The Birthday Present
Introduction
Dene, Ruth. "The Birthday Present." Nister's Holiday Annual 1 (1903) Print.
“The Birthday Present” appeared in the 1903 edition of Nister’s Holiday Annual, a children’s periodical published in London that ran from 1888 to at least 1914. The publisher in 1903 was Alfred J. Fuller. It contained short stories, poetry, activities, and sometimes historical or biological information and was aimed at the moral instruction and amusement of children.
“The Birthday Present” was written by Ruth Dene, as were two other stories in the 1903 Annual: “Our Baby” and “The Ungrateful Snail.” Whether Ruth Dene was a pseudonym is unknown. I could not find any information about her in my research.
This story drew my interest because it is complex while being a simple children’s story. While the little girl is quick to realize her mistake, she demonstrates distinctly human traits such as selfishness, ingenuity, and a desire to protect one’s self-image and gain immediate fulfillment.
Transcription
The Birthday Present
Maggie was feeling very unhappy indeed. She had just turned out her money-box and found she had only two pennies[1] , a halfpenny, and a farthing in it, and she felt she could not buy a very nice present for twopence three farthings.
It was her best friend’s birthday the next day, and she was going to tea with her, and she wished very much to take a nice little present with her. There would be several other little school friends there, and Maggie knew they would all give Edie something.
It was no use asking Mother to help her, because Mother always told the children they must pay for the presents they gave out of their own money, otherwise they could not give them in their own names.
“Oh, dear! why didn’t I think of it sooner?” she sighed. “I could quite well have done without a new dolly’s pram, and Mother reminded me that it was a little selfish to spend so much on myself.”
Poor Maggie! It was a little late in the day to wish she had not been selfish, for her regrets could not bring back the three shillings and sixpence she had paid for the pram.
Just at that moment, when the tears were very near, something soft and fluffy jumped upon her shoulder and began to mew.
“Why, Fluffy,” said Maggie, “so you’ve come back at last, have you? I thought you were lost. Where have you been, darling?”
Fluffy jumped to the ground and ran to the door, mewing all the time, as though she were saying: “Come and see.”
Fluffy had been lost for nearly a month, and when Maggie followed her now, a long, long way, until she came to the hayloft, there she found why Fluffy had stopped away from her home, for in a basket of straw she had a family of four dear little kittens.
“Oh, Fluffy, will you give me one for Edie?” said Maggie, and Fluffy mewed her answer, which meant: “Yes, little mistress; as soon as ever my babies are old enough to leave me, you shall have one.”
Edie had to wait a little while for her present, but she said it was worth waiting for, because it was quite the prettiest one she received.
Ruth Dene.
Notes
- ↑ An English pound was the main unit of money at the time. Each pound was divided into twenty shillings, and each shilling was divided into twelve pennies, also known as pence. The halfpenny was worth a half a penny and the farthing a quarter of a penny. Half farthings were also minted but unpopular because of their small size.
Edited by: Broom, Sarah: section 1, Fall 2007
