Little Peter: A Christmas Morality for Children of any Age
by Lucas Malet (1852–1931)
- Free to read
- 2 hours to read
- 11 chapters
- Reading level: 7th grade
"Little Peter: A Christmas Morality for Children of any Age" by Lucas Malet is a children's story that appears to have been written in the late 19th century. The narrative focuses on the titular character, Little Peter, and his family as they navigate the whimsical and somewhat enchanting experiences surrounding Christmas and their journey to the church in Nullepart. The story promises to impart moral lessons through its portrayal of various characters, including the kind-hearted charcoal-burner, John Paqualin, who embodies a sage-like presence. The opening of the story introduces us to the pine forest where Little Peter lives with his family, emphasizing the natural beauty of the surroundings and hinting at deeper lessons to be learned from nature. Little Peter's innocence is shown as he waits for his brother Antony and interacts with John Paqualin, who presents himself whimsically, warning Peter about the dangers of the forest, including an imagined wolf. This sets the stage for thematic explorations of kindness, self-discovery, and the contrast between the innocent perspective of children and the complex world of adults. The relationships within Peter's family further highlight dynamics of love, worry, and adventure, building an atmosphere ripe for the festivities and reflections of the Christmas season.
- Christian life
- Fantasy fiction
- Conduct of life
- Children · Conduct of life
- Children · Death
- Brothers
- Kindness
- Magic
Read the opening
Chapter I
WHICH DEALS WITH THE OPINIONS OF A CAT, AND THE SORROWS OF A CHARCOAL BURNER.
The pine forest is a wonderful place. The pine-trees stand in ranks like the soldiers of some vast army, side by side, mile after mile, in companies and regiments and battalions, all clothed in a sober uniform of green and grey. But they are unlike soldiers in this, that they are of all ages and sizes; some so small that the rabbits easily jump over them in their play, and some so tall and stately that the fall of them is like the falling of a high tower. And the pine-trees are put to many different uses. They are made into masts for the gallant ships that sail out and away to distant ports across the great ocean. Others are sawn into planks, and used for the building of sheds; for the rafters and flooring, and clap-boards and woodwork of our houses; for railway-sleepers, and scaffoldings, and hoardings. Others are polished and fashioned into articles of furniture. Turpentine comes from them, which the artist uses with his colours, and the doctor in his medicines; which is used, too, in the cleaning of stuffs and in a hundred different ways. While the pine-cones, and broken branches and waste wood, make bright crackling fires by which to warm ourselves on a winter's day.
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About this edition
This free edition of Little Peter: A Christmas Morality for Children of any Age by Lucas Malet comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #45666, released 2014-05-16. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Children & Young Adult Reading, Novels.
Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).
