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his mind； and he began to sob； but a little
Japanese boy always obeys； so though he sobbed；
he thrust his torch in； and the sharp flame ran
up the dry stalks； red and yellow。 In an
instant； the field was ablaze； and thick black
smoke began to pour up； on the mountain side。
It rose like a cloud； black and fierce； and in no
time the people below saw that their precious
ricefields were on fire。 Ah； how they ran！
Men； women； and children climbed the mountain；
running as fast as they could to save the
rice； not one soul stayed behind。
And when they came to the mountain top； and
saw the beautiful rice…crop all in flames； beyond
help； they cried bitterly； 〃Who has done this
thing？ How did it happen？〃
〃I set fire；〃 said the old man； very solemnly；
and the little grandson sobbed； 〃Grandfather
set fire。〃
But when they came fiercely round the old
man； with 〃Why？ Why？〃 he only turned and
pointed to the sea。 〃Look！〃 he said。
They all turned and looked。 And there；
where the blue sea had lain； so calm； a mighty
wall of water； reaching from earth to sky； was
rolling in。 No one could scream； so terrible
was the sight。 The wall of water rolled in on
the land； passed quite over the place where the
village had been； and broke； with an awful
sound； on the mountain side。 One wave more；
and still one more； came； and then all was
water； as far as they could look； below； the
village where they had been was under the sea。
But the people were all safe。 And when they
saw what the old man had done； they honoured
him above all men for the quick wit which had
saved them all from the tidal wave。
THE STORY OF WYLIE＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from Rab and his Friends； by Dr John Brown。
This is a story about a dog；not the kind of
dog you often see in the street here； not a fat；
wrinkly pugdog； nor a smooth…skinned bulldog；
nor even a big shaggy fellow； but a slim； silky…
haired； sharp…eared little dog； the prettiest thing
you can imagine。 Her name was Wylie； and she
lived in Scotland； far up on the hills； and helped
her master take care of his sheep。
You can't think how clever she was！ She
watched over the sheep and the little lambs like
a soldier； and never let anything hurt them。
She drove them out to pasture when it was
time； and brought them safely home when it was
time for that。 When the silly sheep got frightened
and ran this way and that； hurting themselves
and getting lost； Wylie knew exactly what to
do；round on one side she would run； barking
and scolding； driving them back； then round
on the other； barking and scolding； driving them
back； till they were all bunched together in front
of the right gate。 Then she drove them through
as neatly as any person。 She loved her work；
and was a wonderfully fine sheepdog。
At last her master grew too old to stay alone
on the hills； and so he went away to live。 Before
he went； he gave Wylie to two kind young men
who lived in the nearest town； he knew they
would be good to her。 They grew very fond of
her； and so did their old grandmother and the
little children： she was so gentle and handsome
and well behaved。
So now Wylie lived in the city where there
were no sheep farms； only streets and houses；
and she did not have to do any work at all；
she was just a pet dog。 She seemed very happy
and she was always good。
But after a while； the family noticed something
odd； something very strange indeed； about their
pet。 Every single Tuesday night； about nine
o'clock； Wylie DISAPPEARED。 They would look
for her； call her；no； she was gone。 And she
would be gone all night。 But every Wednesday
morning； there she was at the door； waiting to
be let in。 Her silky coat was all sweaty and
muddy and her feet heavy with weariness； but
her bright eyes looked up at her masters as
if she were trying to explain where she had
been。
Week after week the same thing happened。
Nobody could imagine where Wylie went every
Tuesday night。 They tried to follow her to find
out； but she always slipped away； they tried to
shut her in； but she always found a way out。
It grew to be a real mystery。 Where in the
world did Wylie go？
You never could guess； so I am going to tell
you。
In the city near the town where the kind
young men lived was a big market like （naming
one in the neighbourhood）。 Every sort of thing
was sold there； even live cows and sheep and
hens。 On Tuesday nights； the farmers used to
come down from the hills with their sheep to sell；
and drive them through the city streets into the
pens； ready to sell on Wednesday morning； that
was the day they sold them。
The sheep weren't used to the city noises and
sights； and they always grew afraid and wild；
and gave the farmers and the sheepdogs a great
deal of trouble。 They broke away and ran about；
in everybody's way。
But just as the trouble was worst； about
sunrise； the farmers would see a little silky； sharp…
eared dog come trotting all alone down the road；
into the midst of them。
And then！
In and out the little dog ran like the wind；
round and about； always in the right place；
drivingcoaxingpushingmaking the sheep
mind like a good school…teacher； and never
frightening them； till they were all safely in！
All the other dogs together could not do as
much as the little strange dog。 She was a perfect
wonder。 And no one knew whose dog she
was or where she came from。 The farmers grew
to watch for her； every week； and they called
her 〃the wee fell yin〃 which is Scots for 〃the
little terror〃； they used to say when they saw
her coming； 〃There's the wee fell yin！ Now
we'll get them in。〃
Every farmer would have liked to keep her；
but she let no one catch her。 As soon as her
work was done she was off and away like a fairy
dog； no one knew where。 Week after week this
happened； and nobody knew who the little
strange dog was。
But one day Wylie went to walk with her two
masters； and they happened to meet some sheep
farmers。 The sheep farmers stopped short and
stared at Wylie； and then they cried out； 〃Why；
THAT'S THE DOG！ That's the wee fell yin！〃 And
so it was。 The little strange dog who helped
with the sheep was Wylie。
Her masters； of course； didn't know what the
farmers meant； till they were told all about what
I have been telling you。 But when they heard
about the pretty strange dog who came to
market all alone； they knew at last where Wylie
went； every Tuesday night。 And they loved
her better than ever
Wasn't it wise of the dear little dog to go and
work for other people when her own work was
taken away？ I fancy she knew that the best
people and the best dogs always work hard at
something。 Any way she did that same thing
as long as she lived； and she was always just as
gentle； and silky…haired； and loving as at first。
LITTLE DAYLIGHT＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from At the Back of the North Wind； by George
Macdonald。
Once there was a beautiful palace； which had
a great wood at one side。 The king and his
courtiers hunted in the wood near the palace；
and there it was kept open； free from underbrush。
But farther away it grew wilder and wilder； till
at last it was so thick that nobody knew what
was there。 It was a very great wood indeed。
In the wood lived eight fairies。 Seven of
them were good fairies； who had lived there
always； the eighth was a bad fairy； who had
just come。 And the worst of it was that nobody
but the other fairies knew she WAS a fairy；
people thought she was just an ugly old witch。
The good fairies lived in the dearest little houses！
One lived in a hollow silver birch； one in a little
moss cottage； and so on。 But the bad fairy lived
in a horrid mud house in the middle of a dark
swamp。
Now when the first baby was born to the ki