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＇1＇ This story was told me in the mother…tongue of a German friend； at
the kindly instance of a common friend of both； the narrator had heard it at
home from the lips of a father of story…loving children for whom ho often
invented such little tales。 The present adaptation has passed by hearsay
through so many minds that it is perhaps little like the original； but I
venture to hope it has a touch of the original fancy； at least。
I am going to tell you a story about something wonderful that
happened to a Christmas Tree like this； ever and ever so long ago； when it
was once upon a time。
It was before Christmas； and the tree was trimmed with bright
spangled threads and many…coloured candles and （name the trimmings of
the tree before you）； and it stood safely out of sight in a room where the
doors were locked； so that the children should not see it before the proper
time。 But ever so many other little house…people had seen it。 The big black
pussy saw it with her great green eyes； the little grey kitty saw it with her
little blue eyes； the kind house…dog saw it with his steady brown eyes； the
yellow canary saw it with his wise； bright eyes。 Even the wee； wee mice
that were so afraid of the cat had peeped one peep when no one was by。
But there was someone who hadn't seen the Christmas tree。 It was the
little grey spider！
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You see； the spiders lived in the corners； the warm corners of the
sunny attic and the dark corners of the nice cellar。 And they were
expecting to see the Christmas Tree as much as anybody。 But just before
Christmas a great cleaning…up began in the house。 The house… mother
came sweeping and dusting and wiping and scrubbing； to make everything
grand and clean for the Christ…child's birthday。 Her broom went into all the
corners； poke； poke；and of course the spiders had to run。 Dear； dear；
HOW the spiders had to run！ Not one could stay in the house while the
Christmas cleanness lasted。 So； you see； they couldn't see the Christmas
Tree。
Spiders like to know all about everything； and see all there is to see；
and these were very sad。 So at last they went to the Christ…child and told
him about it。
〃All the others see the Christmas Tree； dear Christ…child；〃 they said；
〃but we； who are so domestic and so fond of beautiful things； we are
CLEANED UP！ We cannot see it； at all。〃
The Christ…child was sorry for the little spiders when he heard this； and
he said they should see the Christmas Tree。
The day before Christmas； when nobody was noticing； he let them all
go in； to look as long as ever they liked。
They came creepy； creepy； down the attic stairs； creepy； creepy； up the
cellar stairs； creepy； creepy； along the halls；and into the beautiful room。
The fat mother spiders and the old papa spiders were there； and all the
little teeny； tiny； curly spiders； the baby ones。 And then they looked！
Round and round the tree they crawled； and looked and looked and looked。
Oh； what a good time they had！ They thought it was perfectly beautiful。
And when they had looked at everything they could see from the floor；
they started up the tree to see more。 All over the tree they ran； creepy；
crawly； looking at every single thing。 Up and down； in and out； over every
branch and twig； the little spiders ran； and saw every one of the pretty
things right up close。
They stayed till they had seen all there was to see； you may be sure；
and then they went away at last； QUITE happy。
Then； in the still； dark night before Christmas Day； the dear Christ…
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child came； to bless the tree for the children。 But when he looked at it
WHAT do you suppose？it was covered with cobwebs！ Everywhere the
little spiders had been they had left a spider…web； and you know they had
been everywhere。 So the tree was covered from its trunk to its tip with
spider… webs； all hanging from the branches and looped round the twigs； it
was a strange sight。
What could the Christ…child do？ He knew that house…mothers do not
like cobwebs； it would never； never do to have a Christmas Tree covered
with those。 No； indeed。
So the dear Christ…child touched the spider's webs； and turned them all
to gold！ Wasn't that a lovely trimming？ They shone and shone； all over the
beautiful tree。 And that is the way the Christmas Tree came to have golden
cob… webs on it。
WHY THE MORNING…GLORY CLIMBS＇1＇
＇1＇ This story was given me by Miss Elisabeth McCracken； who wrote
it some years ago in a larger form； and who told it to me in the way she
had told it to many children of her acquaintance。
Once the Morning…Glory was flat on the ground。 She grew that way；
and she had never climbed at all。 Up in the top of a tree near her lived Mrs
Jennie Wren and her little baby Wren。 The little Wren was lame； he had a
broken wing and couldn't fly。 He stayed in the nest all day。 But the mother
Wren told him all about what she saw in the world； when she came flying
home at night。 She used to tell him about the beautiful Morning…Glory she
saw on the ground。 She told him about the Morning…Glory every day； until
the little Wren was filled with a desire to see her for himself。
〃How I wish I could see the Morning… Glory！〃 he said。
The Morning…Glory heard this； and she longed to let the little Wren see
her face。 She pulled herself along the ground； a little at a time； until she
was at the foot of the tree where the little Wren lived。 But she could not
get any farther； because she did not know how to climb。 At last she wanted
to go up so much； that she caught hold of the bark of the tree； and pulled
herself up a little。 And little by little； before she knew it； she was climbing。
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And she climbed right up the tree to the little Wren's nest； and put her
sweet face over the edge of the nest； where the little Wren could see。
That was how the Morning…Glory came to climb。
THE STORY OF LITTLE TAVWOTS＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from The Basket Woman； by Mary Austin。
This is the story an Indian woman told a little whit