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The N ew Leaves
Adapted from Laura E. Richards
Here is a great story for the New Year that
will help children understand what “ turning
over a new leaf m eans. Better to learn
good habits in the hom e than out in the
world, where turning the leaves m ay be
m uch tougher.
“ W ake up!” said a clear little voice. Tom m y
woke, and sat up. At the foot of the bed
stood a boy about his own age, all dressed
in white, like fresh snow.. He had very
bright eyes, and he looked straight at
Tom m y.
‘W ho are you? ” asked Tom m y.
“ I am the New Year! ” said the boy. “ This is
m y day, and I have brought you your
leaves. ”
‘W hat leaves? ” asked Tomm y.
“ The new ones, to be sure!” said the New
Year. “ I hear bad accounts of you from m y
Daddy—
“ W ho is your Daddy? ” asked Tom m y.
“ The Old Year, of course!” said the boy.
“ He said you asked too m any questions,
and I see he was right. He says you are
greedy, too, and that som etim es you pinch
your little sister, and that one day you
threw your reader into the fire. Now, all this
m ust stop. ”
“ Oh m ust it? ” said Tom m y. He felt
frightened, and did not know just what to
say.
The boy nodded. “ If it does not stop," he
said, “ you will grow worse and worse every
year, till you grow up into a Horrid M an. Do
’ you want to be a horrid M an? ”
“ N-no!” said Tom m y.
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“ Then you m ust stop being a horrid boy!”
Said the New Year. “ Take your leaves!”
And he held out a packet of what looked
like notebook paper, all sparkling white,
like his'own clothes.
“ Turn over one of these every day, ” he
said, “ and soon you will be a good boy
instead of a horrid one.”
Tom m y took the leaves of paper and
looked at them . On each leaf a few words
were written. On one it said, “ Help your
m other and father! ” On another, “ Pick up
your toys! ” On another, “ Stop tracking m ud
across the floor! ” On another, “ BE nice to
your little sister! ” And on still another,
“ Don ’t fight Billy Jenkins! ”
“ Oh! ” cried Tom m y. “ I have to fight Billy
Jenkins! ” He said — "
“ Good-by!” said the New Year. “ I shall
com e again when I am old to see whether
you have been a good boy or a horrid one.
Rem em ber,
“ Horrid boy m akes horrid m an.
You alone can change the plan. ”
He turned away and opened the window.
A cold wind blew in and swept the leaves
out of Tom m y ’s hand. “ Stop! Stop!” he
cried. “ Tell m e — " But the New Year was
gone, and Tom m y, staring after him , saw
only his m other com ing into the room .
“ Dear child!” she said. “ W hy, the wind is
blowing everything about."
"M y leaves! M y leaves!” cried Tom m y.
Jum ping out of bed, he looked all over the
room, but he could not find one.
“ Never m ind," said Tom m y. “ I can turn
them just the sam e, and I m ean to. I will
not grow into a Horrid M an. ” Ane he didn ’t.
(This story just goes to prove that we can
change, if we want to- Cory)
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