Long ago, in a far-off land, there was a great famine. It had not rained for days, and weeks, and months. Every day the people watched for a cloud to appear, and every night they hoped and hoped that rain would come tomorrow. But no rain came. The rivers grew narrower and narrower till there were no rivers. The ponds grew smaller and smaller till there were no ponds. A little water trickled in some springs but most of them were dry. The leaves and the grasses were wilted and brown. The flowers hung their dusty heads and died. The lambs were too tired to play. The birds no longer chirped and sang. The people had fevers and the little children were too thirsty to sleep. One day a little boy started out with a tin dipper to try to find water for his sick mother. He went past the dusty plants and the quiet birds and the sick animals, on and on, up a high hill. At last he found a tiny spring of water bubbling in the shade of a great stone. He filled his dipper to the brim. Stepping carefully, so as not to spill a drop, he started toward home. As he hurried down the hill, he heard a faint sound. There by the path lay a little lamb. It was too sick to bleat, but it looked with longing eyes at the dipper of water. And though the lad would not take any for himself, he poured a few drops on the lamb's tongue. Then a wonderful thing happened. The tin dipper changed to silver and it was still filled to the brim! The little boy hurried home, and took the dipper of water to his mother. As she opened her lips to drink, she thought of the nurse who had cared for her for many days and nights. "Let the nurse drink first," she said. Again a wonderful thing happened. The silver dipper was changed to gold and it was still filled to the brim! The boy raised the dipper to his mother's lips again, when a knock was heard. There at the door stood a stranger. He was ragged and tired and pale. Like the poor lamb, he was too sick to speak, but he stretched out his hands for the water. Without waiting a moment, the little boy took the dipper to the stranger. As he drank his face grew beautiful, and he said softly, "The water shall not be less, but more, for the giving." As they looked in wonder, the stranger vanished. But out in the yard there gushed a spring of cool water. Men, women, and children hastened with their cups to drink from it. The animals lapped the water that flowed from the spring in a refreshing stream. The birds chirped and sang as they bathed in the clear water. But the golden dipper had disappeared. They searched in vain for it, till the sun went down and the stars came out. Then the little lad looked up into the sky and saw it there. It was no longer made of gold but of seven glittering stars. And ever since that long ago time, the mothers in that land take their children to the northern window of their homes, tell them this wonderful story, and give to each child a tin dipper. Sometimes very little children have their dippers changed to silver or gold. But many grow old still carrying the tin dipper. For in that land no one can buy a dipper of gold. It comes only to those who think first of others. TEXT Long ago , in a far-off land , there was a great famine . It had not rained for days , and weeks , and months . Every day the people watched for a cloud to appear , and every night they hoped and hoped that rain would come tomorrow . But no rain came . The rivers grew narrower and narrower till there were no rivers . The ponds grew smaller and smaller till there were no ponds . A little water trickled in some springs but most of them were dry . The leaves and the grasses were