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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/18442-8.txt b/18442-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..23eb3c7 --- /dev/null +++ b/18442-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4745 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fifty Famous Stories Retold + +Author: James Baldwin + +Release Date: May 23, 2006 [EBook #18442] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES + RETOLD + + + BY + + JAMES BALDWIN + + + + + + AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY + + NEW YORK CINCINNATI CHICAGO + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY + + AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +King Alfred and the Cakes + +King Alfred and the Beggar + +King Canute on the Seashore + +The Sons of William the Conqueror + +The White Ship + +King John and the Abbot + +A Story of Robin Hood + +Bruce and the Spider + +The Black Douglas + +Three Men of Gotham + +Other Wise Men of Gotham + +The Miller of the Dee + +Sir Philip Sidney + +The Ungrateful Soldier + +Sir Humphrey Gilbert + +Sir Walter Raleigh + +Pocahontas + +George Washington and his Hatchet + +Grace Darling + +The Story of William Tell + +Arnold Winkelried + +The Bell of Atri + +How Napoleon crossed the Alps + +The Story of Cincinnatus + +The Story of Regulus + +Cornelia's Jewels + +Androclus and the Lion + +Horatius at the Bridge + +Julius Cæsar + +The Sword of Damocles + +Damon and Pythias + +A Laconic Answer + +The Ungrateful Guest + +Alexander and Bucephalus + +Diogenes the Wise Man + +The Brave Three Hundred + +Socrates and his House + +The King and his Hawk + +Doctor Goldsmith + +The Kingdoms + +The Barmecide Feast + +The Endless Tale + +The Blind Men and the Elephant + +Maximilian and the Goose Boy + +The Inchcape Rock + +Whittington and his Cat + +Casabianca + +Antonio Canova + +Picciola + +Mignon + + + + +CONCERNING THESE STORIES. + + +There are numerous time-honored stories which have become so +incorporated into the literature and thought of our race that a +knowledge of them is an indispensable part of one's education. These +stories are of several different classes. To one class belong the +popular fairy tales which have delighted untold generations of +children, and will continue to delight them to the end of time. To +another class belong the limited number of fables that have come down +to us through many channels from hoar antiquity. To a third belong the +charming stories of olden times that are derived from the literatures +of ancient peoples, such as the Greeks and the Hebrews. A fourth class +includes the half-legendary tales of a distinctly later origin, which +have for their subjects certain romantic episodes in the lives of +well-known heroes and famous men, or in the history of a people. + +It is to this last class that most of the fifty stories contained in +the present volume belong. As a matter of course, some of these +stories are better known, and therefore more _famous_, than others. +Some have a slight historical value; some are useful as giving point +to certain great moral truths; others are products solely of the +fancy, and are intended only to amuse. Some are derived from very +ancient sources, and are current in the literature of many lands; some +have come to us through the ballads and folk tales of the English +people; a few are of quite recent origin; nearly all are the subjects +of frequent allusions in poetry and prose and in the conversation of +educated people. Care has been taken to exclude everything that is not +strictly within the limits of probability; hence there is here no +trespassing upon the domain of the fairy tale, the fable, or the myth. + +That children naturally take a deep interest in such stories, no +person can deny; that the reading of them will not only give pleasure, +but will help to lay the foundation for broader literary studies, can +scarcely be doubted. It is believed, therefore, that the present +collection will be found to possess an educative value which will +commend it as a supplementary reader in the middle primary grades at +school. It is also hoped that the book will prove so attractive that +it will be in demand out of school as well as in. + +Acknowledgments are due to Mrs. Charles A. Lane, by whom eight or ten +of the stories were suggested. + + + + +FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD. + +KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES. + +[Illustration:] + + +Many years ago there lived in Eng-land a wise and good king whose name +was Al-fred. No other man ever did so much for his country as he; and +people now, all over the world, speak of him as Alfred the Great. + +In those days a king did not have a very easy life. There was war +almost all the time, and no one else could lead his army into battle +so well as he. And so, between ruling and fighting, he had a busy time +of it indeed. + +A fierce, rude people, called the Danes, had come from over the sea, +and were fighting the Eng-lish. There were so many of them, and they +were so bold and strong, that for a long time they gained every +battle. If they kept on, they would soon be the masters of the whole +country. + +At last, after a great battle, the English army was broken up and +scat-tered. Every man had to save himself in the best way he could. +King Alfred fled alone, in great haste, through the woods and swamps. + +Late in the day the king came to the hut of a wood-cut-ter. He was +very tired and hungry, and he begged the wood-cut-ter's wife to give +him something to eat and a place to sleep in her hut. + +The wom-an was baking some cakes upon the hearth, and she looked with +pity upon the poor, ragged fellow who seemed so hungry. She had no +thought that he was the king. + +"Yes," she said, "I will give you some supper if you will watch these +cakes. I want to go out and milk the cow; and you must see that they +do not burn while I am gone." + +King Alfred was very willing to watch the cakes, but he had far +greater things to think about. How was he going to get his army +to-geth-er again? And how was he going to drive the fierce Danes out +of the land? He forgot his hunger; he forgot the cakes; he forgot that +he was in the woodcutter's hut. His mind was busy making plans for +to-mor-row. + +In a little while the wom-an came back. The cakes were smoking on the +hearth. They were burned to a crisp. Ah, how angry she was! + +"You lazy fellow!" she cried. "See what you have done! You want +some-thing to eat, but you do not want to work!" + +I have been told that she even struck the king with a stick; but I can +hardly be-lieve that she was so ill-na-tured. + +The king must have laughed to himself at the thought of being scolded +in this way; and he was so hungry that he did not mind the woman's +angry words half so much as the loss of the cakes. + +I do not know whether he had any-thing to eat that night, or whether +he had to go to bed without his supper. But it was not many days +until he had gath-ered his men to-geth-er again, and had