THE PIECE OF WOOD THAT LAUGHED AND CRIED LIKE A CHILD

There was once upon a time a piece of wood in the shop of an old
carpenter named Master Antonio. Everybody, however, called him Master
Cherry, on account of the end of his nose, which was always as red and
polished as a ripe cherry.

Once upon a time there was a Queen who had a son so ugly and so
misshapen that it was long disputed whether he had human form. A fairy
who was at his birth said, however, that he would be very amiable for
all that, since he would have uncommon good sense. She even added that
it would be in his power, by virtue of a gift she had just then given
him, to bestow as much sense as he pleased on the person he loved the
best. All this somewhat comforted the poor Queen. It is true that this
child no sooner began to talk than he said a thousand pretty things, and
in all his actions there was an intelligence that was quite charming. I
forgot to tell you that he was born with a little tuft of hair upon his
head, which made them call him Riquet[1] with the Tuft, for Riquet was
the family name.

In the fable of Sadko, a man appearing to be a poor psaltery player, has talents which are neglected by the merchants of the City of Novgorod . However Sadko, was indeed a very talented person. This was the reason that the beautiful Sea princess, Volkhova, daughter of Tsar Morskoi, the King of the Sea, was charmed by Sandko's music and songs. Eventually, the princess Volkhova fell in love with the psaltery player.

Once upon the time… the shop belonging to an astute merchant called Salem , and all carpets in it, were burnt in a fire. Salem was left with nothing but his house, and since he was a trader hi decided to sell it. With the money he would be able to buy a new shop and more carpets. Salem did not ask a high price for his house. However, he had a most unusual request to make of would-be buyers:

She Was Good for Nothing

The mayor stood at the open window. He looked smart, for his shirt-frill, in which he had stuck a breast-pin, and his ruffles, were very fine. He had shaved his chin uncommonly smooth, although he had cut himself slightly, and had stuck a piece of newspaper over the place. “Hark ’ee, youngster!” cried he.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a peasant woman looked out the window of her cottage to watch the village children play in the snow. She did this often because, although she led a very happy life with her husband, there was still a longing in her heart. The woman and her husband had no children of their own, and their biggest wish was to one day be able to watch their own child play in the snow.

Something

I mean to be somebody, and do something useful in the world,” said the eldest of five brothers. “I don’t care how humble my position is, so that I can only do some good, which will be something. I intend to be a brickmaker; bricks are always wanted, and I shall be really doing something.”

Sunshine Stories

Now I am going to tell a story,” said the Wind.

“Excuse me,” said the Rain, “but now it is my turn—, you have been howling round the corner as hard as ever you could, this long time past.”

“Is that your gratitude toward me?” said the Wind. “I who, in honor of you, turn inside out—yes, even break—all the umbrellas, when people won’t have anything to do with you.”

How it happened that Mastro Cherry, carpenter, found a piece of wood
that wept and laughed like a child.

Whenever a good child dies, an angel of God comes down from heaven, takes the dead child in his arms, spreads out his great white wings, and flies with him over all the places which the child had loved during his life. Then he gathers a large handful of flowers, which he carries up to the Almighty, that they may bloom more brightly in heaven than they do on earth. And the Almighty presses the flowers to His heart, but He kisses the flower that pleases Him best, and it receives a voice, and is able to join the song of the chorus of bliss.”