wilted and brown . The flowers hung their dusty heads and died . The lambs were too tired to play . The birds no longer chirped and sang . The people had fevers and the little children were too thirsty to sleep . One day a little boy started out with a tin dipper to try to find water for his sick mother . He went past the dusty plants and the quiet birds and the sick animals , on and on , up a high hill . At last he found a tiny spring of water bubbling in the shade of a great stone . He filled his dipper to the brim . Stepping carefully , so as not to spill a drop , he started toward home . As he hurried down the hill , he heard a faint sound . There by the path lay a little lamb . It was too sick to bleat , but it looked with longing eyes at the dipper of water . And though the lad would not take any for himself , he poured a few drops on the lamb 's tongue . Then a wonderful thing happened . The tin dipper changed to silver and it was still filled to the brim ! The little boy hurried home , and took the dipper of water to his mother . As she opened her lips to drink , she thought of the nurse who had cared for her for many days and nights . `` Let the nurse drink first , '' she said . Again a wonderful thing happened . The silver dipper was changed to gold and it was still filled to the brim ! The boy raised the dipper to his mother 's lips again , when a knock was heard . There at the door stood a stranger . He was ragged and tired and pale . Like the poor lamb , he was too sick to speak , but he stretched out his hands for the water . Without waiting a moment , the little boy took the dipper to the stranger . As he drank his face grew beautiful , and he said softly , `` The water shall not be less , but more , for the giving . '' As they looked in wonder , the stranger vanished . But out in the yard there gushed a spring of cool water . Men , women , and children hastened with their cups to drink from it . The animals lapped the water that flowed from the spring in a refreshing stream . The birds chirped and sang as they bathed in the clear water . But the golden dipper had disappeared . They searched in vain for it , till the sun went down and the stars came out . Then the little lad looked up into the sky and saw it there . It was no longer made of gold but of seven glittering stars . And ever since that long ago time , the mothers in that land take their children to the northern window of their homes , tell them this wonderful story , and give to each child a tin dipper . Sometimes very little children have their dippers changed to silver or gold . But many grow old still carrying the tin dipper . For in that land no one can buy a dipper of gold . It comes only to those who think first of others . 6~7~8 12~13~14 21 24 27 29~30 31~32 35~36 41~42 43 48 772 55 58~59 67~68 70~71 79~80 82~83~84 87~88 90~91~92 96~97 96~97~98~99~100 99~100 106~107 109 109~110~111 115~116 123~124 131~132 134 136~137~138 147~148~149 153~154~155 160 162 162~163~164 166 169~170~171 173~174~175 177~178~179 186~187~188 192 194~195~196~197~198 198 201~202~203~204~205~206 204~205~206 208 210 210~211 213~214 224~225 227 230 233 236~237 239 241~242~243 247~248 250~251~252 254 262 265~266 268~269~270~271 271 275~276 282 284 286~287~288 290~291~292~293 291 296~297~298 301~302~303 306 308 313~314 316~317~318 320 324~325~326~327 327 329 329~330 333 335 335~336 340 343~344 349 351~352~353~354 358~359 364 368~369~370 373~374~375 379 381 386~387 389~390 392~393 395~396 395~396~397~398 402~403 409~410 412~413 415 424~425~426 428 436 439 439~440 443 447~448 450~451~452 454~455 457~458 461 463 463~464 