beaten the +Danes in a great battle. + + + + +KING ALFRED AND THE BEGGAR. + + +At one time the Danes drove King Alfred from his kingdom, and he had +to lie hidden for a long time on a little is-land in a river. + +One day, all who were on the is-land, except the king and queen and +one servant, went out to fish. It was a very lonely place, and no one +could get to it except by a boat. About noon a ragged beggar came to +the king's door, and asked for food. + +The king called the servant, and asked, "How much food have we in the +house?" + +"My lord," said the servant, "we have only one loaf and a little +wine." + +Then the king gave thanks to God, and said, "Give half of the loaf and +half of the wine to this poor man." + +The servant did as he was bidden. The beggar thanked the king for his +kindness, and went on his way. + +In the after-noon the men who had gone out to fish came back. They had +three boats full of fish, and they said, "We have caught more fish +to-day than in all the other days that we have been on this island." + +The king was glad, and he and his people were more hopeful than they +had ever been before. + +When night came, the king lay awake for a long time, and thought about +the things that had happened that day. At last he fancied that he saw +a great light like the sun; and in the midst of the light there stood +an old man with black hair, holding an open book in his hand. + +It may all have been a dream, and yet to the king it seemed very real +indeed. He looked and wondered, but was not afraid. + +"Who are you?" he asked of the old man. + +"Alfred, my son, be brave," said the man; "for I am the one to whom +you gave this day the half of all the food that you had. Be strong and +joyful of heart, and listen to what I say. Rise up early in the +morning and blow your horn three times, so loudly that the Danes may +hear it. By nine o'clock, five hundred men will be around you ready to +be led into battle. Go forth bravely, and within seven days your +en-e-mies shall be beaten, and you shall go back to your kingdom to +reign in peace." + +Then the light went out, and the man was seen no more. + +In the morning the king arose early, and crossed over to the mainland. +Then he blew his horn three times very loudly; and when his friends +heard it they were glad, but the Danes were filled with fear. + +At nine o'clock, five hundred of his bravest soldiers stood around him +ready for battle. He spoke, and told them what he had seen and heard +in his dream; and when he had fin-ished, they all cheered loudly, and +said that they would follow him and fight for him so long as they had +strength. + +So they went out bravely to battle; and they beat the Danes, and drove +them back into their own place. And King Alfred ruled wisely and well +over all his people for the rest of his days. + + + + +KING CANUTE ON THE SEASHORE. + + +A hundred years or more after the time of Alfred the Great there was a +king of England named Ca-nuté. King Canute was a Dane; but the Danes +were not so fierce and cruel then as they had been when they were at +war with King Alfred. + +The great men and of-fi-cers who were around King Canute were always +praising him. + +"You are the greatest man that ever lived," one would say. + +Then an-oth-er would say, "O king! there can never be an-oth-er man so +mighty as you." + +And another would say, "Great Canute, there is nothing in the world +that dares to dis-o-bey you." + +The king was a man of sense, and he grew very tired of hearing such +foolish speeches. + +One day he was by the sea-shore, and his of-fi-cers were with him. +They were praising him, as they were in the habit of doing. He thought +that now he would teach them a lesson, and so he bade them set his +chair on the beach close by the edge of the water. + +"Am I the greatest man in the world?" he asked. + +"O king!" they cried, "there is no one so mighty as you." + +"Do all things obey me?" he asked. + +"There is nothing that dares to dis-o-bey you, O king!" they said. +"The world bows before you, and gives you honor." + +"Will the sea obey me?" he asked; and he looked down at the little +waves which were lapping the sand at his feet. + +The foolish officers were puzzled, but they did not dare to say "No." + +"Command it, O king! and it will obey," said one. + +"Sea," cried Canute, "I command you to come no farther! Waves, stop +your rolling, and do not dare to touch my feet!" + +But the tide came in, just as it always did. The water rose higher and +higher. It came up around the king's chair, and wet not only his feet, +but also his robe. His officers stood about him, alarmed, and +won-der-ing whether he was not mad. + +Then Canute took off his crown, and threw it down upon the sand. + +"I shall never wear it again," he said. "And do you, my men, learn a +lesson from what you have seen. There is only one King who is +all-powerful; and it is he who rules the sea, and holds the ocean in +the hollow of his hand. It is he whom you ought to praise and serve +above all others." + + + + +THE SONS OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. + + +There was once a great king of England who was called Wil-liam the +Con-quer-or, and he had three sons. + +[Illustration: "Sea, I command you to come no farther!"] + +One day King Wil-liam seemed to be thinking of something that made him +feel very sad; and the wise men who were about him asked him what +was the matter. + +"I am thinking," he said, "of what my sons may do after I am dead. +For, unless they are wise and strong, they cannot keep the kingdom +which I have won for them. Indeed, I am at a loss to know which one of +the three ought to be the king when I am gone." + +"O king!" said the wise men, "if we only knew what things your sons +admire the most, we might then be able to tell what kind of men they +will be. Perhaps, by asking each one of them a few ques-tions, we can +find out which one of them will be best fitted to rule in your place." + +"The plan is well worth trying, at least," said the king. "Have the +boys come before you, and then ask them what you please." + +The wise men talked with one another for a little while, and then +agreed that the young princes should be brought in, one at a time, and +that the same ques-tions should be put to each. + +The first who came into the room was Robert. He was a tall, willful +lad, and was nick-named Short Stocking. + +"Fair sir," said one of the men, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?" + +"A hawk," answered Robert. "I would rather be a hawk, for no other +bird reminds one so much of a bold and gallant knight." + +The next who came was young William, his father's name-sake and pet. +His face was jolly and round, and because he had red hair he was +nicknamed Rufus, or the Red. + +"Fair sir," said the wise man, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?" + +"An eagle," answered William. "I would rather be an eagle, because it +is strong and brave. It is feared by all other birds, and is +there-fore the king of them all." + +Lastly came the youngest brother, Henry, with