chapter 2 of the storybook of science this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org the storybook of science by henry fabre translated by florence bicknell chapter 2 the fairy tale and the true story

the six of them were gathered together uncle paul was reading in a big book jacques braiding a wicker basket mother ambrozine plying her disstaff claire marking linen with red thread emil and jules playing with the noah's ark and when they had lined up the horse after the camel the dog after the horse then the sheep donkey ox lion elephant bear gazelle and a great many others when they had them all arranged in a long procession leading to the ark emil and jules tired of playing said to mother ambrazine tell us a story mother ambrazine one that will amuse us

and with the simplicity of old age mother ambrozine spoke as follows at the same time twirling her spindle once upon a time a grasshopper went to the fair with an ant the river was all frozen then the grasshopper gave a jump and landed on the other side of the ice but the ant could not do this and it said to the grasshopper take me on your shoulders i weigh so little but the grasshopper said do as i do give a spring and jump the ant gave a spring but slipped and broke its leg ice ice the strong should be kind but you are wicked to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the ice said the sun is stronger than i and it melts me sun sun the strong should be kind but you are wicked to melt the ice and you ice to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the sun said the clouds are stronger than i they hide me clouds clouds the strong should be kind but you are wicked to hide the sun you sun to melt the ice and you ice to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the clouds said the wind is stronger than we it drives us away wind wind the strong should be kind but you are wicked to drive away the clouds you clouds to hide the sun you sun to melt the ice and you ice to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the wind said the walls are stronger than i they stop me walls walls the strong should be kind but you are wicked to stop the wind you wind drive away the clouds you clouds to hide the sun you sun to melt the ice and you ice to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the walls said the rat is stronger than we it bores holes through us rat rat the strong but it is all the same thing over and over again mother ambrazine exclaimed jules impatiently not quite my child after the rat comes the cat that eats the rat then the broom that strikes the cat then the fire that burns the broom then the water that puts out the fire then the ox that quenches his thirst with the water then the fly that stings the ox then the swallow that snaps up the fly then the snare that catches the swallow then

and does it go on very long like that asked emil as long as you please replied mother ambrazine for however strong one may be there are always others stronger still really mother ambrazine said emil that story tires me then listen to this one once upon a time there lived a woodchopper and his wife and they were very poor they had seven children the youngest so very very small then a wooden shoe answered for its bed

i know that story again interposed emil the seven children are going to get lost in the woods little hop of my thumb marks the way at first with white pebbles than with bread crumbs birds eat the crumbs the children get lost hop on my thumb from the top of a tree sees a light in the distance they run to it rather that it is the dwelling of an ogre

there is no truth in that declare jewels nor in puss and boots nor cinderella nor bluebeard they are fairy tales not true stories for my part i want stories that are really and truly so

at the words true stories uncle paul raised his head and closed his big...

chapter 2 of the storybook of science this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org the storybook of science by henry fabre translated by florence bicknell chapter 2 the fairy tale and the true story

the six of them were gathered together uncle paul was reading in a big book jacques braiding a wicker basket mother ambrozine plying her disstaff claire marking linen with red thread emil and jules playing with the noah's ark and when they had lined up the horse after the camel the dog after the horse then the sheep donkey ox lion elephant bear gazelle and a great many others when they had them all arranged in a long procession leading to the ark emil and jules tired of playing said to mother ambrazine tell us a story mother ambrazine one that will amuse us

and with the simplicity of old age mother ambrozine spoke as follows at the same time twirling her spindle once upon a time a grasshopper went to the fair with an ant the river was all frozen then the grasshopper gave a jump and landed on the other side of the ice but the ant could not do this and it said to the grasshopper take me on your shoulders i weigh so little but the grasshopper said do as i do give a spring and jump the ant gave a spring but slipped and broke its leg ice ice the strong should be kind but you are wicked to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the ice said the sun is stronger than i and it melts me sun sun the strong should be kind but you are wicked to melt the ice and you ice to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the sun said the clouds are stronger than i they hide me clouds clouds the strong should be kind but you are wicked to hide the sun you sun to melt the ice and you ice to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the clouds said the wind is stronger than we it drives us away wind wind the strong should be kind but you are wicked to drive away the clouds you clouds to hide the sun you sun to melt the ice and you ice to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the wind said the walls are stronger than i they stop me walls walls the strong should be kind but you are wicked to stop the wind you wind drive away the clouds you clouds to hide the sun you sun to melt the ice and you ice to have broken the ant's leg poor little leg then the walls said the rat is stronger than we it bores holes through us rat rat the strong but it is all the same thing over and over again mother ambrazine exclaimed jules impatiently not quite my child after the rat comes the cat that eats the rat then the broom that strikes the cat then the fire that burns the broom then the water that puts out the fire then the ox that quenches his thirst with the water then the fly that stings the ox then the swallow that snaps up the fly then the snare that catches the swallow then