469 474~475 490 495~496 502~503 506~507~508~509~510 509~510 512 512~513~514~515~516~517 514 517 520 520~521 525 527~528 530~531 535~536 538~539~540 542~543 548 551~552~553 556~557~558 562 567 570~571 575~576 581~582~583 587~588 591 594 600 603~604~605 610~611~612~613 615~616 618~619 621 621~622 624~625~626 628 628~629 633~634~635 640~641 642~643~644 647~648~649 651 651~652 655 657 665~666~667 671~672 673~674 677~678~679~680 682 686 691 a far-off land|2440,2590,2605 a great famine|2441 days|2442 weeks|2443 months|2444 Every day|2445 the people|2446,2449,2468 a cloud|2447 every night|2448 rain|2450,2452 tomorrow|2451 The rivers|2453,2454 The ponds|2455,2456 A little water|2457 some springs|2458,2459 The leaves|2460 The leaves and the grasses|2461 the grasses|2462 The flowers|2463,2464,2477 dusty flowers' heads|2465 The lambs|2466 The birds|2467,2478,2574,2575 fevers|2469 the little children|2470,2566,2592,2597,2599,2600 a little boy|2471,2474,2476,2481,2486,2487,2491,2493,2495,2504,2505,2506,2515,2519,2535,2550,2582 boy's tin dipper|2472,2488,2502,2511,2513,2517,2531,2533,2536,2551,2577,2579,2584,2585 water|2473,2483,2503,2518,2548,2557,2562,2571 his sick mother|2475,2520,2521,2522,2524,2526,2529,2537 the sick animals|2479,2570 a high hill|2480,2494 a tiny spring|2482 the shade of a great stone|2484 a great stone|2485 the brim|2489,2514,2534 a drop|2490 home|2492,2516 a faint sound|2496 the path|2497 a little lamb|2498,2499,2500,2509,2543 lamb's longing eyes|2501 a few drops|2507 the lamb 's tongue|2508 a wonderful thing|2510 silver|2512,2602 her lips|2523,2538 the nurse|2525,2528 many days and nights|2527 a wonderful thing|2530 gold|2532,2586,2603 a knock|2539 the door|2540 a stranger|2541,2542,2544,2545,2546,2552,2553,2554,2556,2559 his hands|2547 a moment|2549 his face|2555 boy and his mother|2558,2578 the yard|2560 a spring of cool water|2561,2569,2572,2573,2576 Men|2563 Men, women, and children|2564,2567 women|2565 people's cups|2568 the sun|2580 the stars|2581 the sky|2583 seven glittering stars|2587 that long ago time|2588 the mothers|2589,2591,2594 the northern window|2593 their homes|2595 this wonderful story|2596 different tin dippers|2598,2601,2604 no one|2606 a dipper of gold|2607,2608 those|2609 others|2610 2440|MOD:DIST:6|MOD:DESC:7|NUC:DIST:8 2441|MOD:DIST:12|MOD:DESC:13|NUC:DIST:14 2442|NUC:DIST:21 2443|NUC:DIST:24 2444|NUC:DIST:27 2445|MOD:DIST:29|NUC:DIST:30 2446|MOD:DIST:31|NUC:DIST:32 2447|MOD:DIST:35|NUC:DIST:36 2448|MOD:DIST:41|NUC:DIST:42 2449|NUC:DIST:43 2450|NUC:DIST:48 2451|NUC:DIST:772 2452|NUC:DIST:55 2453|MOD:DIST:58|NUC:DIST:59 2454|MOD:DIST:67|NUC:DIST:68 2455|MOD:DIST:70|NUC:DIST:71 2456|MOD:DIST:79|NUC:DIST:80 2457|MOD:DIST:82|MOD:DESC:83|NUC:DIST:84 2458|MOD:DIST:87|NUC:DIST:88 2459|NUC:DIST:90|MOD:DESC:91~92 2460|MOD:DIST:96|NUC:DIST:97 2461|NUC:DIST:96~97~98~99~100 2462|MOD:DIST:99|NUC:DIST:100 2463|MOD:DIST:106|NUC:DIST:107 2464|NUC:DIST:109 2465|MOD:DIST:109|MOD:DESC:110|NUC:DESC:111 2466|MOD:DIST:115|NUC:DIST:116 2467|MOD:DIST:123|NUC:DIST:124 2468|MOD:DIST:131|NUC:DIST:132 2469|NUC:DIST:134 2470|MOD:DIST:136|MOD:DESC:137|NUC:DIST:138 2471|MOD:DIST:147|MOD:DESC:148|NUC:DIST:149 2472|MOD:DIST:153|MOD:DESC:154|NUC:DIST:155 2473|NUC:DIST:160 2474|NUC:DIST:162 2475|MOD:DIST:162|MOD:DESC:163|NUC:DIST:164 2476|NUC:DIST:166 2477|MOD:DIST:169|MOD:DESC:170|NUC:DIST:171 2478|MOD:DIST:173|MOD:DESC:174|NUC:DIST:175 2479|MOD:DIST:177|MOD:DESC:178|NUC:DIST:179 2480|MOD:DIST:186|MOD:DESC:187|NUC:DIST:188 2481|NUC:DIST:192 2482|MOD:DIST:194|MOD:DESC:195|NUC:DIST:196|MOD:DESC:197~198 2483|NUC:DIST:198 2484|MOD:DIST:201|NUC:DIST:202|MOD:DESC:203~204~205~206 