Fourth Grade Read Aloud Banquet




Robert of Lincoln

Merrily swinging on brier and weed,

Near to the nest of his little dame,

Over the mountain-side or mead,

Robert of Lincoln is telling his name.

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink,

Snug and safe is this nest of ours,

Hidden among the summer flowers.

Chee, chee, chee.


Robert of Lincoln is gayly dressed,

Wearing a bright, black wedding-coat;

White are his shoulders, and white his crest,

Hear him call in his merry note,

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink,

Look what a nice, new coat is mine;

Sure there was never a bird so fine.

Chee, chee, chee.


Robert of Lincoln's Quaker wife,

Pretty and quiet, with plain brown wings,

Passing at home a patient life,

Broods in the grass while her husband sings,

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink,

Brood, kind creature, you need not fear

Thieves and robbers while I am here.

Chee, chee, chee.


Modest and shy as a nun is she;

One weak chirp is her only note;

Braggart, and prince of braggarts is he,

Pouring boasts from his little throat,

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink,

Never was I afraid of man,

Catch me, cowardly knaves, if you can.

Chee, chee, chee.


Six white eggs on a bed of hay,

Flecked with purple, a pretty sight;

There as the mother sits all day,

Robert is singing with all his might,

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink,

Nice good wife that never goes out,

Keeping house while I frolic about.

Chee, chee, chee.


Soon as the little ones chip the shell,

Six wide mouths are open for food;

Robert of Lincoln bestirs him well,

Gathering seeds for the hungry brood,

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink,

This new life is likely to be

Hard for a gay young fellow like me.

Chee, chee, chee.


Robert of Lincoln at length is made

Sober with work, and silent with care;

Off is his holiday garment laid,

Half forgotten that merry air,

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink,

Nobody knows but my mate and I,

Where our nest and our nestlings lie.

Chee, chee, chee.


Summer wanes; the children are grown;

Fun and frolic no more he knows;

Robert of Lincoln's a hum-drum crone;

Off he flies, and we sing as he goes,

Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,

Spink, spank, spink,

When you can pipe that merry old strain,

Robert of Lincoln, come back again.

Chee, chee, chee.



