
In a secluded clearing of an ancient pine and birch forest, a modest stone cottage clings to a rocky ledge, its bark‑covered roof draped in creeping vines. The surrounding woods are alive with chatter: squirrels dart in and out, birds nest in the branches, and a massive buttonwood tree dominates the landscape like a quiet sentinel. The house seems almost grown from the forest itself, its walls pressed against the trunk of a stately pine, giving the impression that nature and human craft have merged.
Inside, the air is hinted to be warm and welcoming, suggesting a gentle inhabitant who shares the rhythm of the wild. Listeners are invited to wander through the sun‑dappled glade, hear the rustle of leaves, and feel the sense of quiet mystery that surrounds this hidden dwelling. The story unfolds slowly, revealing the simple joys and subtle challenges of living at the edge of the wood.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (121K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Suzanne Shell, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2015-08-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1850–1943
A prolific American writer, she brought warmth, wit, and imagination to children's books, poems, and biographies. Her long career produced dozens of works and helped make her a familiar literary voice in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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