Moral Tales for Children From McGuffey’s Readers: No Crown for Me

This is the 15th installment in our McGuffey Readers series, in which we reproduce some of the best moral tales from the classic 1800s schoolbooks that sold an estimated 122 million copies by 1960, the largest circulation of any book in the world next to the Bible and Webster’s Dictionary. McGuffey’s readers played an important part in American history. They taught children reading and grammar and also gave them lessons on moral character and conduct. Share this with your kids!

No Crown for me

” “Will you join us, Susan?” asked a group of little girls to their schoolmate. We are heading to the woods, please come .”

” I would like to go along with you very much,” Susan replied with a sigh. “But, I can’t finish the task grandmother gave me .”

” “How exhausting it must be for you to stay home and work on holiday!” One of the girls said, shaking her head. “Susan’s grandmother is too strict .”

Susan heard this remark, and, as she bent her head over her task, she wiped away a tear, and thought of the pleasant
The girls spent the afternoon collecting wild flowers from the forest.

Soon, she thought to herself: “What harm could there be in moving that mark grandmother placed in the stocking?” It must be so beautiful out there today, and I would love to live in it !”

“Grandmother” she said a while later, “I’m ready now.” Susan asked her grandmother, who took over the task and examined it closely.

“True Susan”, she said, placing great emphasis on each word. “true. I count twenty marks from the mark. And, since you have never deceived, me. You may enjoy the remainder of the day .”

.

Susan was scarlet-colored and did not respond to her thanks. She walked slowly out of the cottage without singing.

” “Here is Susan!!” The girls exclaimed when Susan joined them; “But what’s the problem? They sarcastically added, “Why have you abandoned your dear, elderly grandmother?”

“There’s nothing to it.” Susan felt she was deceiving herself by repeating these words. It was a lie. She also remembered the words of her grandmother, “You’ve never deceived .”

.”

“Yes. I deceived them,” she said to herself. “If she had all the facts, she wouldn’t trust me again .”

When the party reached an open area in the woods she and her friends were having fun; however, Susan was content to sit on the grass and confess her sins.

Illustration of “No Crown for Me” from “McGuffey’s Third Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition,” 1879. (Public Domain)

After some time, Rose said, “Let’s make a crown with violets and place it on the top of the most beautiful girl here .”

” It will be simple enough to make the crown but it won’t be so easy to choose who to wear it,” Julia said.

“Why Susan is to wear this, Rose. “Is she not the most intelligent girl at school, and the most obeyent at home ?”

?”

“Yes! Susan will get the crown,” said the girls. They began making the crown. The crown was completed in no time.

” Now, Susan,” Rose said, “put on your best, you’re to be our queen .”

As these words were said, her crown was put on her head. In a moment, she snatched it off, and threw it on the
Ground, saying “No crown for my; I don’t deserve it .”

The girls were shocked at what she was doing. She cried as she said, “I deceived grandmother.” “I changed the mark she placed in her stocking so that I could join you in woods

” “Do you think that’s wicked?” asked one girl. It is, and it has been so miserable since I was here .”

.

Susan ran away and said with a pounding heart: “O grandmother!” You deserve punishment because I changed the marking you placed in my stocking. Please forgive me .”

.

“Susan,” stated her grandmother. “I knew this all along; however, I allowed you to go, in the hope that your conscience would reveal your sin. Thank you so much for confessing your guilt and your sorrow

” When will I be your little girl again?” Susan replied quickly and her grandmother kissed Susan on the forehead.

This story is reproduced from McGuffey’s Third Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition, published in 1879.

The McGuffey Readers, first published in the 1830s, were a series of illustrated readers for elementary schoolchildren written by U.S. educator and clergyman William Holmes McGuffey (1800-1873). They were widely used as textbooks in U.S. schools from the mid-1800s up until the early 20th century. Some schools still use them today, particularly homeschools that focus on raising morally-minded children and classical education.