The Apple Dumpling and Other Stories for Young Boys and Girls   By: Aunt Fanny (1822-1894)

THE

APPLE DUMPLING,

AND

OTHER STORIES

FOR

YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS.

LONDON: ADDEY & CO., 21 OLD BOND STREET.

MDCCCLII.

LONDON:

Printed by G. BARCLAY, Castle St. Leicester Sq.

TO LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS.

Once on a time there lived a little bit of a lady, who had a great many nephews and nieces. She was very little indeed, so all the children loved her, and said she was the best little Auntie in the world, and exactly the right size to play with them and tell them stories. Sometimes she told them stories about great and good men; sometimes funny stories about Frizzlefits and Rumplestiltskin, and sometimes she would make them nearly die with laughing at stories about the Dutchman, Hansansvanansvananderdansvaniedeneidendiesandesan.

At last, one day, one of her nieces said to her, "Dear Auntie, do write some stories, and put them in a book for us to read, and keep, as long as we live."

The little Aunt thought this was a very good plan, and here are the stories, dear little children, for all of you. If you like them, just let me know, and you shall have some more next year from

AUNT FANNY.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

TO LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS iii

THE APPLE DUMPLING 1

THE BROTHERS 8

ANNIE BROWNE 22

THE THREE BEARS 29

ABOUT MINDING QUICKLY 38

THE TWINS 47

THE LITTLE BOY THAT WAS AFRAID OF THE WATER 56

THE MAY QUEEN 62

THE TOOTHACHE 73

THE BOYS' SCHOOL 79

THE CHRISTMAS PARTY 101

THE APPLE DUMPLING.

Many years ago, there was a little old woman who lived a long way off in the woods. She lived all by herself, in a little cottage with only two rooms in it, and she made her living by knitting blue woollen stockings, and selling them.

One morning the old woman brushed up the hearth all clean, and put everything in order; then she went to the pantry and took out a great black pot, and filled it full of water, and hung it over the fire, and then she sat down in her arm chair by the fire. She took her spectacles out of her pocket and put them on her nose, and began to knit a great blue woollen stocking.

Very soon she said to herself, "I wonder what I shall have for dinner? I think I will make an apple dumpling." So she put her knitting down, and took her spectacles off her nose, and put them in her pocket, and, getting out of her arm chair, she went to the cupboard and got three nice rosy cheeked apples. Then she went to the knife box and got a knife; and then she took a yellow dish from the dresser, and sat down in her arm chair, and began to pare the apples.