quiet steps and a sober, +thought-ful look. He had been taught to read and write, and for that +reason he was nick-named Beau-clerc, or the Hand-some Schol-ar. + +"Fair sir," said the wise man, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?" + +"A star-ling," said Henry. "I would rather be a star-ling, because it +is good-mannered and kind and a joy to every one who sees it, and it +never tries to rob or abuse its neigh-bor." + +Then the wise men talked with one another for a little while, and when +they had agreed among themselves, they spoke to the king. + +"We find," said they, "that your eldest son, Robert, will be bold and +gallant. He will do some great deeds, and make a name for himself; but +in the end he will be over-come by his foes, and will die in prison. + +"The second son, William, will be as brave and strong as the eagle; +but he will be feared and hated for his cruel deeds. He will lead a +wicked life, and will die a shameful death. + +"The youngest son, Henry, will be wise and prudent and peaceful. He +will go to war only when he is forced to do so by his enemies. He will +be loved at home, and re-spect-ed abroad; and he will die in peace +after having gained great pos-ses-sions." + +Years passed by, and the three boys had grown up to be men. King +William lay upon his death-bed, and again he thought of what would +become of his sons when he was gone. Then he re-mem-bered what the +wise men had told him; and so he de-clared that Robert should have the +lands which he held in France, that William should be the King of +England, and that Henry should have no land at all, but only a chest +of gold. + +So it hap-pened in the end very much as the wise men had fore-told. +Robert, the Short Stocking, was bold and reckless, like the hawk which +he so much admired. He lost all the lands that his father had left +him, and was at last shut up in prison, where he was kept until he +died. + +William Rufus was so over-bear-ing and cruel that he was feared and +hated by all his people. He led a wicked life, and was killed by one +of his own men while hunting in the forest. + +And Henry, the Handsome Scholar, had not only the chest of gold for +his own, but he became by and by the King of England and the ruler of +all the lands that his father had had in France. + + + + +THE WHITE SHIP. + + +King Henry, the Handsome Scholar, had one son, named William, whom he +dearly loved. The young man was noble and brave, and every-body hoped +that he would some day be the King of England. + +One summer Prince William went with his father across the sea to look +after their lands in France. They were wel-comed with joy by all +their people there, and the young prince was so gallant and kind, that +he won the love of all who saw him. + +But at last the time came for them to go back to England. The king, +with his wise men and brave knights, set sail early in the day; but +Prince William with his younger friends waited a little while. They +had had so joyous a time in France that they were in no great haste to +tear them-selves away. + +Then they went on board of the ship which was waiting to carry them +home. It was a beau-ti-ful ship with white sails and white masts, and +it had been fitted up on purpose for this voyage. + +The sea was smooth, the winds were fair, and no one thought of danger. +On the ship, every-thing had been ar-ranged to make the trip a +pleasant one. There was music and dancing, and everybody was merry and +glad. + +The sun had gone down before the white-winged vessel was fairly out of +the bay. But what of that? The moon was at its full, and it would give +light enough; and before the dawn of the morrow, the narrow sea would +be crossed. And so the prince, and the young people who were with him, +gave themselves up to mer-ri-ment and feasting and joy. + +The ear-li-er hours of the night passed by; and then there was a cry +of alarm on deck. A moment after-ward there was a great crash. The +ship had struck upon a rock. The water rushed in. She was sinking. Ah, +where now were those who had lately been so heart-free and glad? + +Every heart was full of fear. No one knew what to do. A small boat was +quickly launched, and the prince with a few of his bravest friends +leaped into it. They pushed off just as the ship was be-gin-ning to +settle beneath the waves. Would they be saved? + +They had rowed hardly ten yards from the ship, when there was a cry +from among those that were left behind. + +"Row back!" cried the prince. "It is my little sister. She must be +saved!" + +The men did not dare to disobey. The boat was again brought along-side +of the sinking vessel. The prince stood up, and held out his arms for +his sister. At that moment the ship gave a great lurch forward into +the waves. One shriek of terror was heard, and then all was still save +the sound of the moaning waters. + +Ship and boat, prince and prin-cess, and all the gay com-pa-ny that +had set sail from France, went down to the bottom together. One man +clung to a floating plank, and was saved the next day. He was the only +person left alive to tell the sad story. + +When King Henry heard of the death of his son his grief was more than +he could bear. His heart was broken. He had no more joy in life; and +men say that no one ever saw him smile again. + +Here is a poem about him that your teacher may read to you, and +perhaps, after a while, you may learn it by heart. + +HE NEVER SMILED AGAIN. + + The bark that held the prince went down, + The sweeping waves rolled on; + And what was England's glorious crown + To him that wept a son? + He lived, for life may long be borne + Ere sorrow breaks its chain: + Why comes not death to those who mourn? + He never smiled again. + + There stood proud forms before his throne, + The stately and the brave; + But who could fill the place of one,-- + That one beneath the wave? + Before him passed the young and fair, + In pleasure's reckless train; + But seas dashed o'er his son's bright hair-- + He never smiled again. + + He sat where festal bowls went round; + He heard the minstrel sing; + He saw the tour-ney's victor crowned + Amid the knightly ring. + A murmur of the restless deep + Was blent with every strain, + A voice of winds that would not sleep-- + He never smiled again. + + Hearts, in that time, closed o'er the trace + Of vows once fondly poured, + And strangers took the kins-man's place + At many a joyous board; + Graves which true love had bathed with tears + Were left to heaven's bright rain; + Fresh hopes were born for other years-- + _He_ never smiled again! + + MRS. HEMANS. + + + + +KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT. + +I. THE THREE QUESTIONS. + + +There was once a king of England whose name was John. He was a bad +king; for he was harsh and cruel to his people, and so long as he +could have his own way, he did not care what became of other folks. He +was the worst king that England ever had. + +Now, there was in the town of Can´ter-bur-y a rich old abbot who lived +in grand style in a great house called the Abbey. Every day a