and does it go on very long like that asked emil as long as you please replied mother ambrazine for however strong one may be there are always others stronger still really mother ambrazine said emil that story tires me then listen to this one once upon a time there lived a woodchopper and his wife and they were very poor they had seven children the youngest so very very small then a wooden shoe answered for its bed

i know that story again interposed emil the seven children are going to get lost in the woods little hop of my thumb marks the way at first with white pebbles than with bread crumbs birds eat the crumbs the children get lost hop on my thumb from the top of a tree sees a light in the distance they run to it rather that it is the dwelling of an ogre

there is no truth in that declare jewels nor in puss and boots nor cinderella nor bluebeard they are fairy tales not true stories for my part i want stories that are really and truly so

at the words true stories uncle paul raised his head and closed his big...

Mabel and Green Lizard Little Dramas for Primary Grades Free Audiobook Public Domain.

drama 6 of little dramas for primary grades by ada maria skinner and lillian nixon lawrence this librivox recording is in the public domain mabel and the green lizard from the adventures of mabel by h.t peck cast grandma read by lynette geisel mabel read by rachel lizet read by sonja wolfe read by april 6090 scene one mabel's home grandma may i go to the woods to pick some berries for supper yes but be sure to come back before dark there are animals in the woods mabel they prowl around after dark oh i'm not afraid i'll come home before night scene two in the woods dear me how dark it is getting i must hurry home what's that sees a little green lizard with a stone on its tail oh you poor little lizard let me lift that stone from your tail take stone off thank you you are a very kind child oh i didn't know lizards could talk some lizards can't but i am the king of all the lizards i am going to do something for you because you lifted the stone from my tail i was very glad to do it i am going to do something for you that i wouldn't do for any other little girl it's this i am going to teach you the animal call then you will understand everything the animals say to you and they will know what you say to them what fun just listen

now you do it after me

try again mabel

good that's it now if you wish any animal to be a friend just whistle that way to him that's the call of all the animals goodbye lizard goes away well that's the funniest thing i ever heard of but dear me how dark it is getting i must run home starts homeward here's howl

what's that oh it's a wolf i'm so frightened what shall i do i'll give the call

whoa

wolf comes to mabel wolf i want you to be my friend to be sure i will be i've lost my way please show me the way home i live at grandma's i know where you live i've seen you playing there many times put your hand on my neck and i'll show you the way mabel does so scene three edge of the wood there's your home and your grandma is waiting for you thank you very much i knew you were a good wolf you wouldn't hurt a little girl would you i wouldn't hurt you good night wolf good night scene four mabel's home maple maple

maple yes grandma where have you been so long i've been in the woods oh grandma i left my basket of strawberries there never mind we can go tomorrow to get them i was so frightened your uncle told me only yesterday he saw a wolf in the woods just think if you had met him today he would have eaten you up every bit of you oh grandma i'm sure all wolves don't eat little girls

end of drama 6.

Mabel and Green Lizard Little Dramas for Primary Grades Free Audiobook Public Domain.

drama 6 of little dramas for primary grades by ada maria skinner and lillian nixon lawrence this librivox recording is in the public domain mabel and the green lizard from the adventures of mabel by h.t peck cast grandma read by lynette geisel mabel read by rachel lizet read by sonja wolfe read by april 6090 scene one mabel's home grandma may i go to the woods to pick some berries for supper yes but be sure to come back before dark there are animals in the woods mabel they prowl around after dark oh i'm not afraid i'll come home before night scene two in the woods dear me how dark it is getting i must hurry home what's that sees a little green lizard with a stone on its tail oh you poor little lizard let me lift that stone from your tail take stone off thank you you are a very kind child oh i didn't know lizards could talk some lizards can't but i am the king of all the lizards i am going to do something for you because you lifted the stone from my tail i was very glad to do it i am going to do something for you that i wouldn't do for any other little girl it's this i am going to teach you the animal call then you will understand everything the animals say to you and they will know what you say to them what fun just listen

