THE TOPAZ STORY BOOK
THE
TOPAZ STORY BOOK
Stories and Legends of
Autumn, Hallowe’en, and Thanksgiving
COMPILED BY
ADA M. SKINNER
AND
ELEANOR L. SKINNER
Editors of “The Emerald Story Book” “Merry Tales”
“Nursery Tales from Many Lands”
FRONTISPIECE BY
MAXFIELD PARRISH
NEW YORK
DUFFIELD & COMPANY
1928
Copyright, 1917, by
Duffield & Co.
Fifth Edition, 1928
INTRODUCTION
Nature stories, legends, and poems appeal to the young reader’sinterest in various ways. Some of them suggest or reveal certainfacts which stimulate a spirit of investigation and attract thechild’s attention to the beauty and mystery of the world. Othersserve an excellent purpose by quickening his sense of humour.
Seedtime and harvest have always been seasons of absorbing interestand have furnished the story-teller with rich themes. The selectionsin “The Emerald Story Book” emphasize the hope and premise ofthe spring; the stories, legends, and poems in this volume, “TheTopaz Story Book,” express the joy and blessing which attend theharvest-time when the fields are rich in golden grain and the orchardboughs bend low with mellow fruit. “The year’s work is done. Shewalks in gorgeous apparel, looking upon her long labour and herserene eye saith, ‘It is good.’”
The editors’ thanks are due to the following authors and publishersfor the use of valuable material in this book:
To Dr. Carl S. Patton of the First Congregational Church, Columbus,Ohio, for permission to include his story, “The PretendingWoodchuck”; to Frances Jenkins Olcott for “The Green Corn Dance,”retold from “The Journal of American Folk-Lore,” published byHoughton, Mifflin Company; to Ernest Thompson Seton and the CenturyCompany for “How the Chestnut Burrs Became”; to Dr. J. Dynelly Princefor permission to retell the legend of “Nipon” from “Kuloskap theMaster”; to Thomas Nelson and Sons for “Weeds,” by Carl Ewald; toWilliam Herbert Carruth for the selection from “Each In His OwnTongue”; to Josephine K. Dodge for two poems by Mary Mapes Dodge; toA. Flanagan Company for “Golden-rod and Purple Aster,” from “NatureMyths and Stories,” by Flora J. Cooke; to J. B. Lippincott Companyfor “The Willow and the Bamboo,” from “Myths and Legends of theFlowers and Trees,” by Chas. M. Skinner; to Bobbs, Merrill Companyfor the selection by James Whitcomb Riley; to Lothrop, Lee, andShepard Company for “The Pumpkin Giant,” from “The Pot of Gold,”by Mary Wilkins Freeman; to Raymond Macdonald Alden for “Lost: TheSummer”; to the Youth’s Companion for “A Turkey for the Stuffing,”by Katherine Grace Hulbert, and “The News,” by Persis Gardiner; toJohn S. P. Alcott for “Queen Aster,” by Louisa M. Alcott; to G. P.Putnam’s Sons for two poems from “Red Apples and Silver Bells,” byHamish Henry; to Francis Curtis and St. Nicholas for “The Debutof Daniel Webster,” by Isabel Gordon Curtis; to Emma F. Bush andMothers’ Magazine for “The Little Pumpkin”; to Phila Butler Bowmanand Mothers’ Magazine for “The Queer Little Baker Man”; to theIndependent for “The Crown of the Year,” by Celia Thaxter; to Ginnand Company for “Winter’s Herald,” from Andrew’s “The Story of MyFour Friends”; to Frederick A. Stokes Company for “Lady White andLad