THE GORGON'S HEAD.
TANGLEWOOD PORCH.--Introductory to The Gorgon's Head 1
THE GORGON'S HEAD 7
TANGLEWOOD PORCH.--After the Story 39

THE GOLDEN TOUCH.
SHADOW BROOK.--Introductory to The Golden Touch 42
THE GOLDEN TOUCH 46
SHADOW BROOK.--After the Story 69

THE PARADISE OF CHILDREN.
TANGLEWOOD PLAY-ROOM.--Introductory to The Paradise
of Children 73
THE PARADISE OF CHILDREN 78
TANGLEWOOD PLAY-ROOM.--After the Story 100

THE THREE GOLDEN APPLES.
TANGLEWOOD FIRESIDE.--Introductory to The Three
Golden Apples 102
THE THREE GOLDEN APPLES 109
TANGLEWOOD FIRESIDE.--After the Story 136

THE MIRACULOUS PITCHER.
THE HILL-SIDE.--Introductory to The Miraculous
Pitcher 140
THE MIRACULOUS PITCHER 144
THE HILL-SIDE.--After the Story 170

THE CHIMÆRA.
BALD-SUMMIT.--Introductory to The Chimæra 172
THE CHIMÆRA 176
BALD-SUMMIT.--After the Story 206



TANGLEWOOD PORCH

INTRODUCTORY TO THE GORGON'S HEAD


Beneath the porch of the country-seat called Tanglewood, one fine
autumnal morning, was assembled a merry party of little folks, with a
tall youth in the midst of them. They had planned a nutting
expedition, and were impatiently waiting for the mists to roll up the
hill-slopes, and for the sun to pour the warmth of the Indian summer
over the fields and pastures, and into the nooks of the many-colored
woods. There was a prospect of as fine a day as ever gladdened the
aspect of this beautiful and comfortable world. As yet, however, the
morning mist filled up the whole length and breadth of the valley,
above which, on a gently sloping eminence, the mansion stood.

This body of white vapor extended to within less than a hundred yards
of the house. It completely hid everything beyond that distance,
except a few ruddy or yellow tree-tops, which here and there emerged,
and were glorified by the early sunshine, as was likewise the broad
surface of the mist. Four or five miles off to the southward rose the
summit of Monument Mountain, and seemed to be floating on a cloud.
Some fifteen miles farther away, in the same direction, appeared the
loftier Dome of Taconic, looking blue and indistinct, and hardly so
substantial as the vapory sea that almost rolled over it. The nearer
hills, which bordered the valley, were half submerged, and were
specked with little cloud-wreaths all the way to their tops. On the
whole, there was so much cloud, and so little solid earth, that it had
the effect of a vision.