hundred +noble men sat down with him to dine; and fifty brave knights, in fine +velvet coats and gold chains, waited upon him at his table. + +When King John heard of the way in which the abbot lived, he made up +his mind to put a stop to it. So he sent for the old man to come and +see him. + +"How now, my good abbot?" he said. "I hear that you keep a far better +house than I. How dare you do such a thing? Don't you know that no man +in the land ought to live better than the king? And I tell you that no +man shall." + +"O king!" said the abbot, "I beg to say that I am spending nothing but +what is my own. I hope that you will not think ill of me for making +things pleasant for my friends and the brave knights who are with me." + +"Think ill of you?" said the king. "How can I help but think ill of +you? All that there is in this broad land is mine by right; and how do +you dare to put me to shame by living in grander style than I? One +would think that you were trying to be king in my place." + +"Oh, do not say so!" said the abbot "For I"-- + +"Not another word!" cried the king. "Your fault is plain, and unless +you can answer me three questions, your head shall be cut off, and all +your riches shall be mine." + +"I will try to answer them, O king!" said the abbot. + +"Well, then," said King John, "as I sit here with my crown of gold on +my head, you must tell me to within a day just how long I shall live. +Sec-ond-ly, you must tell me how soon I shall ride round the whole +world; and lastly, you shall tell me what I think." + +"O king!" said the abbot, "these are deep, hard questions, and I +cannot answer them just now. But if you will give me two weeks to +think about them, I will do the best that I can." + +"Two weeks you shall have," said the king; "but if then you fail to +answer me, you shall lose your head, and all your lands shall be +mine." + +The abbot went away very sad and in great fear. He first rode to +Oxford. Here was a great school, called a u-ni-ver´si-ty, and he +wanted to see if any of the wise pro-fess-ors could help him. But they +shook their heads, and said that there was nothing about King John in +any of their books. + +Then the abbot rode down to Cam-bridge, where there was another +u-ni-ver-si-ty. But not one of the teachers in that great school could +help him. + +At last, sad and sor-row-ful, he rode toward home to bid his friends +and his brave knights good-by. For now he had not a week to live. + +II. THE THREE ANSWERS. + +As the abbot was riding up the lane which led to his grand house, he +met his shep-herd going to the fields. + +"Welcome home, good master!" cried the shepherd. "What news do you +bring us from great King John?" + +"Sad news, sad news," said the abbot; and then he told him all that +had happened. + +"Cheer up, cheer up, good master," said the shepherd. "Have you never +yet heard that a fool may teach a wise man wit? I think I can help you +out of your trouble." + +"You help me!" cried the abbot "How? how?" + +"Well," answered the shepherd, "you know that everybody says that I +look just like you, and that I have some-times been mis-tak-en for +you. So, lend me your servants and your horse and your gown, and I +will go up to London and see the king. If nothing else can be done, I +can at least die in your place." + +"My good shepherd," said the abbot, "you are very, very kind; and I +have a mind to let you try your plan. But if the worst comes to the +worst, you shall not die for me. I will die for myself." + +So the shepherd got ready to go at once. He dressed himself with +great care. Over his shepherd's coat he threw the abbot's long gown, +and he bor-rowed the abbot's cap and golden staff. When all was ready, +no one in the world would have thought that he was not the great man +himself. Then he mounted his horse, and with a great train of servants +set out for London. + +Of course the king did not know him. + +"Welcome, Sir Abbot!" he said. "It is a good thing that you have come +back. But, prompt as you are, if you fail to answer my three +questions, you shall lose your head." + +"I am ready to answer them, O king!" said the shepherd. + +"Indeed, indeed!" said the king, and he laughed to himself. "Well, +then, answer my first question: How long shall I live? Come, you must +tell me to the very day." + +"You shall live," said the shepherd, "until the day that you die, and +not one day longer. And you shall die when you take your last breath, +and not one moment before." + +The king laughed. + +"You are witty, I see," he said. "But we will let that pass, and say +that your answer is right. And now tell me how soon I may ride round +the world." + +[Illustration: "You shall live until the day that you die."] + +"You must rise with the sun," said the shepherd, "and you must ride +with the sun until it rises again the next morning. As soon as you do +that, you will find that you have ridden round the world in +twenty-four hours." + +The king laughed again. "Indeed," he said, "I did not think that it +could be done so soon. You are not only witty, but you are wise, and +we will let this answer pass. And now comes my third and last +question: What do I think?" + +"That is an easy question," said the shepherd. "You think that I am +the Abbot of Can-ter-bur-y. But, to tell you the truth, I am only his +poor shepherd, and I have come to beg your pardon for him and for me." +And with that, he threw off his long gown. + +The king laughed loud and long. + +"A merry fellow you are," said he, "and you shall be the Abbot of +Canterbury in your master's place." + +"O king! that cannot be," said the shepherd; "for I can neither read +nor write." + +"Very well, then," said the king, "I will give you something else to +pay you for this merry joke. I will give you four pieces of silver +every week as long as you live. And when you get home, you may tell +the old abbot that you have brought him a free pardon from King +John." + + + + +A STORY OF ROBIN HOOD. + + +In the rude days of King Rich-ard and King John there were many great +woods in England. The most famous of these was Sher-wood forest, where +the king often went to hunt deer. In this forest there lived a band of +daring men called out-laws. + +They had done something that was against the laws of the land, and had +been forced to hide themselves in the woods to save their lives. There +they spent their time in roaming about among the trees, in hunting the +king's deer, and in robbing rich trav-el-ers that came that way. + +There were nearly a hundred of these outlaws, and their leader was a +bold fellow called Robin Hood. They were dressed in suits of green, +and armed with bows and arrows; and sometimes they carried long wooden +lances and broad-swords, which they knew how to handle well. When-ever +they had taken anything, it was brought and laid at the feet of Robin +Hood, whom they called their king. He then di-vid-ed it fairly among +them, giving to each man his just share. + +Robin never allowed his men to harm any-body but the rich men who +lived in great houses and did no work. He was always