1Once upon a time, there was a little house way out in the country.
2She was a pretty little house, and she was strong and well-built.
3The little house was very happy as she sat on the hill and watched the countryside around her.
4She watched the sunrise in the morning, and she watched the sunset in the evening.
5In the nights, she watched the moon grow from a thin new moon to a full moon,
6then back again to a thin old moon.
7And when there was no moon, she watched the stars.
8Way off in the distance, she could see the lights of the city.
9The little house watched the countryside slowly change with the seasons.
10In the spring, she waited for the first robin.
11She watched the grass turn green.
12She watched the buds on the trees swell and the apple trees burst into blossom.
13She watched the children playing in the brook.
14In the long summer days, she sat in the sun and watched the trees cover themselves with leaves,
15and white daisies covered the hill.
16She watched the apples turn red and ripen.
17She watched the children swimming in the pool.
18In the fall, she watched the first frost turn the leaves bright yellow, orange, and red.
19She watched the harvest gathered and the apples picked.
20She watched the children going back to school.
21In the winter, she watched the children coasting and skating.
22Year followed year.
23The apple trees grew old, and new ones were planted.
24Now, at night, the lights of the city seemed brighter and closer.
25One day, the little house was surprised to see a horseless carriage coming down the winding country road.
26Pretty soon, there were more of them on the road and fewer carriages pulled by horses.
27Pretty soon, along came a steam shovel, and it dug a road through the hill covered with daisies.
28Then some trucks with tar and sand,
29and finally, a steamroller came and rolled it all smooth.
30And the road was done.
31Now the little house watched the trucks and automobiles going back and forth to the city.
32Gasoline stations, roadside stands, and small houses followed the new road.
33Everyone and everything moved much faster now than before.
34More roads were made, and more houses and bigger houses,
35apartment houses, and tenement houses.
36Schools, stores, and garages crowded the little house.
37No one wanted to live in her and take care of her anymore.
38Now, it was not so quiet and peaceful at night.
39Now, the lights of the city were bright and very close.
40And the streetlights shone all night.
41The little house missed the field of daisies and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight.
42Pretty soon, there were trolley cars going back and forth in front of the little house
43all day and part of the night.
44Everyone seemed to be very busy, and everyone seemed to be in a hurry.
45Pretty soon, there was an elevated train going back and forth above the little house.
46The air was filled with dust and smoke.
47Now, she couldn't tell when spring came or summer or fall or winter.
48It all seemed about the same.
49Pretty soon, there was a subway going back and forth underneath the little house.
50People were moving faster and faster.
51No one noticed the little house anymore.
52They hurried by without a glance.
53Pretty soon, they tore down the apartment houses and tenement houses around the little house.
54Pretty soon, they started building up.
55They built up 25 stories on one side and 35 stories on the other.
56Now, the little house only saw the sun at noon.
57And didn't see the moon or stars at night at all.
58At night, she used to dream of the country, and the field of daisies, and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight.
59The little house was very sad and lonely.
60Her windows were broken, and her shutters hung crookedly.
61She looked shabby,
62though she was just as good a house as ever underneath.
63Then one fine morning in spring, along came the great-great-granddaughter of the man who built the little house so well.
64She saw the shabby little house, but she didn't hurry by.
65She said to her husband,
66"That looks just like the little house my grandmother lived in when she was a little girl."
67"Only that little house was way out in the country."
68They found out it was the very same house.
69So they went to the movers to see if the little house could be moved.
70The movers said, "Sure! This little house is as good as ever."
71"She's built so well, we could move her anywhere."
72So they jacked up the little house and put her on wheels.
73At first, the little house was frightened,
74but after she got used to it, she rather liked it.
75They rolled along the big road.
76And they rolled along the little roads.
77Until they were way out in the country.
78Finally, they saw a little hill in the middle of a field,
79and apple trees growing around.
80"There!" said the great-great-granddaughter, "That's just the place!"
81"Yes, it is," said the little house to herself.
82The windows and shutters were fixed. And once again, they painted her a lovely shade of pink.
83The little house smiled happily.
84Once again, she could watch the sun, and moon, and stars.
85Once again, she could watch spring, and summer, and fall, and winter come and go.
86Once again, she was lived in and taken care of.
87The stars twinkled above her.
88A new moon was coming.
89It was spring.
90And all was quiet and peaceful in the country.