now you do it after me

try again mabel

good that's it now if you wish any animal to be a friend just whistle that way to him that's the call of all the animals goodbye lizard goes away well that's the funniest thing i ever heard of but dear me how dark it is getting i must run home starts homeward here's howl

what's that oh it's a wolf i'm so frightened what shall i do i'll give the call

whoa

wolf comes to mabel wolf i want you to be my friend to be sure i will be i've lost my way please show me the way home i live at grandma's i know where you live i've seen you playing there many times put your hand on my neck and i'll show you the way mabel does so scene three edge of the wood there's your home and your grandma is waiting for you thank you very much i knew you were a good wolf you wouldn't hurt a little girl would you i wouldn't hurt you good night wolf good night scene four mabel's home maple maple

maple yes grandma where have you been so long i've been in the woods oh grandma i left my basket of strawberries there never mind we can go tomorrow to get them i was so frightened your uncle told me only yesterday he saw a wolf in the woods just think if you had met him today he would have eaten you up every bit of you oh grandma i'm sure all wolves don't eat little girls

end of drama 6.

The Timid Hare Little Dramas for Primary Grades by Ada M. Skinner; Lillian Nixon Lawrence

The Timid Hare Little Dramas for Primary Grades by Ada M. Skinner; Lillian Nixon Lawrence

Lanark Castle The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter Free Children's Audiobook Downloads.

chapter 5 of the scottish chiefs this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by david cole the scottish chiefs by miss jane porter chapter 5 lannok castle the women and the men who age withheld from so desperate enterprise now thronged around halbert to ask a circumstantial account of the disaster which had filled all with so much horror many tears followed his recital not one of his auditors was an indifferent listener all had individually or in persons dear to them partaken of the tender marion's benevolence their sick beds had been comforted by her charity her voice had often administered consolation to their sorrows her hand had smoothed their pillows and placed the crucifix before their dying eyes some had recovered to bless her and some had departed to record her virtues in heaven ah is she gone cried a young woman raising her face covered with tears from the bosom of our infant is the loveliest lady that ever the sun shone upon cold in the grave alas for me she it was that gave me the roof under which my baby was born she it was who when the southern soldiers slew my father and drove us from our home in asia gave to my old mother and my then wounded husband our cottage by the vern side ah well can i spare him now to avenge her murder the night being far advanced albert retired at the invitation of this young woman to repose on the heather bed of her husband who was now absent with wallace the rest of the peasantry was due to their covets while she and some other women whose anxieties would not allow them to sleep sat at the cavern's mouth watching the slowly moving hours the objects of their fond and fervent prayers wallis and his little army were rapidly pursuing their march it was midnight all was silent as they hurried through the glen as they ascended with flying footsteps the steeper cliveties that led to the cliffs which overhung the veil of ellesley wallace must pass along their brow beneath was the tomb of he sacrificed marion he rushed forward to snatch one look even of the roof which shrouded her beloved remains but in the moment before he mounted the intervening height a soldier in english armor crossed the path and was seized by his men one of them would have cut him down but wallace turned away the weapon hold scott cried he you are not a southern to strike the defenseless the man has no sword the reflection on their enemy which this plea of mercy contained reconcile the impetuous scots to the clemency of their leader the rescued man joyfully recognizing the voice of wallace exclaimed it is my lord it is sir william wallace that has saved my life a second time who are you asked wallace that helmet can cover no friend of mine i am your servant dugald return the man he whom your brave arm saved from the battle axe of arthur helsel rigger i cannot ask how you came by that armor but if he be yet a scot throw it off and follow me not to elderly my lord cried he it has been plundered and burned to the ground by the governor of lanark then exclaimed wallace striking his breast are the remains of my beloved marian forever ravished from my eyes insatiate monster here scotland's curse cried the veteran of logs forward my lord in mercy to your country's groans wallace had now mounted the craig which overlooked ellsley his once happy home had disappeared and all beneath lay a heap of smoking ashes he hastened from the sight and directing the point of his sword with a forceful action toward atlantic re-echoed with supernatural strength forward with a rapidity of lightning his little host flew over the hills reached the cliffs which divided them from the town and leaped down before the outward trench of the castle of lanark in a moment wallace sprung so feeble a barrier and with a shout of death in which the...