kind to the poor, +and he often sent help to them; and for that reason the common people +looked upon him as their friend. + +Long after he was dead, men liked to talk about his deeds. Some +praised him, and some blamed him. He was, indeed, a rude, lawless +fellow; but at that time, people did not think of right and wrong as +they do now. + +A great many songs were made up about Robin Hood, and these songs were +sung in the cot-ta-ges and huts all over the land for hundreds of +years after-ward. + +Here is a little story that is told in one of those songs:-- + +Robin Hood was standing one day under a green tree by the road-side. +While he was lis-ten-ing to the birds among the leaves, he saw a young +man passing by. This young man was dressed in a fine suit of bright +red cloth; and, as he tripped gayly along the road, he seemed to be as +happy as the day. + +"I will not trou-ble him," said Robin Hood, "for I think he is on his +way to his wedding." + +The next day Robin stood in the same place. He had not been there long +when he saw the same young man coming down the road. But he did not +seem to be so happy this time. He had left his scarlet coat at home, +and at every step he sighed and groaned. + +"Ah the sad day! the sad day!" he kept saying to himself. + +Then Robin Hood stepped out from under the tree, and said,-- + +"I say, young man! Have you any money to spare for my merry men and +me?" + +"I have nothing at all," said the young man, "but five shil-lings and +a ring." + +"A gold ring?" asked Robin. + +"Yes?" said the young man, "it is a gold ring. Here it is." + +"Ah, I see!" said Robin: "it is a wedding ring." + +"I have kept it these seven years," said the young man; "I have kept +it to give to my bride on our wedding day. We were going to be married +yes-ter-day. But her father has prom-ised her to a rich old man whom +she never saw. And now my heart is broken." + +"What is your name?" asked Robin. + +"My name is Allin-a-Dale," said the young man. + +"What will you give me, in gold or fee," said Robin, "if I will help +you win your bride again in spite of the rich old man to whom she has +been promised?" + +[Illustration] + +"I have no money," said Allin, "but I will promise to be your +servant." + +"How many miles is it to the place where the maiden lives?" asked +Robin. + +"It is not far," said Allin. "But she is to be married this very day, +and the church is five miles away." + +Then Robin made haste to dress himself as a harper; and in the +after-noon he stood in the door of the church. + +"Who are you?" said the bishop, "and what are you doing here?" + +"I am a bold harper," said Robin, "the best in the north country." + +"I am glad you have come," said the bishop kindly. "There is no music +that I like so well as that of the harp. Come in, and play for us." + +"I will go in," said Robin Hood; "but I will not give you any music +until I see the bride and bridegroom." + +Just then an old man came in. He was dressed in rich clothing, but was +bent with age, and was feeble and gray. By his side walked a fair +young girl. Her cheeks were very pale, and her eyes were full of +tears. + +"This is no match," said Robin. "Let the bride choose for herself." + +Then he put his horn to his lips, and blew three times. The very next +minute, four and twenty men, all dressed in green, and car-ry-ing long +bows in their hands, came running across the fields. And as they +marched into the church, all in a row, the fore-most among them was +Allin-a-Dale. + +"Now whom do you choose?" said Robin to the maiden. + +"I choose Allin-a-Dale," she said, blushing. + +"And Allin-a-Dale you shall have," said Robin; "and he that takes you +from Allin-a-Dale shall find that he has Robin Hood to deal with." + +And so the fair maiden and Allin-a-Dale were married then and there, +and the rich old man went home in a great rage. + + "And thus having ended this merry wedding, + The bride looked like a queen: + And so they re-turned to the merry green wood, + Amongst the leaves so green." + + + + +BRUCE AND THE SPIDER. + + +There was once a king of Scot-land whose name was Robert Bruce. He had +need to be both brave and wise, for the times in which he lived were +wild and rude. The King of England was at war with him, and had led a +great army into Scotland to drive him out of the land. + +Battle after battle had been fought. Six times had Bruce led his brave +little army against his foes; and six times had his men been beaten, +and driven into flight. At last his army was scat-tered, and he was +forced to hide himself in the woods and in lonely places among the +moun-tains. + +One rainy day, Bruce lay on the ground under a rude shed, lis-ten-ing +to the patter of the drops on the roof above him. He was tired and +sick at heart, and ready to give up all hope. It seemed to him that +there was no use for him to try to do anything more. + +As he lay thinking, he saw a spider over his head, making ready to +weave her web. He watched her as she toiled slowly and with great +care. Six times she tried to throw her frail thread from one beam to +another, and six times it fell short. + +"Poor thing!" said Bruce: "you, too, know what it is to fail." + +But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure. With still +more care, she made ready to try for the seventh time. Bruce almost +forgot his own troubles as he watched her swing herself out upon the +slender line. Would she fail again? No! The thread was carried safely +to the beam, and fas-tened there. + +"I, too, will try a seventh time!" cried Bruce. + +He arose and called his men together. He told them of his plans, and +sent them out with mes-sa-ges of cheer to his dis-heart-ened people. +Soon there was an army of brave Scotch-men around him. Another battle +was fought, and the King of England was glad to go back into his own +country. + +I have heard it said, that, after that day, no one by the name of +Bruce would ever hurt a spider. The lesson which the little crea-ture +had taught the king was never for-got-ten. + + + + +THE BLACK DOUGLAS. + + +In Scotland, in the time of King Robert Bruce, there lived a brave man +whose name was Doug-las. His hair and beard were black and long, and +his face was tanned and dark; and for this reason people nicknamed him +the Black Douglas. He was a good friend of the king, and one of his +strongest helpers. + +In the war with the English, who were trying to drive Bruce from +Scotland, the Black Douglas did many brave deeds; and the English +people became very much afraid of him. By and by the fear of him +spread all through the land. Nothing could frighten an English lad +more than to tell him that the Black Douglas was not far away. Women +would tell their chil-dren, when they were naughty, that the Black +Douglas would get them; and this would make them very quiet and good. + +There was a large cas-tle in Scotland which the English had taken +early in the war. The Scot-tish soldiers wanted very much to take it +again, and the Black Douglas and his men went one day to see what they +could do. It happened to be