d. Somebody who is always cheerful in his work.

e. In what sense Abraham Lincoln was a "rich" man.

2. IF

RUDYARD KIPLING

Read this poem slowly and carefully.

At the right of the first stanza you will find the names of four qualities of success. At the right of the other stanzas you will find blank spaces. Read the poem, line by line, and try to think of words for the blank spaces opposite the other stanzas. Do not use the same word for any two of the blanks.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt
you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too
wise;

If you can dream and not make dreams

your master;

If you can think — and not make thoughts
your aim,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the

same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

cool-headedness

self-confidence

patience

modesty

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And which is more you'll be a Man, my son!

CLASS ACTIVITIES

1. Give an example of success through "waiting."

2. Explain with examples what "losing one's head" means. 3. What does it mean to "make dreams your master"? How does it differ from "giving legs to your dreams"? What dreams did Big Ivan have in "The Citizen,” p. 320?

4. Explain, "Don't look too good nor talk too wise."

5. How can "triumph" be an impostor?

6. Why is complaining over one's difficulties ridiculed by the poet? 7. “Or walk with kings nor lose the common touch." How is this an element of success in a country like ours?

8. Which is the hardest "If" to practise? Explain.

9. How do the last two lines illustrate the relation between what one

does and what he is?

10. How can loving friends "hurt you"?

II. Words for glossary reference: impostor, knave.

12. Topics for talks:

a. Three of Washington's qualities of success.

b. The qualities of success shown by the boy in "What Will Power Did for Me," p. 116.

c. A successful woman in our community.

d. Opportunities in school life to show one of the qualities in "If."

e. How some man in "Providing Safety" (pp. 225-306) was successful:

ADDITIONAL READINGS. 1. "The Heritage of Noble Deeds," T. Roosevelt, in The Roosevelt Book, 11-20. 2. "A Four-Leafed Clover," A. S. Isaacs, in Children's Literature, 174-177.

3. THE FOOLISH FIR-TREE

HENRY VAN DYKE

A little fir grew in the midst of the wood
Contented and happy, as young trees should.
His body was straight and his boughs were clean;
And summer and winter the bountiful sheen
Of his needles bedecked him, from top to root,
In a beautiful all-the-year evergreen suit.

But a trouble came into his heart one day,
When he saw that the other trees were gay
In the wonderful raiment that summer weaves
Of manifold shapes and kinds of leaves.
He looked at his needles so stiff and small,

And thought that his dress was the poorest of all.

Then jealousy clouded the little tree's mind,
And he said to himself, "It was not very kind
To give such an ugly old dress to a tree!
If the fays of the forest would only ask me,

I'd tell them how I should like to be dressed
In a garment of gold, to bedazzle the rest!"

So he fell asleep, but his dreams were bad,

When he awoke in the morning his heart was glad;
For every leaf that his boughs could hold
Was made of the brightest beaten gold.
I tell you, children, the tree was proud;
He was something above the common crowd;
And he tinkled his leaves, as if he would say
To a pedlar who happened to pass that way,
"Just look at me! Don't you think I'm fine?
And wouldn't you like such a dress as mine?"
"Oh, yes!" said the man, "and I really guess
I must fill my pack with your beautiful dress."
So he picked the golden leaves with care,
And left the little tree shivering there.

"Oh, why did I wish for golden leaves?”
The fir-tree said, "I forgot that thieves
Would be sure to rob me in passing by.
If the fairies would give me another try,
I'd wish for something that cost much less,
And be satisfied with glass for my dress!"

Then he fell asleep; and just as before,
The fairies granted his wish once more.
When the night was gone, and the sun rose clear,
The tree was a crystal chandelier;

And it seemed, as he stood in the morning light,
That his branches were covered with jewels bright.
"Aha!" said the tree. "This is something great!"
And he held himself up, very proud and straight;
But a rude young wind through the forest dashed,
In a reckless temper, and quickly smashed
The delicate leaves. With a clashing sound

They broke into pieces and fell on the ground,
Like a silvery, shimmering shower of hail,
And the tree stood naked and bare to the gale.

Then his heart was sad; and he cried, "Alas,
For my beautiful leaves of shining glass!
Perhaps I have made another mistake
In choosing a dress so easy to break.
If the fairies only would hear me again

I'd ask them for something both pretty and plain;
It wouldn't cost much to grant my request -
In leaves of green lettuce I'd like to be dressed!"

By this time the fairies were laughing, I know;
But they gave him his wish in a second; and so
With leaves of green lettuce, all tender and sweet,
The tree was arrayed from his head to his feet.
"I knew it," he cried, "I was sure I could find
The sort of a suit that would be to my mind.
There's none of the trees has a prettier dress,
And none as attractive as I am, I guess."

But a goat who was taking an afternoon walk
By chance overheard the fir-tree's talk.
So he came up close for a nearer view;
"My salad!" he bleated, "I think so too!
You're the most attractive kind of a tree
And I want your leaves for my five o'clock tea.”
So he ate them all without saying grace,

And walked away with a grin on his face;
While the little tree stood in the twilight dim

With never a leaf on a single limb.

Then he sighed and groaned; but his voice was weak

He was so ashamed that he could not speak.

He knew at last he had been a fool,

To think of breaking the forest rule,