2485|MOD:DIST:204|MOD:DESC:205|NUC:DIST:206 2486|NUC:DIST:208 2487|NUC:DIST:210 2488|MOD:DESC:210|NUC:DIST:211 2489|MOD:DIST:213|NUC:DIST:214 2490|MOD:DIST:224|NUC:DESC:225 2491|NUC:DIST:227 2492|NUC:DIST:230 2493|NUC:DIST:233 2494|MOD:DIST:236|NUC:DIST:237 2495|NUC:DIST:239 2496|MOD:DIST:241|MOD:DESC:242|NUC:DIST:243 2497|MOD:DIST:247|NUC:DIST:248 2498|MOD:DIST:250|MOD:DESC:251|NUC:DIST:252 2499|NUC:DIST:254 2500|NUC:DIST:262 2501|MOD:DESC:265|NUC:DIST:266 2502|MOD:DIST:268|NUC:DIST:269|MOD:DESC:270~271 2503|NUC:DIST:271 2504|MOD:DIST:275|NUC:DESC:276 2505|NUC:DIST:282 2506|NUC:DIST:284 2507|MOD:DIST:286|MOD:DESC:287|NUC:DIST:288 2508|MOD:DIST:290|MOD:DIST:291~292|NUC:DIST:293 2509|NUC:DIST:291 2510|MOD:DIST:296|MOD:DESC:297|NUC:DIST:298 2511|MOD:DIST:301|MOD:DESC:302|NUC:DIST:303 2512|NUC:DIST:306 2513|NUC:DIST:308 2514|MOD:DIST:313|NUC:DIST:314 2515|MOD:DIST:316|MOD:DESC:317|NUC:DIST:318 2516|NUC:DIST:320 2517|MOD:DIST:324|NUC:DIST:325|MOD:DESC:326~327 2518|NUC:DIST:327 2519|NUC:DIST:329 2520|MOD:DIST:329|NUC:DIST:330 2521|NUC:DIST:333 2522|NUC:DIST:335 2523|MOD:DIST:335|NUC:DIST:336 2524|NUC:DIST:340 2525|MOD:DIST:343|NUC:DIST:344 2526|NUC:DIST:349 2527|MOD:DESC:351|NUC:DIST:352~353~354 2528|MOD:DIST:358|NUC:DIST:359 2529|NUC:DIST:364 2530|MOD:DIST:368|MOD:DESC:369|NUC:DIST:370 2531|MOD:DIST:373|MOD:DESC:374|NUC:DIST:375 2532|NUC:DIST:379 2533|NUC:DIST:381 2534|MOD:DIST:386|NUC:DIST:387 2535|MOD:DIST:389|NUC:DIST:390 2536|MOD:DIST:392|NUC:DIST:393 2537|MOD:DIST:395|NUC:DIST:396 2538|MOD:DIST:395~396~397|NUC:DIST:398 2539|MOD:DIST:402|NUC:DIST:403 2540|MOD:DIST:409|NUC:DIST:410 2541|MOD:DIST:412|NUC:DESC:413 2542|NUC:DESC:415 2543|MOD:DIST:424|MOD:DESC:425|NUC:DIST:426 2544|NUC:DIST:428 2545|NUC:DIST:436 2546|NUC:DIST:439 2547|MOD:DIST:439|NUC:DIST:440 2548|NUC:DIST:443 2549|MOD:DIST:447|NUC:DIST:448 2550|MOD:DIST:450|MOD:DESC:451|NUC:DIST:452 2551|MOD:DIST:454|NUC:DIST:455 2552|MOD:DIST:457|NUC:DIST:458 2553|NUC:DIST:461 2554|NUC:DIST:463 2555|MOD:DIST:463|NUC:DIST:464 2556|NUC:DIST:469 2557|MOD:DIST:474|NUC:DIST:475 2558|NUC:DIST:490 2559|MOD:DIST:495|NUC:DIST:496 2560|MOD:DIST:502|NUC:DIST:503 2561|MOD:DIST:506|NUC:DIST:507|MOD:DESC:508~509~510 2562|MOD:DESC:509|NUC:DIST:510 2563|NUC:DIST:512 2564|NUC:DIST:512~513~514~515~516~517 2565|NUC:DIST:514 2566|NUC:DIST:517 2567|NUC:DIST:520 2568|MOD:DIST:520|NUC:DIST:521 2569|NUC:DIST:525 2570|MOD:DIST:527|NUC:DIST:528 2571|MOD:DIST:530|NUC:DIST:531 2572|MOD:DIST:535|NUC:DIST:536 2573|MOD:DIST:538|MOD:DESC:539|NUC:DIST:540 2574|MOD:DIST:542|NUC:DIST:543 2575|NUC:DIST:548 2576|MOD:DIST:551|MOD:DESC:552|NUC:DIST:553 2577|MOD:DIST:556|MOD:DESC:557|NUC:DIST:558 2578|NUC:DIST:562 2579|NUC:DIST:567 2580|MOD:DIST:570|NUC:DIST:571 2581|MOD:DIST:575|NUC:DIST:576 2582|MOD:DIST:581|MOD:DESC:582|NUC:DESC:583 2583|MOD:DIST:587|NUC:DIST:588 2584|NUC:DIST:591 2585|NUC:DIST:594 2586|NUC:DIST:600 2587|MOD:DIST:603|MOD:DESC:604|NUC:DIST:605 2588|MOD:DIST:610|MOD:DESC:611~612|NUC:DIST:613 2589|MOD:DIST:615|NUC:DIST:616 2590|MOD:DIST:618|NUC:DIST:619 2591|NUC:DIST:621 2592|MOD:DIST:621|NUC:DIST:622 2593|MOD:DIST:624|MOD:DIST:625|NUC:DIST:626 2594|NUC:DIST:628 2595|MOD:DIST:628|NUC:DIST:629 2596|MOD:DIST:633|MOD:DESC:634|NUC:DIST:635 2597|MOD:DIST:640|NUC:DIST:641 2598|MOD:DIST:642|MOD:DIST:643|NUC:DIST:644 2599|MOD:DIST:647~648|NUC:DIST:649 2600|NUC:DIST:651 2601|MOD:DIST:651|NUC:DIST:652 2602|NUC:DIST:655 2603|NUC:DIST:657 2604|MOD:DIST:665|MOD:DIST:666|NUC:DIST:667 2605|MOD:DIST:671|NUC:DIST:672 2606|MOD:DIST:673|NUC:DIST:674 2607|MOD:DIST:677|NUC:DIST:678|MOD:DIST:679~680 2608|NUC:DIST:682 2609|NUC:DIST:686 2610|NUC:DIST:691