a hol-i-day, and most of the English +soldiers in the cas-tle were eating and drinking and having a merry +time. But they had left watch-men on the wall to see that the Scottish +soldiers did not come upon them un-a-wares; and so they felt quite +safe. + +In the e-ven-ing, when it was growing dark, the wife of one of the +soldiers went up on the wall with her child in her arms. As she looked +over into the fields below the castle, she saw some dark objects +moving toward the foot of the wall. In the dusk she could not make out +what they were, and so she pointed them out to one of the watch-men. + +"Pooh, pooh!" said the watchman. "Those are nothing to frighten us. +They are the farmer's cattle, trying to find their way home. The +farmer himself is en-joy-ing the hol-i-day, and he has forgotten to +bring them in. If the Douglas should happen this way before morning, +he will be sorry for his care-less-ness." + +But the dark objects were not cattle. They were the Black Douglas and +his men, creeping on hands and feet toward the foot of the castle +wall. Some of them were dragging ladders behind them through the +grass. They would soon be climbing to the top of the wall. None of the +English soldiers dreamed that they were within many miles of the +place. + +The woman watched them until the last one had passed around a corner +out of sight. She was not afraid, for in the dark-en-ing twi-light +they looked indeed like cattle. After a little while she began to sing +to her child:-- + + "Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye, + Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye, + The Black Douglas shall not get ye." + +All at once a gruff voice was heard behind her, saying, "Don't be so +sure about that!" + +She looked around, and there stood the Black Douglas himself. At the +same moment a Scottish soldier climbed off a ladder and leaped upon +the wall; and then there came another and another and another, until +the wall was covered with them. Soon there was hot fighting in every +part of the castle. But the English were so taken by surprise that +they could not do much. Many of them were killed, and in a little +while the Black Douglas and his men were the masters of the castle, +which by right be-longed to them. + +[Illustration: "Don't be so sure about that!"] + +As for the woman and her child, the Black Douglas would not suffer any +one to harm them. After a while they went back to England; and whether +the mother made up any more songs about the Black Douglas I cannot +tell. + + + + +THREE MEN OF GOTHAM. + + +There is a town in England called Go-tham, and many merry stories are +told of the queer people who used to live there. + +One day two men of Go-tham met on a bridge. Hodge was coming from the +market, and Peter was going to the market. + +"Where are you going?" said Hodge. + +"I am going to the market to buy sheep," said Peter. + +"Buy sheep?" said Hodge. "And which way will you bring them home?" + +"I shall bring them over this bridge," said Peter. + +"No, you shall not," said Hodge. + +"Yes, but I will," said Peter. + +"You shall not," said Hodge. + +"I will," said Peter. + +Then they beat with their sticks on the ground as though there had +been a hundred sheep between them. + +"Take care!" cried Peter. "Look out that my sheep don't jump on the +bridge." + +"I care not where they jump," said Hodge; "but they shall not go over +it." + +"But they shall," said Peter. + +"Have a care," said Hodge; "for if you say too much, I will put my +fingers in your mouth." + +"Will you?" said Peter. + +Just then another man of Gotham came from the market with a sack of +meal on his horse. He heard his neigh-bors quar-rel-ing about sheep; +but he could see no sheep between them, and so he stopped and spoke to +them. + +"Ah, you foolish fellows!" he cried. "It is strange that you will +never learn wisdom.--Come here, Peter, and help me lay my sack on my +shoul-der." + +Peter did so, and the man carried his meal to the side of the bridge. + +"Now look at me," he said, "and learn a lesson." And he opened the +mouth of the sack, and poured all the meal into the river. + +"Now, neighbors," he said, "can you tell how much meal is in my +sack?" + +[Illustration: "How much meal is in my sack?"] + +"There is none at all!" cried Hodge and Peter together. + +"You are right," said the man; "and you that stand here and quarrel +about nothing, have no more sense in your heads than I have meal in my +sack!" + + + + +OTHER WISE MEN OF GOTHAM. + + +One day, news was brought to Gotham that the king was coming that way, +and that he would pass through the town. This did not please the men +of Gotham at all. They hated the king, for they knew that he was a +cruel, bad man. If he came to their town, they would have to find food +and lodg-ing for him and his men; and if he saw anything that pleased +him, he would be sure to take it for his own. What should they do? + +They met together to talk the matter over. + +"Let us chop down the big trees in the woods, so that they will block +up all the roads that lead into the town," said one of the wise men. + +"Good!" said all the rest. + +So they went out with their axes, and soon all the roads and paths to +the town were filled with logs and brush. The king's horse-men would +have a hard time of it getting into Gotham. They would either have to +make a new road, or give up the plan al-to-geth-er, and go on to some +other place. + +When the king came, and saw that the road had been blocked up, he was +very angry. + +"Who chopped those trees down in my way?" he asked of two country lads +that were passing by. + +"The men of Gotham," said the lads. + +"Well," said the king, "go and tell the men of Gotham that I shall +send my sher-iff into their town, and have all their noses cut off." + +The two lads ran to the town as fast as they could, and made known +what the king had said. + +Every-body was in great fright. The men ran from house to house, +carrying the news, and asking one another what they should do. + +"Our wits have kept the king out of the town," said one; "and so now +our wits must save our noses." + +"True, true!" said the others. "But what shall we do?" + +Then one, whose name was Dobbin, and who was thought to be the wisest +of them all, said, "Let me tell you something. Many a man has been +punished because he was wise, but I have never heard of any one being +harmed because he was a fool. So, when the king's sher-iff comes, let +us all act like fools." + +"Good, good!" cried the others. "We will all act like fools." + +It was no easy thing for the king's men to open the roads; and while +they were doing it, the king grew tired of waiting, and went back to +London. But very early one morning, the sheriff with a party of fierce +soldiers rode through the woods, and between the fields, toward +Gotham. Just before they reached the town, they saw a queer sight. The +old men were rolling big stones up the hill, and all the young men +were looking on, and grunting very loudly. + +The sheriff stopped his horses, and asked what they were