So, here I'll sit; and, perhaps, when you have been
good children, and have learned your lessons or done your work, your mother will let you come and play a little while with me. I will always be ready and waiting for you here, and I will warrant your mother that I will do you no harm with anything that I may tell you. If I can only make you laugh and be merry for a little while, then my work will be well done, and I will be glad in the doing of it.
And now give me my cap and bells again, for my wits are growing cold without them; and you will be pleased to reach me my bauble once more, for I love to have him by me.
Will you be seated? And you, over there, seat the baby on the grass! Are you ready? Very well; then I will tell you a story, and it shall be about "The Skillful Huntsman."
[THE SKILLFUL HUNTSMANPage 1]
[ Two OpinionsFacing P. 4]
[ Ye Song Of Ye Foolish Old Woman " 5]
[ A Newspaper Puff " 12]
[Three Fortunes " 13]
[CLAUS AND HIS WONDERFUL STAFFPage 14]
[ Venturesome Boldness Facing P. 16]
[ Superficial Culture " 17]
[HOW DAME MARGERY TWIST SAW MORE THAN WAS GOOD FOR HERPage 28]
[ Ye Song Of Ye Gossips Facing P. 32]
[ A Victim To Science " 33]
[ Play And Earnest " 36]
[ The Accident Of Birth " 37]
[CLEVER PETER AND THE TWO BOTTLES Page 43]
[ Ye Romantic Adventures Of Three Tailors Facing P. 44]
[ Fancy And Fact " 45]
[ Ye Two Wishes " 48]
[ A Verse With A Moral But Not Name " 49]
[HANS HECKLEMANN'S LUCK Page 57]
[ Ye Song Of Ye Rajah And Ye Fly Facing P. 64]
[ Pride In Distress " 65]
[ Profession And Practice " 68]
[ A Tale Of A Tub " 69]
[FARMER GRIGGS'S BOGGART Page 69]
[ Ye Story Of A Blue China Plate " 76]
[ Moral Blindness " 77]
[ Overconfidence " 80]
[ The Force Of Need " 81]
[THE BIRD IN THE LINDEN TREE Page 82]
[THE APPLE OF CONTENTMENT Page 96]
[ A Disappointment Facing P. 96]
[ Ye Sad Story Concerning One Innocent Little Lamb And Four Wicked Wolves " 97]