in a fierce storm. Slowly this song died, and everything was quiet.
Then, after a little while, the faraway sound of children's
voices--their laughter and singing--was heard, and then came the sweet
lullaby to the sleepy babes.

These songs all died away, and the violin sang the songs of the birds in
the summer-time, and the lowing of cattle, and the bleating of sheep in
the cold winter-time.

At last the violin could sing no longer the songs it knew, but a new
song came forth which was also very beautiful, and which caused the
people to bend forward and listen with eager faces, for it was the song
that came from the heart of the old man who was master of the violin.




A CHRISTMAS STORY


It was so long ago that the whole world has forgotten the date and even
the name of the little town in which lived a little boy whose name was
Hans.

Little Hans lived with his aunt, who was quite an old lady. She was not
always kind to Hans, but this made no difference to him. He loved her
just the same, and forgot that she was ever cross and very unkind to him
at times.

Hans went to school with many other boys, but he was not clothed as they