The Emerald Story Book; Stories and Legends of Spring, Nature and Easter

This volume is from 1915; no illustrations are included.

From the book's Introduction:

There is no richer theme for children's stories than the miracle of Spring. The selections in "The Emerald Story Book" aim to
serve the young reader's interest in three ways. Some of the myths and legends are interesting or amusing because flowers, insects, or birds are presented as personalities and emphasise
human qualities or feelings. Some of the stories and poems contribute to the child's store of knowledge by attracting his attention to some fact, beauty, or blessing in nature which
may have escaped his notice. Still others make an appeal by suggesting or affirming the abiding hope symbolised in the thought, "See the land her Easter keeping,''

The child's heart is filled with the joy of spring, with the rapture expressed in the thrush's song which Mrs. Ewing describes.
"Fresh water and green woods, ambrosial sunshine and sun-flecked shade, chattering brooks and rustling leaves, glade and sward and dell. Lichens and cool mosses, feathered ferns and
flowers. Green leaves! Green leaves! Joy! Joy!"

Chapters:

SPRING STORIES AND LEGENDS:
- April
- The Spring-Maiden and the Frost Giants (Norse Legend)
- How the Bluebird was Chosen Herald
- The Springtime
- The Selfish Giant
- The Promised Plant
- Brier Rose
- Picciola (Adapted)
- St. Francis, the Little Bedesman of Christ
- Proserpina and King Pluto (Greek Myth)
- The Wonder a Parable (from "Parables")

NATURE STORIES AND LEGENDS:
- Green Things Growing (Poem)
- The Story of a Little Grain of Wheat
- The Little Acorn
- The Story of Two Little Seeds
- How the Flowers Came
- The Legend of Trailing Arbutus (Indian Legend)
- The Fairy Flower (Adapted from "Norwood")
- The Snowdrop
- What the Dandelion Told
- A Great Family
- A Birth of the Violet (Legend)
- A Lyric of Joy (Poem)

AMONG THE TREE-TOPS:
- Robin's Carol (From "Angler's Revelle")
- How the Birds Came (Indian Legend)
- How the Birds Learned to Build Nests
- The Story of Blue-Wings, an Eastern Legend (Poem)
- The House Wren
- The Little Brown Wren
- The Children of Wind and the Clan of Peace (A Christ-Legend)

IN MEADOW AND POND:
- A Spring Lilt (Poem)
- How Butterflies Came
- White Butterflies (Poem)
- The Butterfly
- The Wind, a Helper
- The Springing Tree: Willows
- Pussy Willow
- The Dragon Fly
- The Cicada's Story (Selected)
- Edith and the Bees
- The Little Tadpoles (From Stories in "Prose and Verse")
- Mister Hop-Toad (Poem)
- Buz and Hum
- A Story Without an End
1. In the Green Meadow
2. The Story of a Drop of Water (Translated from German)
- Legend of the Forget-Me-Not
- Four Leaf Clover (Poem)
- Jolly Little Tars
- Mr. Maple and Mr. Pine

A GARDEN OF EASTER STORIES:
- Old English Verse
- The Easter Rabbit (German Legend)
- The Boy Who Discovered the Spring
- Sheep and Lambs (Poem)
- Robin Redbreast, a Christ-Legend (Adapted) (From
Christ-Legends)
- The Maple Seed
- Why the Ivy is Alwasy Green
- Jonquils (Poem)
- When Thou Comest Into Thy Kingdom
- The Legend of the Easter Lily Song
- In the Garden: an Easter Prelude
- "Spirit and Life"
- A Child's Easter (Poem)
- The Spirit of Easter
- There are No Dead, adapted from "The Bluebird"
by Madame Maeterlinck
- Little Boy Blue (Poem)























JONQUILS (Poem)