Stránka:tales 1921.djvu/119

Things to See in Summertime 97 I did not know his history then; I did not learn it for a long time after, but I can tell it to you now. Once upon a time there was a little, greenish, blackish worm. He loved pretty things, and he hated to be ugly, as he was. No one wanted him, and he was left all alone, a miserable Uttle outcast. He complained bitterly to Mother Carey, and asked if she would not bless him with some grace, to help him in his troubles. Mother Carey said: "Little ugly worm; you are having a hard time, because in your other life, before you came into this shape, you had an ugly, hateful spirit. You must go through this one as you are, until the Great Sleep comes; after that, you wiU be exactly what you have made of yourself." Then the little ugly worm said: "Oh Mother Carey, I am as miserable as I can be; let me be twice as ugly, if, in the end, I may be twice as beautiful." Mother Carey said gravely, "Do you think you could stand it, little worm? We shall see." From that time the worm got bigger and uglier, no crea- ture would even talk to him. The birds seemed to fear him, and the Squirrels puffed out little horror-snorts, when they saw him coming, even the other worms kept away from him. So he went on his lonely life, uglier and more hated than ever. He lived chiefly on a big hickory tree, so men called him the Hickory Horn-devil. One day as he was crawling on a fence, a hen with chickens came running after him, to eat him. But when she saw how ugly he was she cried: "Oh, Lawk, lawk! Come away, children, at oncel" At another time he saw a Chipmunk teaching its little ones to play tag. They looked so bright and happy, he longed, not to join them because he could only crawl, but