Lanark Castle The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter Free Children's Audiobook Downloads.

chapter 5 of the scottish chiefs this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by david cole the scottish chiefs by miss jane porter chapter 5 lannok castle the women and the men who age withheld from so desperate enterprise now thronged around halbert to ask a circumstantial account of the disaster which had filled all with so much horror many tears followed his recital not one of his auditors was an indifferent listener all had individually or in persons dear to them partaken of the tender marion's benevolence their sick beds had been comforted by her charity her voice had often administered consolation to their sorrows her hand had smoothed their pillows and placed the crucifix before their dying eyes some had recovered to bless her and some had departed to record her virtues in heaven ah is she gone cried a young woman raising her face covered with tears from the bosom of our infant is the loveliest lady that ever the sun shone upon cold in the grave alas for me she it was that gave me the roof under which my baby was born she it was who when the southern soldiers slew my father and drove us from our home in asia gave to my old mother and my then wounded husband our cottage by the vern side ah well can i spare him now to avenge her murder the night being far advanced albert retired at the invitation of this young woman to repose on the heather bed of her husband who was now absent with wallace the rest of the peasantry was due to their covets while she and some other women whose anxieties would not allow them to sleep sat at the cavern's mouth watching the slowly moving hours the objects of their fond and fervent prayers wallis and his little army were rapidly pursuing their march it was midnight all was silent as they hurried through the glen as they ascended with flying footsteps the steeper cliveties that led to the cliffs which overhung the veil of ellesley wallace must pass along their brow beneath was the tomb of he sacrificed marion he rushed forward to snatch one look even of the roof which shrouded her beloved remains but in the moment before he mounted the intervening height a soldier in english armor crossed the path and was seized by his men one of them would have cut him down but wallace turned away the weapon hold scott cried he you are not a southern to strike the defenseless the man has no sword the reflection on their enemy which this plea of mercy contained reconcile the impetuous scots to the clemency of their leader the rescued man joyfully recognizing the voice of wallace exclaimed it is my lord it is sir william wallace that has saved my life a second time who are you asked wallace that helmet can cover no friend of mine i am your servant dugald return the man he whom your brave arm saved from the battle axe of arthur helsel rigger i cannot ask how you came by that armor but if he be yet a scot throw it off and follow me not to elderly my lord cried he it has been plundered and burned to the ground by the governor of lanark then exclaimed wallace striking his breast are the remains of my beloved marian forever ravished from my eyes insatiate monster here scotland's curse cried the veteran of logs forward my lord in mercy to your country's groans wallace had now mounted the craig which overlooked ellsley his once happy home had disappeared and all beneath lay a heap of smoking ashes he hastened from the sight and directing the point of his sword with a forceful action toward atlantic re-echoed with supernatural strength forward with a rapidity of lightning his little host flew over the hills reached the cliffs which divided them from the town and leaped down before the outward trench of the castle of lanark in a moment wallace sprung so feeble a barrier and with a shout of death in which the...

The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter Corrie Lyn Free Children's Audiobook Downloads.
chapter 4 of the scottish chief swim is jane porter this is the librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org recorded by shirley allen chapter 4 corey lynn after having traversed many a weary rude of to him before untrodden ground the venerable minstrel of the house of wallace exhausted by fatigue sat down on the declivity of a steep craig the burning beams of the midday sun now beat upon the rocks but the overshadowing foliage afforded him shelter and a few berries from the brambles which knit themselves over the path he had yet to explore with a draft of water from the friendly burn offered themselves to revive his unfeebled limbs insufficient as they appeared he took them blessing heaven for sending even these and strengthened by half an hour's rest again he grasped his staff to pursue his way after breaking a passage through the entangled shrubs that grew across the only possible footing in the solitary wilderness he went along the side of the expanding stream which at every turn of the rocks increased in depth and violence the reels from above and other mountain brooks pouring from abrupt falls down the craigs covered him with spray and intercepted his passage finding it impracticable to proceed through the rushing torrent of a cataract whose distant roarings might have intimidated even a young adventurer he turned from its stumbling waters which burst upon his sight and crept on his hands and knees up the opposite activity catching by the fern and other weeds to stay him from falling back into the flood below prodigious craggy heights towered above his head as he ascended while the rolling clouds which canopied their summit seemed descending to wrap him in their fleecy skirts or the projecting rocks bending over the waters of the glen left him only a narrow shelf in the cliff along which he crept till it brought him to the mouth of a cavern he must either enter it or return the way he came or attempt the descent of overhanging precipices which nothing could surmount but the opinions of their native birds above him was the mountain reach read his footsteps until he had seen his beloved master he was resolved not to do to perish in these cleanse would be more tolerable to him for while he moved forward hope even in the arms of death would cheer him with the whisper that he was in the path of duty he therefore entered the cavity and passing on soon perceived an aperture through which emerging on the other side he found himself again on the margin of the river having attained a wider bed it left him a still narrow or cause way to perform the remainder of his journey huge masses of rock canopied with a thick umbrage of furs beach and weeping birch closed over the glen and almost excluded the light of day but more anxious as he calculated by the increased rapidity of the stream he must now be approaching the great fall near his master's concealment halbert redoubled his speed but an unlooked for obstacle baffled his progress a growing gloom he had not observed in the sky excluded valley having entirely overspread the heavens at this moment suddenly discharged itself amidst peals of thunder in heavy floods and rain upon his head fearful of being overwhelmed by the streams which now on all sides crossed his path he kept upon the edge of the river to be as far as possible from the influence of their violence and thus he proceeded slowly and with trepidation through numerous defiles and under the plunge of many a mountain torrent to the augmented storm of a world of waters dashing from side to side and boiling up with the noise and fury of the contending elements above told him he was indeed not far from the fall of corey lynn the spray was spread and so thick a mist over the glen he knew not how to advance a step further might be on the firm earth but...

