The greedy heron [short story]

Title

Creator

Gaborni, Alejandro

Language

English

Source

Young Citizen, 7 (9) September 1941

Year

1941

Subject

Children’s stories

Animal stories

Fables

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

SEPTEMBER: 19 . .p THE YOUNG CITIZEN 315 LITTLE STORIES FOR LITTLE PEOPLE THE GREEDY HERON By ALEJANDRO GP,BORNI • ONCE upon a time a Heron invited his friend, the Frog, to a dinner. But the· Heron did not have much to eat: only a few flies and mosquitoes which he had brought from a pond. The Frog, who was very polite, ate some of the food, and thanked the Heron. Then the Frog's turn came. She prepared a fine dinner consisting of a bowl of fish, roasted lizards, and· plenty of fat earthworms. Then she got a platter of nice insects for herself. The Heron arrived and seated himself at one end of the table without waiting for the Frog. He ate everything he could find on the table. When he had finished eating the lasl fat worm, he said: "What a very poor dinner! It is too light. Have you anything more to eat in the house?" "Nothing more, kind sir," said the Frog, "unless you would want to eat me." Of course the Frog was only joking, but the Heron opened his sharp bill and swallowed the Frog. The Heron went out of the house and down the field, swinging his long bill gaily and still loqking for something to eat. On the way he met an old Mudfish looking out for a fine dinner of fresh tadpoles. He saw what the Heron had done with the Frog. "You greedy He(on,"'said the Mudfish, "why did you eat your friend the Frog?" *Teacher, Pinabacdao B3.rrio School, Calbiga, Samar. "Greedy, indeed I" said the Heron, "I am thinking of eating you, too." The Heron opened his sharp bill and down his throat went the old Mudfish. Then on through the watery field up and down he slowly stalked feeling finer than ever.· As he went he met an old Snake who was hunting for a dinner of toads and frogs. "Go away, Heron," said the old' Snak~, "or I-will bite you." · . "Bite me, indeed!" said the Heron. "I have eaten my friend the Frog; I have eaten an old Mudfish. What is to stop me from eating you?" He opened his bill wide, and . down his throat went the old Snake. Then the Greedy Heron !tarted again, but more slowly. As he travelled he met a clumsy crab. ' (Please turn to page 334.) 334 THE YOUNG CITIZEN SBPTBMBBR, 1941 GREEDY HERON PIED PIPER JERUSALEM (Continued from page 315) (Continued from page 322) (Continued from page 324) "Get out of my way, and the children went on One of the famous places you!" ordered the Crab. their way to the mountain of J erusalein is known as "No, sir,'' said the Heron is called the "Street of the the Wailing Place ·of the proudly. "I have eaten the Children." In this street Jews. This is a wall o~ very Frog; I have eaten the old there is set up a large stone. ancient stones, once supMudfish, and I have eaten On its side is cut the date posed 10· have been a part the old Snake. 'Yhat is t~ "June 26, A.D. 12 a4." Tha; of the temple erected by stop me from eatmg·you? is the day on which the Solomon but nqw kno~n to But b~fore the Heron P.iper is said to have lead belong ~o later· tllll.es. could finish what he was th b d . 1 Every Friday ] ews gather saying, the Crab raised up U e h oys an t; sf aw:y. at this wall, kiss the ancient his two mighty pinchers, P 1 e.stre.et a itt e art er stones, mourn the loss of and pinched the· Heron's th.ere is a statue of the ] erusalem, and pray. There neck. Piper. are Hebrew carvings on Every year, when · the these ston·es · · these are the twenty-sixth of ] une comes prayers of pilgrims. SOME QUESTONS the around, all the. people who Except for its memories I. Do you think Heron was polite? live in ·Hamelin have a of the past, ] erusalem is l;leron great holiday in memory of not an attractive city today.· the children who followed The streets are narrow and the Piper. dirty, shut in by the high 2. What did the do to the Frog? MOUSIE On that day, the whole ?loomy walls of the build(Gontinued. from page 317) town is full of rats again. mgs, and often ONerarch~d, (They bury _the treasure But these are not live rats. so that they seem almost hke again; cover it with soil and Instead they are little cakes. passages through caves. run toward a clump of trees and co~kies made into the The houses are square and nearby. They climb a tall shape of a rat. And all the ~at-topped, with few outone). . stores in town have for sale side courts .. The streets are MOUSIE: (E:mfedly) r 1 fl 1.k h h crowded with traders, begL k d di Th , 1tt e utes, 1 et e one t e gars and p·1gr· s and oo , a e y v e p· 1 d , 1 1m changed theii course. They iper P aye · . travelers from all o:ve_r the aren't coming here. The. boy~ and girls .of world. M o u s I E'S DAD: Sure Hamelin sull love _music, Old ] erusalem is buried enough, son. I thought they and they sing and play it deep in the ground; modern would land and ·make us all the year round. But no Jerusalem is partly an old prisoners once more-with one is ever allowed to sing Crusaders' town with Mothe treasure we found. or play . any music on the hammedan additions, and MousIE: Let's get down. street through which the par'tly an uninteresting It's safe now. Then we can children followed the travel resort, but to the folget the treasure again and Piper, so long ago. That lowers of.two faiths Jerusasail for home. is to be a silent street for- lem will •ever be a sacred CURTAIN ever. city.

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