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THE
TELL-TALE.
Page 153. Page 168.
Published April 20 1823 by Harris & Son corner of St. Pauls.
THE
TELL-TALE:
AN
Original Collection
OF
MORAL AND AMUSING
STORIES.
LONDON:
HARRIS AND SON,
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD.
1823.
LONDON
PRINTED BY COX AND BAYLIS, GREAT QUEEN STREET.
THE TELL-TALE.
ARPHU, OR, THE FAIRY KITTEN.
"My dear mamma," said William Dormer, as he stood by his mother's knee,"have you no more pretty stories to relate?"
"Let me see," said Mrs. Dormer, "but I think I must have almostexhausted my stock. Beauty and the Beast, I told you yesterday; theYellow Dwarf you know by heart, for you were telling it the other day toyour cousin; and as for Puss in Boots, the Sleeping Beauty, andWhittington and his Cat, you know them nearly as well as I do.
"However," added she, "I will endeavour to recollect something else;but this is not the proper time for me to relate tales. When you havedone the sum which your papa has given you, and Mary has finished hercopy—and when Lewis has learned his lesson—when all this is done—why,perhaps, by that time, I shall have thought of a new story."
This observation produced the desired effect. Lewis, who had beenpreviously winding some thread about his fingers, began to apply himselfdiligently to his task; William paid strict attention to his cyphering,till it was completed; and Mary acquitted herself better than usual inwriting. The children then reminded their kind mother of her promise,and anxiously inquired what story she had recollected.
"You are very fond of fairy tales," said Mrs. Dormer, "and I am nowgoing to relate one, which is called 'The Fairy Kitten.'"
"Oh dear!" said William, "did she catch mice? I never heard of fairieskeeping cats before."
"Rememb