The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter Corrie Lyn Free Children's Audiobook Downloads.
chapter 4 of the scottish chief swim is jane porter this is the librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org recorded by shirley allen chapter 4 corey lynn after having traversed many a weary rude of to him before untrodden ground the venerable minstrel of the house of wallace exhausted by fatigue sat down on the declivity of a steep craig the burning beams of the midday sun now beat upon the rocks but the overshadowing foliage afforded him shelter and a few berries from the brambles which knit themselves over the path he had yet to explore with a draft of water from the friendly burn offered themselves to revive his unfeebled limbs insufficient as they appeared he took them blessing heaven for sending even these and strengthened by half an hour's rest again he grasped his staff to pursue his way after breaking a passage through the entangled shrubs that grew across the only possible footing in the solitary wilderness he went along the side of the expanding stream which at every turn of the rocks increased in depth and violence the reels from above and other mountain brooks pouring from abrupt falls down the craigs covered him with spray and intercepted his passage finding it impracticable to proceed through the rushing torrent of a cataract whose distant roarings might have intimidated even a young adventurer he turned from its stumbling waters which burst upon his sight and crept on his hands and knees up the opposite activity catching by the fern and other weeds to stay him from falling back into the flood below prodigious craggy heights towered above his head as he ascended while the rolling clouds which canopied their summit seemed descending to wrap him in their fleecy skirts or the projecting rocks bending over the waters of the glen left him only a narrow shelf in the cliff along which he crept till it brought him to the mouth of a cavern he must either enter it or return the way he came or attempt the descent of overhanging precipices which nothing could surmount but the opinions of their native birds above him was the mountain reach read his footsteps until he had seen his beloved master he was resolved not to do to perish in these cleanse would be more tolerable to him for while he moved forward hope even in the arms of death would cheer him with the whisper that he was in the path of duty he therefore entered the cavity and passing on soon perceived an aperture through which emerging on the other side he found himself again on the margin of the river having attained a wider bed it left him a still narrow or cause way to perform the remainder of his journey huge masses of rock canopied with a thick umbrage of furs beach and weeping birch closed over the glen and almost excluded the light of day but more anxious as he calculated by the increased rapidity of the stream he must now be approaching the great fall near his master's concealment halbert redoubled his speed but an unlooked for obstacle baffled his progress a growing gloom he had not observed in the sky excluded valley having entirely overspread the heavens at this moment suddenly discharged itself amidst peals of thunder in heavy floods and rain upon his head fearful of being overwhelmed by the streams which now on all sides crossed his path he kept upon the edge of the river to be as far as possible from the influence of their violence and thus he proceeded slowly and with trepidation through numerous defiles and under the plunge of many a mountain torrent to the augmented storm of a world of waters dashing from side to side and boiling up with the noise and fury of the contending elements above told him he was indeed not far from the fall of corey lynn the spray was spread and so thick a mist over the glen he knew not how to advance a step further might be on the firm earth but...