you a nice place to pick!"

They had quarreled for nothing, they saw;
And when they had fed,

"Neighbor Hen," the pig said,

"Won't you stay here and roost in my straw?"

"No, I thank you; you see

That I sleep in a tree,"

Says the hen; "but I must go away;

So a grateful good-by."

66 'Make your home in my sty,"
Says the pig, "and come in every day."

Now my child will not miss

The true moral of this
Little story of anger and strife;

For a word spoken soft

Will turn enemies oft

Into friends that will stay friends for life.

Questions: Why did the pig and the hen quarrel? Which stopped quarreling first? What made the pig speak politely? When were they happiest? Do you feel happy when you quarrel?

Learn: "A soft answer turneth away wrath.”

NOVEMBER: GRATITUDE

Show the picture of the Infant Samuel praying, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. (The Perry Picture Co.)

Tell the story of the birth of Samuel and his dedication to the Temple. (I Samuel, Chap. i.) Bring out the gratitude of Hannah and her self-sacrifice in parting with her little child that he might serve the Lord. Little children enjoy repetition and can thus be made very familiar with the Bible stories. This story of Hannah and Samuel can be repeated two or three times during the month, and retold by the children.

THE CHILD IN THE TEMPLE

Once long ago, in a far country, there was a very good woman who had a kind husband, but no children. She

wanted very much indeed to have a little boy. So she prayed to God and said: "If I ever have a little boy baby, I will let him serve in the holy temple even while he is a child." Before very long a little boy was born to her. And when he was old enough, she carried him herself to Eli, the priest of the ancient temple.

Chap. i, verse 26. And she said: "Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, I am the woman that stood by thee here praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed. And the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him. Therefore also I have lent my child to the Lord. As long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord."

Chap. ii, verse 18. And the child Samuel did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest, being a child wearing a robe of gold, blue, scarlet, and fine linen. Moreover, his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to worship in the temple.

And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And it came to pass at that time, that Eli had lain down in his place. Now his eyes had begun to wax dim so that he could not see, and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said: "Here am I." And he ran unto Eli and said: Here am I; for thou calledst me." And Eli said: “I called not: lie down again.” And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again: "Samuel." And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said: "Here am I, for thou calledst me." And Eli answered: "I called not, my son, lie down again."

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said: " Here am I, for thou calledst me." And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the

child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel: "Go lie down, and it shall be if he call thee that thou shalt say: 'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.""

So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood and called as at other times: "Samuel, Samuel!" Then Samuel said: "Speak, for thy servant heareth." And the Lord told Samuel that the sons of Eli were wicked and must die.

66

And Samuel lay until the morning and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell Eli of his vision. Then Eli called Samuel and said: Samuel, my son." And he said: “Here am I." And Eli said: "What is the thing that the Lord hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him. And Eli said: "It is the Lord. Let Him do what seemeth to Him good."

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him.

At Thanksgiving time, show a harvest festival in a picture that gives as many details as possible.

Questions: What things do we have to be grateful for? What do you do when you are grateful to father? Why do we say, "Thank you"? Why do we say,

Please"? Are animals grateful? How do they show it? Learn: "How Doth the Little Busy Bee," by Isaac Watts.

Read: "Please," by Alicia Aspinwall, in Can You believe Me Stories (E. P. Dutton).

DECEMBER: THE JOY OF GIVING

Show the joy of making people happy; associate happiness with sunlight. Speak of the sun, moon, and stars as light-giving; of love as light.

The Sun. What is the brightest thing you know? Is it brighter than a candle? a lamp? If there were no sun, would anything be bright?

Tell stories of the Esquimaux and the dark of win

ter.

1 THE LIGHT OF LIFE 1

Hans Jansen was not as bright as other boys, but he was gentle and kindhearted so that he made many friends. The thing he loved best was a flower, and one happy day a good-natured gardener gave him a wonderful rose.

“How can I make it grow?" asked Hans.

"Well, I don't tell my secrets to everybody," said the nursery gardener, "but I'll tell you. Dig a hole pretty deep, and put in a bone or two and some hair. Turn the plant out of the pot carefully, and set it right on the hair. Keep it sheltered and water it with soapsuds as often as you can get them." Hans did as he was told, but in order to keep his rose safe and sheltered, he put a board on the wall above it and covered the rosebush entirely.

One day Hans found the rosebush wilted and yellow, and he hurried to the gardener to find out what was the trouble.

"I could n't have sheltered it more," said Hans, "and I gave it plenty of water, but it is nearly dead."

"Why, my boy!" exclaimed the gardener, “you have n't given it any light. How could you expect it to live?"

"You never told me it needed sunshine," said Hans. “Never mind, Hans," said the gardener. “It is God who makes the roses, and He makes them so that they can't live without light. There's a bit of life left in your

1 From Parables from Nature, by Margaret Gatty (adapted).