doing. + +"We are rolling stones up-hill to make the sun rise," said one of the +old men. + +"You foolish fellow!" said the sheriff. "Don't you know that the sun +will rise without any help?" + +"Ah! will it?" said the old man. "Well, I never thought of that. How +wise you are!" + +"And what are _you_ doing?" said the sheriff to the young men. + +"Oh, we do the grunting while our fathers do the working," they +answered. + +"I see," said the sheriff. "Well, that is the way the world goes +every-where." And he rode on toward the town. + +He soon came to a field where a number of men were building a stone +wall. + +"What are you doing?" he asked. + +"Why, master," they answered, "there is a cuck-oo in this field, and +we are building a wall around it so as to keep the bird from straying +away." + +"You foolish fellows!" said the sheriff. "Don't you know that the bird +will fly over the top of your wall, no matter how high you build it?" + +"Why, no," they said. "We never thought of that. How very wise you +are!" + +The sheriff next met a man who was carrying a door on his back. + +"What are you doing?" he asked. + +"I have just started on a long jour-ney," said the man. + +"But why do you carry that door?" asked the sheriff. + +"I left my money at home." + +"Then why didn't you leave the door at home too?" + +"I was afraid of thieves; and you see, if I have the door with me, +they can't break it open and get in." + +"You foolish fellow!" said the sheriff. "It would be safer to leave +the door at home, and carry the money with you." + +"Ah, would it, though?" said the man. "Now, I never thought of that. +You are the wisest man that I ever saw." + +Then the sheriff rode on with his men; but every one that they met was +doing some silly thing. + +"Truly I believe that the people of Gotham are all fools," said one of +the horsemen. + +"That is true," said another. "It would be a shame to harm such simple +people." + +"Let us ride back to London, and tell the king all about them," said +the sheriff. + +"Yes, let us do so," said the horsemen. + +So they went back, and told the king that Gotham was a town of fools; +and the king laughed, and said that if that was the case, he would not +harm them, but would let them keep their noses. + + + + +THE MILLER OF THE DEE. + + +Once upon a time there lived on the banks of the River Dee a miller, +who was the hap-pi-est man in England. He was always busy from morning +till night, and he was always singing as merrily as any lark. He was +so cheerful that he made everybody else cheerful; and people all over +the land liked to talk about his pleasant ways. At last the king heard +about him. + +"I will go down and talk with this won-der-ful miller," he said. +"Perhaps he can tell me how to be happy." + +As soon as he stepped inside of the mill, he heard the miller +singing:-- + + "I envy no-body--no, not I!-- + For I am as happy as I can be; + And nobody envies me." + +"You're wrong, my friend," said the king. "You're wrong as wrong can +be. I envy you; and I would gladly change places with you, if I could +only be as light-hearted as you are." + +The miller smiled, and bowed to the king. + +"I am sure I could not think of changing places with you, sir," he +said. + +"Now tell me," said the king, "what makes you so cheerful and glad +here in your dusty mill, while I, who am king, am sad and in trouble +every day." + +The miller smiled again, and said, "I do not know why you are sad, but +I can eas-i-ly tell why I am glad. I earn my own bread; I love my wife +and my children; I love my friends, and they love me; and I owe not a +penny to any man. Why should I not be happy? For here is the River +Dee, and every day it turns my mill; and the mill grinds the corn that +feeds my wife, my babes, and me." + +[Illustration] + +"Say no more," said the king. "Stay where you are, and be happy still. +But I envy you. Your dusty cap is worth more than my golden crown. +Your mill does more for you than my kingdom can do for me. If there +were more such men as you, what a good place this world would be! +Good-by, my friend!" + +The king turned about, and walked sadly away; and the miller went back +to his work singing:-- + + "Oh, I'm as happy as happy can be, + For I live by the side of the River Dee!" + + + + +SIR PHILIP SIDNEY. + + +A cruel battle was being fought. The ground was covered with dead and +dying men. The air was hot and stifling. The sun shone down without +pity on the wounded soldiers lying in the blood and dust. + +One of these soldiers was a no-ble-man, whom everybody loved for his +gen-tle-ness and kindness. Yet now he was no better off than the +poorest man in the field. He had been wounded, and would die; and he +was suf-fer-ing much with pain and thirst. + +When the battle was over, his friends hurried to his aid. A soldier +came running with a cup in his hand. + +"Here, Sir Philip," he said, "I have brought you some clear, cool +water from the brook. I will raise your head so that you can drink." + +The cup was placed to Sir Philip's lips. How thank-ful-ly he looked at +the man who had brought it! Then his eyes met those of a dying soldier +who was lying on the ground close by. The wist-ful look in the poor +man's face spoke plainer than words. + +"Give the water to that man," said Sir Philip quickly; and then, +pushing the cup toward him, he said, "Here, my comrade, take this. Thy +need is greater than mine." + +What a brave, noble man he was! The name of Sir Philip Sidney will +never be for-got-ten; for it was the name of a Chris-tian gen-tle-man +who always had the good of others in his mind. Was it any wonder that +everybody wept when it was heard that he was dead? + +It is said, that, on the day when he was carried to the grave, every +eye in the land was filled with tears. Rich and poor, high and low, +all felt that they had lost a friend; all mourned the death of the +kindest, gentlest man that they had ever known. + + + + +THE UNGRATEFUL SOLDIER. + + +Here is another story of the bat-tle-field, and it is much like the +one which I have just told you. + +Not quite a hundred years after the time of Sir Philip Sidney there +was a war between the Swedes and the Danes. One day a great battle was +fought, and the Swedes were beaten, and driven from the field. A +soldier of the Danes who had been slightly wounded was sitting on the +ground. He was about to take a drink from a flask. All at once he +heard some one say,-- + +"O sir! give me a drink, for I am dying." + +It was a wounded Swede who spoke. He was lying on the ground only a +little way off. The Dane went to him at once. He knelt down by the +side of his fallen foe, and pressed the flask to his lips. + +"Drink," said he, "for thy need is greater than mine." + +Hardly had he spoken these words, when the Swede raised himself on his +elbow. He pulled a pistol from his pocket, and shot at the man who +would have be-friend-ed him. The bullet grazed the Dane's shoulder, +but did not do him much harm. + +"Ah, you rascal!" he cried. "I was going to befriend you, and you +repay me by trying to kill me. Now