| THE BOOK OF NATURE MYTHS BY FLORENCE HOLBROOK PRINCIPAL OF FORESTVILLE SCHOOL, CHICAGO HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY BOSTON * NEW YORK * CHICAGO * DALLAS SAN FRANCISCO THE RIVERSIDE PRESS CAMBRIDGE 1902 | | | | PREFACE IN preparing the Book of Nature Myths the desire has been to make a second reader which would be adapted to the child's interest, ability, and progress. The subject-matter is of permanent value, culled from the folk-lore of the primitive races; the vocabulary, based upon that of the Hiawatha Primer, is increased gradually, and the new words and phrases will add to the child's power of expression. The naive explanations of the phenomena of nature given by the primitive races appeal to the child's wonder about the same phenomena, and he is pleased and interested. These myths will gratify the child's desire for complete stories, and their intrinsic merit makes them valuable for oral reproduction. The stories have been adapted to youthful minds from myths contained in the works of many students of folk-lore whose scholarship is undisputed. Special acknowledgment is due Miss Eva March Tappan for her valuable assistance in the final revision of the text.
CONTENTS. THE STORY OF THE FIRST HUMMING-BIRD Part I. The Great Fire-mountain Part II. The Frolic of the Flames Part III. The Bird of Flame THE STORY OF THE FIRST BUTTERFLIES THE STORY OF THE FIRST WOODPECKER WHY THE WOODPECKER'S HEAD IS RED WHY THE CAT ALWAYS FALLS UPON HER FEET WHY THE SWALLOW'S TAIL IS FORKED WHY THE WHITE HARES HAVE BLACK EARS WHY THE MAGPIE'S NEST IS NOT WELL BUILT WHY THE RAVEN'S FEATHERS ARE BLACK HOW FIRE WAS BROUGHT TO THE INDIANS Part I. Seizing the Firebrand Part II. The Firebrand in the Forest Part III. The Firebrand in the Pond HOW THE QUAIL BECAME A SNIPE WHY THE SERPENT SHEDS HIS SKIN WHY THE DOVE IS TIMID WHY THE PARROT REPEATS THE WORDS OF MEN THE STORY OF THE FIRST MOCKING-BIRD WHY THE TAIL OF THE FOX HAS A WHITE TIP THE STORY OF THE FIRST FROGS WHY THE RABBIT IS TIMID WHY THE PEETWEET CRIED FOR RAIN WHY THE BEAR HAS A SHORT TAIL WHY THE WREN FLIES CLOSE TO THE EARTH WHY THE HOOFS OF THE DEER ARE SPLIT THE STORY OF THE FIRST GRASSHOPPPER THE STORY OF THE ORIOLE WHY THE PEACOCK'S TAIL HAS A HUNDRED EYES THE STORY OF THE BEES AND THE FLIES THE STORY OF THE FIRST MOLES THE STORY OF THE FIRST ANTS THE FACE OF THE MANITO THE STORY OF THE FIRST DIAMONDS THE STORY OF THE FIRST PEARLS THE STORY OF THE FIRST EMERALDS WHY THE EVERGREEN TREES NEVER LOSE THEIR LEAVES WHY THE ASPEN LEAVES TREMBLE HOW THE BLOSSOMS CAME TO THE HEATHER HOW FLAX WAS GIVEN TO MEN WHY THE JUNIPER HAS BERRIES WHY THE SEA IS SALT THE STORY OF THE FIRST WHITEFISH WAS IT THE FIRST TURTLE? WHY THE CROCODILE HAS A WIDE MOUTH THE STORY OF THE PICTURE ON THE VASE WHY THE WATER IN RIVERS IS NEVER STILL HOW THE RAVEN HELPED MEN THE STORY OF THE EARTH AND THE SKY HOW SUMMER CAME TO THE EARTH Part I. Part II. THE STORY OF THE FIRST SNOWDROPS WHY THE FACE OF THE MOON IS WHITE WHY ALL MEN LOVE THE MOON WHY THERE IS A HARE IN THE MOON THE CHILDREN IN THE MOON WHY THERE IS A MAN IN THE MOON THE TWIN STARS THE LANTERN AND THE FAN VOCABULARY THE BOOK OF NATURE MYTHS ------------------- | 
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