PART THREE

10. Grandfather Tortoise came slowly up the big hill. When he got to the top he looked down the way. There lay the hare in the shade fast asleep.

11. The tortoise walked more slowly and quietly than ever. He passed the sleeping hare. He came to the branch, but he did not stop to take a drink. He crossed the bridge without making a sound. Then he went on over the next hill.

PART FOUR

12. Late in the day the hare awoke. He sprang up, leaped the branch, and ran like the wind till he reached the mile-post. There at its foot was Grandfather Tortoise!

13. Judge Fox sat in the shade, leaning against the stone. With a wise smile he said to the hare, "The race is not always to the swift."

1. A long time ago the people believed there were a great many gods. They thought these gods lived upon a mountain, above the clouds.

2. They thought the gods could do anything they wished.

3. The wisest goddess was named Minerva. She knew how to do everything and had taught people how to do many things.

4. But no human had yet learned to do things as well as the goddess.

5. With the needle she could do the most beautiful work that was ever seen. She could weave cloth as fine as a spider's web, and as beautiful as the summer sky.

6. This is a story of Minerva and Arachne. Arachne, who was not a goddess, but a

maiden, said she could do as beautiful work as Minerva.

7. Some one told Minerva what Arachne had said and Minerva did not like it.

8. So Minerva dressed as an old woman, and went to see Arachne.

9. She asked Arachne if she could do as nice work as a goddess. Poor Arachne did not know she was talking to Minerva. She said she could.

10. Then Minerva threw off her cloak, and Arachne saw that she was talking to the goddess.

11. Arachne still said she could do as nice work as Minerva.

12. Minerva said, "We shall each weave a piece of cloth, and let the gods say which is the better."

13. They both went to work.

14. How fast their pieces grew, and how beautiful they were!

15. When they were done, Arachne's piece was so fine that Minerva herself stopped to

praise and admire it. But every one could see that Minerva's work was far more beautiful.

16. Still Arachne was stubborn, and said her own piece was more beautiful than Minerva's. To punish her Minerva struck Arachne with her shuttle and changed the maiden into a spider and said, "You shall always spin."

17. When you see a spider spinning her web, you may think of this story.

COUNTING RHYME

1. One, two

Buckle my shoe.

2. Three, four

Shut the door.

3. Five, six

Pick up sticks.

4. Seven, eight

Lay them straight.

5. Nine, ten

A good fat hen.