  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Week 42 In the Lair of Injun Joe from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain George II—The Story of How Canada Was Won from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall The Velocity of Sound from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre The Palace School from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein The Rise of Wellington from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge The Princesses Who Lived in a Kailyard from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton The Olive Orchard and the High Priests Hall from Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
The Young Soldier from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
To Arms! from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
A Chapter of Things To See This Fall from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp Washington's Aide-de-camp from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton
Hamilton the Patriot and Arnold the Traitor from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton
The King, the Hermit, and the Two Princes from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton William Tell and His Great Shot from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall Queens and Drones from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley How Gruffanuff Picked the Fairy Ring Up from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
Jack Frost by Hannah Flagg Gould The Kitten and Falling Leaves by William Wordsworth Autumn by Emily Dickinson Three Bugs by Phoebe Cary     Oct 16
Week 43 Huck Saves the Widow from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain George III—The Story of How America Was Lost from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall The Experiment with the Bottle of Cold Water from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre Dinner from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein At the Cape of Good Hope from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge Where To Lay the Blame from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton The Crown of Thorns (Part 1 of 2) from Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
The New Road from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
"The Other Life Is as My Life" from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
Whipped by Eagles from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp The Lawyer from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton The Two Travelers from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton The Escape of William Tell from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall Wasp Flowers from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley How Betsinda Got the Warming-Pan from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
How King Valoroso Was in a Dreadful Passion from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
  Jack Frost by Hannah Flagg Gould Lady Clare by Alfred Lord Tennyson Song from "The Culprit Fay" by Joseph Rodman Drake   The Duck and the Kangaroo by Edward Lear To a Mouse by Robert Burns
Week 44 Tom and Becky in the Cave from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain George III—A Story of a Spinning Wheel from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Rain from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre Malagis and the Boys from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein The First Australian Colony from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge The Many-Furred Creature from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton The Crown of Thorns (Part 2 of 2) from Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
Father and Son from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
"Lady Poverty" from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
Thanksgiving at Grandfather's Farm from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp The Statesman from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton The Lion and the Hare from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton Tell's Second Shot from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall Underground Paper Palaces from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley What Gruffanuff Did to Giglio and Betsinda from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
  The Mountain and the Squirrel by Ralph Waldo Emerson Crossing the Bar by Alfred Lord Tennyson       Oct 30
Week 45 Found and Lost Again from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain England Expects That Every Man Will Do His Duty from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Volcanoes from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre A Boar Hunt and a Music Lesson from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein Story of the Slave-Trade from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge Clever Peter and the Two Bottles from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton Saint Hugh of Lincoln (Part 1 of 2) from Our Island Saints by Amy Steedman
The Bird Sisters from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
Brother Wolf from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
A Chapter of Things To Do This Fall from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp The Federalist from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton The Crane and the Crab from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton How Castle Rossberg Was Taken from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall The Hunters from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley How Betsinda Fled, and What Became of Her from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
Israfel by Edgar Allan Poe The Children's Hour by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow I'm Nobody! Who Are You? by Emily Dickinson I Remember, I Remember by Thomas Hood     La Belle Dame Sans Merci by John Keats
Week 46 "Turn Out! They're Found!" from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain George III—The Battle of Waterloo from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Catania from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre The Minnesinger Tells of Roland from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein The Defence of Saragoza from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge Southwest Wind, Esquire Interferes from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton Saint Hugh of Lincoln (Part 1 of 2) from Our Island Saints by Amy Steedman
The Three Robbers from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
Nurse and Patient from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
The Muskrats Are Building from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp The First Secretary of the Treasury from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton The Ass, the Lion, and the Folk from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton How Castle Sarnen Was Taken from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall Polistes from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley How Queen Rosalba Came to the Castle of the Count from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
    The Oak by Alfred Lord Tennyson Hunting Song by Sir Walter Scott Down to Sleep from Poems by Helen Hunt Jackson The Table and the Chair by Edward Lear The Sands of Dee by Charles Kingsley
Week 47 The Fate of Injun Joe from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain George IV—The First Gentleman in Europe from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall The Story of Pliny from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre Presents for the King from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein Sir John Moore at Coruna from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge The Proceedings of the Three Brothers from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton The Darkest Day of All the World from Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
With the Crusaders from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
The Christmas at Greccio from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
The North Wind Doth Blow from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp The Inspector General of the Army from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton The Crow, the Jackal, the Wolf, and the Camel from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton How the Emperor Albrecht Met His Death from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall Strange Nests from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley What Became of Giglio from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
    Precious Words by Emily Dickinson The Pumpkin by John Greenleaf Whittier Sir Patrick Spens from Poems, Anonymous   The Skeleton in Armor by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Week 48 Floods of Gold from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain William IV—Two Peaceful Victories from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall The Boiling Pot from The Story Book of Science by Jean Henri Fabre Rainolf in the Writing-Room from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein The Victory of Talavera from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge How Mr. Hans Prospered from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton The Brightest Day of All the World from Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
La Verna from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
The Troubadour's Last Song from God's Troubadour, The Story of St. Francis of Assisi by Sophie Jewett
An Outdoor Lesson from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton
The Duel from Four American Patriots by Alma Holman Burton
The Camel Driver and the Adder from The Tortoise and the Geese and Other Fables of Bidpai by Maude Barrows Dutton The Battle of Morgarten from Stories of William Tell Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall Miners from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley We Return to Rosalba from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
    In Memoriam, VII by Alfred Lord Tennyson       Nov 27
Week 49 Respectable Huck Joins the Gang from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Victoria—The Girl Queen from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Seasonal Story Christmas Day of the Year 800 from Our Little Frankish Cousin of Long Ago by Evaleen Stein The Peasant Hero of Tyrol from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge How Mr. Schwartz Prospered from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton Seasonal Story
Seasonal Story Leafing from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Seasonal Story More Wasp Stories from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley How Hedzoff Rode Back to King Giglio from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
Old Christmas by Mary Howitt Seasonal Poem The Snow by Emily Dickinson Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem
Week 50 Seasonal Story Victoria—When Bread Was Dear from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Seasonal Story Seasonal Story The Empire at Its Height from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge How Little Gluck Prospered from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton Seasonal Story
Seasonal Story A Chapter of Things To Hear This Fall from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Seasonal Story The Carpenters from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley How a Tremendous Battle Took Place and Who Won It from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night by Nahum Tate Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem An Ancient Christmas Carol, Anonymous
Week 51 Seasonal Story Victoria—Peace from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Seasonal Story Seasonal Story The Shannon and the Chesapeake from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge The Worker in Sandalwood from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Upon the Rock by Lisa M. Ripperton Seasonal Story
Seasonal Story Honk, Honk, Honk! from The Fall of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Winter Wasps from Will o' the Wasps by Margaret Warner Morley How They All Journeyed Back to the Capital from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
  Seasonal Poem Winter by Alfred Lord Tennyson Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem A Christmas Carol by Christina Georgina Rossetti
Week 52 Seasonal Story Victoria—War from Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow from The Struggle for Sea Power by M. B. Synge The Little Match-Girl from Fairy Tales Too Good To Miss—Across the Lake by Lisa M. Ripperton Seasonal Story
Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Seasonal Story Seasonal Story And Now We Come to the Last Scene in the Pantomime from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
Summary from The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray
  Seasonal Poem The Death of the Old Year by Alfred Lord Tennyson Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem Seasonal Poem An Old Christmas Carol, Anonymous
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The Aesop for Children  by Milo Winter

The Hare and His Ears

The Lion had been badly hurt by the horns of a Goat, which he was eating. He was very angry to think that any animal that he chose for a meal, should be so brazen as to wear such dangerous things as horns to scratch him while he ate. So he commanded that all animals with horns should leave his domains within twenty-four hours.

The command struck terror among the beasts. All those who were so unfortunate as to have horns, began to pack up and move out. Even the Hare, who, as you know, has no horns and so had nothing to fear, passed a very restless night, dreaming awful dreams about the fearful lion.

And when he came out of the warren in the early morning sunshine, and there saw the shadow cast by his long and pointed ears, a terrible fright seized him.

"Goodby, neighbor Cricket," he called. "I'm off. He will certainly make out that my ears are horns, no matter what I say."

Do not give your enemies the slightest reason to attack your reputation.

Your enemies will seize any excuse to attack you.


[Illustration]