When I was a baby, I would stand up in my crib and yell: "Margarett! Read a book!" (Margarett was my grandmother and I had learned that calling out her name got her to come running.)
Among the books I loved at that time were the Simon and Schuster Little Golden Books, which came on the market in the fall of 1942. The books were colorful, child-sized books and sold for 25 cents each (about $4.00 in today's dollars). This was something my family could afford.
Of the twelve original titles, I vividly remember "reading" at least three.
In the Poky Little Puppy, the puppy learns, "Don't be late for dessert, or you might not get any." This was never my problem.
In the Three Little Kittens, the kittens lose their mittens. Oh, no! They have to find them. And then they have to wash and dry them and get them ready for next time. I can't remember ever having lost my mittens; not that I don't lose them now, because I do, or I would if I dared to take them with me.
And in the Little Red Hen, the hen who found the wheat planted it, tended it, harvested it, and baked it into bread. Every time she asked another animal for help, she got a "no" and had to do everything herself. When it came time to eat the bread, she told everyone that, since they did not help with the work, they could not share the loaf of bread with her.
But I do try to share, whether anybody has helped me or not.
1 comment:
I always did think the moral of 'The Little Red Hen' was a bit unfortunate. Surely after the lesson was learned they could have all sat down together to a slice of bread!
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