MAYOR RAT'S NIECE—1914
Source: Story Hour Readers, Book Two, by Ida Coe, Pd.M., Assistant Principal, Public Schools, City of New York
and Alice J. Christie, Primary Teacher, Public Schools, City of New York
Illustrated by Maginel Wright Enright
Published by American Book Company, New York—Cincinnati—Chicago
(added Sunday, April 30, 2006)
White Rat lived with her uncle. Her uncle was Mayor of Ratville. White Rat was loved very much for her beauty and her pleasing ways.
Mr. Gray Fur lived in Ratville, too. He saw how pretty White Rat was, and he wished to marry her. Every day he would call at her home and would leave grains of wheat and other dainties which rats like.
This made Mayor Rat very angry. One morning he said to his wife, "Gray Fur shall not marry our niece. Our beautiful White Rat must marry the greatest person in the whole, wide world. The sun, high up in the sky, gives us heat and light. The sun must be the greatest person in the whole, wide world. Perhaps he will marry our niece."
So the Mayor left Ratville and climbed up the blue sky until he met the sun. "O Sun," cried Mayor Rat, "surely you, with your warm rays, must be the greatest person in the whole, wide world. Please marry my niece, White Rat."
"Ha, ha!" laughed the sun. "You are very much mistaken. I am not so great as you think. Do you see that cloud over there? He is much greater than I. He can make me hide my face."
The Mayor Rat left the sun and traveled till he met the cloud floating along in the blue sky. "O Cloud," said Mayor Rat, "surely you, who can hide the sun, must be the greatest person in the whole, wide world. Please marry my niece, White Rat."
"Ha, ha!" laughed the cloud. "You are very much mistaken. Indeed I am not the greatest person in the whole, wide world. Do you hear North Wind blowing? He is much greater than I. I go where he sends me."
Then Mayor Rat left the cloud and traveled till he met North Wind. "O North Wind," said Mayor Rat, "you must be the greatest person in the whole, wide world. Please marry my niece, White Rat."
"Ha, ha!" laughed North Wind. "You are very much mistaken. I am not the greatest person in the whole, wide world. "Do you see the strong wall around your mansion? He is much greater than I. I cannot make him move, no matter how hard I blow."
Then Mayor Rat left the wind and climbed down from the sky. He walked and walked along until he came to the strong wall. "O strong Wall," said Mayor Rat, "you, whom the wind cannot move, must be the greatest person in the whole, wide world. Please marry my niece, White Rat."
"Ha, ha!" laughed the Wall. "You are very much mistaken. I am not the greatest person in the whole wide world. Mr Gray Fur, who lives in Ratville, is much greater than I. He can gnaw and make me fall. He must be the greatest person in the whole, wide world."
Beautiful White Rat was sitting in the garden. She heard what the wall had said to her uncle, Mayor Rat. It made White Rat very happy to hear about Mr. Gray Fur. She did not wish to marry the sun, although he gave light and heat. She did not wish to marry the cloud, although he could hide the sun. She did not wish to marry the wall, although strong North Wind was unable to move him. She did wish to marry Mr. Gray Fur.
So Mr. Gray Fur and White Rat were married and live happily in a pretty, white cottage next to the mansion of Mayor Rat.
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(This
web page created 4/30/06)
