Once, twice, thrice nodded Marmaduke’s head. The red flames of the fire kept dancing, dancing all the time. Very bright looked the little sleigh at the foot of the bed, very brave the tiny reindeer. But look! Something moved–just a little. The “nigh” little reindeer was stamping his foot and tossing his antlers. And the […]

Of course Marmaduke grew well again, and back from Uncle Roger’s came Jehosophat and Hepzebiah. They came back in the old creaking buckboard with Methuselah the old, old white horse, and the Toyman. No sooner had they jumped to the ground than Marmaduke asked, very proudly: “Where do you think I’ve been?” “You’ve been sick.” […]

Mother Green and Father Green were fast asleep in the White-House-with-the-Green-Blinds. The Toyman was fast asleep too. Rover and Brownie and Wienerwurst lay curled up in their kennels, with their eyes tight shut. On their poles in their house all the White Wyandottes perched like feathery balls, their heads sunk low on their breasts. On […]

The Toyman sat by the pond under the “Crying Tree.” That is what Marmaduke calls it, though the Toyman says it is a weeping willow. It’s leaves are a very pretty green, much lighter than the leaves of the other trees. And the branches bend over till they reach the water. They really do look […]

Under the big oak by the brook sat the three happy children with Rover, Brownie, and little yellow Wienerwurst. They were watching the Toyman cut the ripe corn. “Isn’t that funny?” said Jehosophat. “What’s funny?” asked Marmaduke. “Wot’s funny?” repeated Hepzebiah. “Oh! I was just thinking,” said Jehosophat, “how he seems just Frank when he’s […]

Marmaduke was lost. There was such a crowd around those tents! He wriggled between lots of pairs of legs, but nowhere could he find the Toyman’s. Near the door of the tent stood a man with a big black moustache, and a silk hat on his head. He was selling tickets. The Toyman went up […]

“Tell me a story–a fairy story,” said Jehosophat to his Mother. The three happy children loved really true stories and fairy stories too. Sometimes they wanted one, sometimes the other. Sometimes the Toyman mixed his stories up so it was hard to tell which they were. This morning it was spring. The sun was warm […]

Jehosophat, Marmaduke, and Hepzebiah were very happy as they watched the fairy story of the flowers. They were happier still because they helped it grow. But of course that did not take all of their time. So one morning when Marmaduke had eaten up all of his oatmeal and the cream, which Buttercup had given […]

All stories should have an ending. It’s fine, isn’t it, when they end happily? And this story of the Orioles did end happily–oh, so happily! It was this way, you see. The little grey house on the elm was finished. It hung down from the end of the green branch, under the leaves. It looked […]

Jehosophat and Marmaduke were whispering together. “Let’s try it,” said Jehosophat. “An’ see what happens,” added Marmaduke. So they tiptoed into the House of the White Wyandottes and placed the big duck’s eggs in with the smaller eggs under the setting hen. Mother Hen did not like that, oh no! She stirred in her nest. […]

In the door of the workshop stood the three happy children, watching the Toyman. It was one of the very nicest places on the whole farm. Tools of all sorts, bright and sharp, lay on the table. Lumber of every kind lay piled against the walls. The shelves were filled with cans of paint. All […]

Not once upon a time but just now, in a white house by the side of a road, live three happy children. Their mother and father gave them very odd names, for two old uncles and one aunt, which pleased the old people very much. Their names are all written in the big family Bible,–Jehosophat […]

The three happy children have many playmates, who live in the barnyard. Some have four feet and some only two, but these have two wings besides to make up for the missing feet. Jehosophat, Marmaduke, and Hepzebiah like the dogs best. And just as there are three children so there are three dogs. Let’s shake […]

Do you remember what we were telling about last night when that little tongue told us to stop? The little tongue in the Clock-with-the-Wise-Face on the mantel? Oh yes, the first cousins of the chickens who lived in the yard of the three happy children. Their first cousins are called ducks. Most of them are […]

In the afternoon the sun grows tired of his hot walk across the sky. Beyond the Green farm are the blue hills behind which he sleeps each night. When he is almost there the three happy children go down to the barn to watch their four-footed friends come home. Sometimes Frank, the hired man who […]

Farmer Green has a man who helps him plough, feed the cows and horses, and with all the work on the farm. His name is Frank, but Jehosophat, Marmaduke, and Hepzebiah call him “the Toyman.” Winter nights around the fire he makes wonderful toys for them. His knife is like a fairy’s wand. With it […]