01

The Story of Little Suck-a-Thumb

A História do Pequeno Chupa-Dedo

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One day Mamma said "Conrad dear,

I must go out and leave you here.

But mind now, Conrad, what I say,

Don't suck your thumb while I'm away.

The great tall tailor always comes

To little boys who suck their thumbs;

And ere they dream what he's about,

He takes his great sharp scissors out,

And cuts their thumbs clean off--and then,

You know, they never grow again."

Mamma had scarcely turned her back,

The thumb was in, Alack! Alack!

The door flew open, in he ran,

The great, long, red-legged scissor-man.

Oh! children, see! the tailor's come

And caught out little Suck-a-Thumb.

Snip! Snap! Snip! the scissors go;

And Conrad cries out "Oh! Oh! Oh!"

Snip! Snap! Snip! They go so fast,

That both his thumbs are off at last.

Mamma comes home: there Conrad stands,

And looks quite sad, and shows his hands;

"Ah!" said Mamma, "I knew he'd come

To naughty little Suck-a-Thumb."

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02

The Story of Flying Robert

A História de Roberto Voador

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When the rain comes tumbling down

In the country or the town,

All good little girls and boys

Stay at home and mind their toys.

Robert thought, "No, when it pours,

It is better out of doors."

Rain it did, and in a minute

Bob was in it.

Here you see him, silly fellow,

Underneath his red umbrella.

What a wind! oh! how it whistles

Through the trees and flowers and thistles!

It has caught his red umbrella:

Now look at him, silly fellow--

Up he flies

To the skies.

No one heard his screams and cries;

Through the clouds the rude wind bore him,

And his hat flew on before him.

Soon they got to such a height,

They were nearly out of sight.

And the hat went up so high,

That it nearly touched the sky.

No one ever yet could tell

Where they stopped, or where they fell:

Only this one thing is plain,

Bob was never seen again!

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03

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

O Maravilhoso Mágico de Oz

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"There's a cyclone coming, Em,” Uncle Henry called to his wife.

"I'll go look after the stock.” Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept.

 

Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand.

 

"Quick, Dorothy!" she screamed. "Run for the cellar!”

 

Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trap door in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last and started to follow her aunt. When she was halfway across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor.

 

Then a strange thing happened. The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon.

 

In the middle of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather.

 

It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. She felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle.

 

Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen.

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04

The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman

O Espantalho e o Homem de Lata

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In the Land of Oz lived two inseparable friends: the Scarecrow, a figure of straw with a bran-filled head, and the Tin Woodman, a former woodcutter made of tin who had received a red plush heart from the Wizard of Oz. The Scarecrow was proud of his 'sharp brains,' filled with pins and needles, while the Tin Woodman valued his kindness and heart.

One day, as they lived near each other - the Scarecrow in a corn-shaped palace and the Tin Woodman in a tin castle - they decided to take a pleasant boat ride in a corncob boat with a purple silk sail. Everything went well until the boat struck a rock, and the Tin Woodman fell overboard, sinking instantly. The Scarecrow tried to rescue him, but being too light, he could not dive deep enough.

While searching for a solution, he accidentally wiped off one painted eye and was mocked by a group of crows. However, the crows offered to help. Following their idea, the Scarecrow used a fishing line to hook the Tin Woodman, but since he had tied the line around his waist, both friends ended up being lifted into the air by the mischievous birds, who then left them hanging from a tall tree -one on each side.

When the Scarecrow tried to think of a way out, he let go of the anchor holding him down. As a result, he flew over the treetops and landed in a bramble bush, while the Tin Woodman fell safely onto the ground but became rusted and immobile.

Luckily, the Wizard of Oz passed by on his wooden sawhorse, freed the Scarecrow, and helped him retrieve the oil can to restore the Tin Woodman’s movement. The friends returned safely home, laughing at their misadventure and vowing never again to stand up in a boat.

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05

Fable: The Ants and the Grasshopper

Fábula: As Formigas e o Gafanhoto

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THE ANTS were spending a fine winter’s day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, “Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?” He replied, “I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing.” They then said in derision: “If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter.”

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05

Fable: The Lion And The Mouse

Fábula: O Leão e o Ratinho

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A LION was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: “If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness.” The Lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came and gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free, exclaiming:

 

“You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favour; now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion.”