Windmills and wooden shoes by Maude M. Grant

Rikka did not want to learn to knit. She said it was too hard. She said / she would rather play on the beach.

Her mother said to her, "Rikka, if you will learn to knit, I will give / you a ‘Wonder-Ball."

"A ‘Wonder-Ball!' What is that, mother?" asked Rikka.

"It is a ball of yarn," said her mother. "There are little presents / or surprise gifts wound up in the ball. As you knit the yarn from the / ball, the gifts fall out."

"Oh, I should like a Wonder-Ball, Mother," cried Rikka. "I will learn / to knit and I will knit fast so that I can knit my presents from the / ball."

Rikka's mother made her a "Wonder-Ball." It was a very big, blue ball. / She gave Rikka some shining needles and taught her how to knit.

Rikka tried and tried, and at last she learned to knit. It was very / hard at first, but she did not give up.

The first gift she knit from her ball was a little silver pencil. She / was much pleased with it.

She knit hard every day.

It seemed a long time before she came to the next gift.

Then a pretty chain of red beads came out of the "Wonder-Ball."

She knit and knit away. The gifts she knit from the "Wonder-Ball" were / many.

She sang a little song as she worked.

She called it her "Knitting Song."

Click, clack, click, clack, / / On go the needles, forward and back, / / Careful never a stitch to drop, / / Busily knit with never a stop. / / Forward and back, forward and back, / / Bright little needles, click, click, clack.

Among her gifts was a little gold ring with a blue stone in it. She had / also a wooden bird, a tiny doll, and a thimble. She called her thimble / her "finger-hat."

Rikka was very happy. She thanked her good mother many times for the / lovely, big "Wonder-Ball."

Rikka soon learned to knit very well. She liked to knit even when she / had no "Wonder-Ball." She knit a scarf for her father. She knit a / jacket for her doll. "It is such fun to make things," said busy little / Rikka.