Gateway to the Classics: Nursery Tales from Many Lands by Eleanor L. and Ada M. Skinner

Nursery Tales from Many Lands

by Eleanor L. and Ada M. Skinner

Table of Contents

Little White Rabbit

The Pear Tree

The Teeny Tiny Woman

The Wee Bannock

The Three Friends

Munachar and Manachar

The Three Little Pigs

The Travels of a Fox

Frolic of the WiId Things

Little Black Ant

Lambikin

Poor Old Good

Peter, Basil, and the Fox

Little Two Eyes

Buchettino

The Straw Ox

Simon and the Black Gum Tree

Monotaro

Little White Rabbit

Little White Rabbit lived alone. Her house stood near a cabbage-garden. Every morning when the sun peeped into the window, up she jumped and dressed for the day. Then she would say,

"I must go for a cabbage

To make me some soup."

One day she put on her bonnet, took up her basket, and started off. She found a large cabbage and hurried home. Little White Rabbit tried to open her door. It was locked on the inside.

She knocked and thumped and thumped and knocked.

A big voice inside called out, "Who is there?"

"I'm Little White Rabbit,

Come home from the garden,

Where I found a large cabbage

To make me some soup."

Then the big voice inside called out,

"I am Huge Billy Goat.

With a spring and a bound

I can cut you in three

And eat you, I see."

Poor Little White Rabbit ran away. On the road she met Big Ox. She said to him, "Big Ox, please help me.

I'm Little White Rabbit. 
I went to the garden
And took home a cabbage 
To make me some soup. 
When I came home
I found Huge Billy Goat. 
With a spring and a bound 
He will cut me in three 
And eat me, you see."

Big Ox said, "Oh, I cannot help you! I am afraid of Huge Billy Goat."

Little White Rabbit went on. Soon she met Black Dog. She said to him, "Black Dog, please help me.

I'm Little White Rabbit. 
I went to the garden
And took home a cabbage 
To make me some soup. 
When I came home
I found Huge Billy Goat. 
With a spring and a bound
He will cut me in three 
And eat me, you see."

Black Dog said, "Then I cannot help you. I am afraid of Huge Billy Goat."

Little White Rabbit went on and on. Soon she met Red Cock. She said to him, "Red Cock, please help me.

I'm Little White Rabbit. 
I went to the garden
And took home a cabbage 
To make me some soup. 
When I came home
I found Huge Billy Goat.
With a spring and a bound 
He will cut me in three 
And eat me, you see."

"Oh, I cannot help you! I am afraid of Huge Billy Goat."

Poor Little White Rabbit said, "No one will help me to drive Huge Billy Goat out of my house. What shall I do? Where can I go?"

On and on and on went Little White Rabbit weeping. Soon a small voice called out, "Good morning, Little White Rabbit! Why do you weep?" It was Busy Little Ant.

Little White Rabbit said,

"Oh, Busy Little Ant, 
I went to the garden 
And took home a cabbage
To make me some soup. 
When I came home
I found Huge Billy Goat.
With a spring and a bound
He will cut me in three 
And eat me, you see."

Busy Little Ant said, "I will go with you and help you, Little White Rabbit."

So they went back together to Little White Rabbit's house. They knocked and thumped on the door. A gruff voice inside called out,

"I am Huge Billy Goat.

With a spring and a bound

I can cut you in three

And eat you, I see."

Then Busy Little Ant called out,

"I am Busy Little Ant.

With a creep and a spring

I can quickly come in

And sting you, I see."

Busy Little Ant crept in through the keyhole. She sprang on Huge Billy Goat's back and stung him.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" cried Huge Billy Goat, and out of Little White Rabbit's house he ran as fast as he could. Then Little White Rabbit cut up the large cabbage and made soup.

"Come, Busy Little Ant," she said. "We will live here together."

Portuguese Nursery Tale