THE MAID IN THE WELL.
The maid went back to the road. She did not know how to get the spindle out of the well. So she jumped down into the water to get it. For a while she did not know anything, but presently she found herself in a beautiful meadow where the sun was shining and many thousands of flowers blooming all around her.
She got up and walked along till she came to a bake oven. The oven was full of bread which cried out, “Draw me out or I shall burn. I have baked long enough.” So she went up and took the bread shovel that stood by the oven and drew out one loaf after another.
Then she walked on farther and came to an apple tree. The tree cried out, “Shake me! Shake me! My apples are all ripe.” So she shook the tree till the apples fell down like rain. When there were no more left on the tree she gathered them into a heap and went on.
At last she came to a cottage out of which an old woman was peeping. The old woman had such large teeth that the maid was frightened and started to run away. But the old woman called her back, saying, “Why are you afraid, my child? Stay with me. If you will put things in order in my house, all will go well with you. Only you must be careful and shake my bed well and make the feathers fly. Then it will snow on the earth. I am old Mother Frost.”
As the old woman spoke kindly, the timid maid stayed and worked for her. Everything was pleasant. Old Mother Frost was very kind and the industrious maid was contented. She shook the bed well every day and made the feathers fly downward as flakes of snow. She was very happy. She had enough to eat and kind words from Mother Frost.
Suggestions.
Talk about apple-trees and orchards. The baking of bread. Connect with snow. Jack Frost. Use of snow, etc.
III.
Preparation.
Develop out of the children’s experiences the longing for home—homesickness.
Narration.