XII. ON GIVING IN.
35. Playing at Shop.
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 pass. 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 Noble to give Way.