2. With a classmate play the first part of the story. This is the part that tells about Ceres and Proserpina before Proserpina goes to the meadow. What does Proserpina say? What does Ceres say?
3. Now with another pupil play the part of the story that tells what happened after Proserpina crossed the brook. First, she sees the beautiful shrub. What does she say when she sees that? Next, she tries to pull it up. How she tugs and tugs at it! This must be shown in the playing. What does she say as she pulls away at it? How does she look and what does she say when she sees the deep hole that grows wider and deeper every moment? Last, the stranger is seen. He and Proserpina talk together before he carries her away. Does Proserpina scream as the stranger picks her up? Scream as if you were being carried away.
4. Now that spring is here, shall you be going into the fields and woods to gather flowers? Tell the class the best places you know, how to reach them, and what flowers may now be found there. Do you know any place where some rare wild flower grows every year? What is the most beautiful wild flower you have ever found or seen?
5. Did you ever see a brook? If you did, tell your classmates how a brook looks. How is it different from a river or a lake? Can you tell the class where to go to see a brook?
55. Telling Interesting Things[63]
THE RETURN OF SPRING
Have you noticed any signs that spring is coming? The bluebirds are usually among the first to tell us that winter is over. Soon after, the robins tell the same glad story. Then the song sparrow puts the good news into a beautiful song. At about this time boys and girls begin to talk of going into the woods for flowers.
But the air still seems a little too cold. The ground is still too wet. The tramps into the country are put off a while. In the meantime a pretty flower, an early dandelion perhaps, shows itself here and there along the roadside or on a green lawn. Then, suddenly, one fine warm day, a boy brings to school a handful of yellow marsh marigolds. He found them in the low meadows. Now every boy and girl starts out, and spring flowers are seen in every schoolroom and in every home.
Gradually the pleasant weather grows still warmer. One boy sees a snake. Another finds a turtle. These have been enjoying their long winter sleep deep down, a yard or more, in the ground. Now they are glad to lie in the pleasant sunshine, as if they needed to thaw out. In the ponds the frogs sing day and night. More and more flowers start up, more and more birds arrive and begin to build their nests. Boys play marbles and make willow whistles. Farmers start their early plowing. A veil of delicate green shows clearly on the forest trees. Spring has come.
Written Exercise. Make a list of all the birds you know. Make a list of all the flowers you know. Make a third list of all the flowers, birds, and animals other than birds, that you have seen this spring.