I will punish you. I would have +given you all the water, but now you shall have only half." And with +that he drank the half of it, and then gave the rest to the Swede. + +[Illustration] + +When the King of the Danes heard about this, he sent for the soldier +and had him tell the story just as it was. + +"Why did you spare the life of the Swede after he had tried to kill +you?" asked the king. + +"Because, sir," said the soldier, "I could never kill a wounded +enemy." + +"Then you deserve to be a no-ble-man," said the king. And he +re-ward-ed him by making him a knight, and giving him a noble title. + + + + +SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT. + + +More than three hundred years ago there lived in England a brave man +whose name was Sir Humphrey Gil-bert. At that time there were no white +people in this country of ours. The land was covered with forests; and +where there are now great cities and fine farms there were only trees +and swamps among which roamed wild In-di-ans and wild beasts. + +Sir Hum-phrey Gilbert was one of the first men who tried to make a +set-tle-ment in A-mer-i-ca. Twice did he bring men and ships over the +sea, and twice did he fail, and sail back for England. The second +time, he was on a little ship called the "Squirrel." Another ship, +called the "Golden Hind," was not far away. When they were three days +from land, the wind failed, and the ships lay floating on the waves. +Then at night the air grew very cold. A breeze sprang up from the +east. Great white ice-bergs came drifting around them. In the morning +the little ships were almost lost among the floating mountains of ice. +The men on the "Hind" saw Sir Humphrey sitting on the deck of the +"Squirrel" with an open book in his hand. He called to them and +said,-- + +"Be brave, my friends! We are as near heaven on the sea as on the +land." + +Night came again. It was a stormy night, with mist and rain. All at +once the men on the "Hind" saw the lights on board of the "Squirrel" +go out. The little vessel, with brave Sir Humphrey and all his brave +men, was swal-lowed up by the waves. + + + + +SIR WALTER RALEIGH. + + +There once lived in England a brave and noble man whose name was +Walter Ra-leigh. He was not only brave and noble, but he was also +handsome and polite; and for that reason the queen made him a knight, +and called him Sir Walter Ra-leigh. + +I will tell you about it. + +When Raleigh was a young man, he was one day walking along a street in +London. At that time the streets were not paved, and there were no +sidewalks. Raleigh was dressed in very fine style, and he wore a +beau-ti-ful scar-let cloak thrown over his shoulders. + +As he passed along, he found it hard work to keep from stepping in the +mud, and soiling his hand-some new shoes. Soon he came to a puddle of +muddy water which reached from one side of the street to the other. He +could not step across. Perhaps he could jump over it. + +As he was thinking what he should do, he happened to look up. Who was +it coming down the street, on the other side of the puddle? + +It was E-liz-a-beth, the Queen of England, with her train of +gen-tle-wom-en and waiting maids. She saw the dirty puddle in the +street. She saw the handsome young man with the scar-let cloak, +stand-ing by the side of it. How was she to get across? + +Young Raleigh, when he saw who was coming, forgot about himself. He +thought only of helping the queen. There was only one thing that he +could do, and no other man would have thought of that. + +He took off his scarlet cloak, and spread it across the puddle. The +queen could step on it now, as on a beautiful carpet. + +She walked across. She was safely over the ugly puddle, and her feet +had not touched the mud. She paused a moment, and thanked the young +man. + +As she walked onward with her train, she asked one of the +gen-tle-wom-en, "Who is that brave gen-tle-man who helped us so +handsomely?" + +"His name is Walter Raleigh," said the gentle-woman. + +"He shall have his reward," said the queen. + +Not long after that, she sent for Raleigh to come to her pal-ace. + +The young man went, but he had no scarlet cloak to wear. Then, while +all the great men and fine ladies of England stood around, the queen +made him a knight. And from that time he was known as Sir Walter +Raleigh, the queen's favorite. + +Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Humphrey Gilbert about whom I have already +told you, were half-broth-ers. + +When Sir Humphrey made his first voy-age to America, Sir Walter was +with him. After that, Sir Walter tried sev-er-al times to send men to +this country to make a set-tle-ment. + +But those whom he sent found only great forests, and wild beasts, and +sav-age In-di-ans. Some of them went back to England; some of them +died for want of food; and some of them were lost in the woods. At +last Sir Walter gave up trying to get people to come to America. + +But he found two things in this country which the people of England +knew very little about. One was the po-ta-to, the other was to-bac-co. + +If you should ever go to Ireland, you may be shown the place where Sir +Walter planted the few po-ta-toes which he carried over from America. +He told his friends how the Indians used them for food; and he proved +that they would grow in the Old World as well as in the New. + +Sir Walter had seen the Indians smoking the leaves of the to-bac-co +plant. He thought that he would do the same, and he carried some of +the leaves to England. Englishmen had never used tobacco before that +time; and all who saw Sir Walter puff-ing away at a roll of leaves +thought that it was a strange sight. + +One day as he was sitting in his chair and smoking, his servant came +into the room. The man saw the smoke curling over his master's head, +and he thought that he was on fire. + +He ran out for some water. He found a pail that was quite full. He +hurried back, and threw the water into Sir Walter's face. Of course +the fire was all put out. + +After that a great many men learned to smoke. And now tobacco is used +in all countries of the world. It would have been well if Sir Walter +Raleigh had let it alone. + + + + +POCAHONTAS. + + +There was once a very brave man whose name was John Smith. He came to +this country many years ago, when there were great woods everywhere, +and many wild beasts and Indians. Many tales are told of his +ad-ven-tures, some of them true and some of them untrue. The most +famous of all these is the fol-low-ing:-- + +One day when Smith was in the woods, some Indians came upon him, and +made him their pris-on-er. They led him to their king, and in a short +time they made ready to put him to death. + +A large stone was brought in, and Smith was made to lie down with his +head on it. Then two tall Indians with big clubs in their hands came +forward. The king and all his great men stood around to see. The +Indians raised their clubs. In another moment they would fall on +Smith's head. + +But just then a little Indian girl rushed in. She was the daugh-ter of +the king, and her name was Po-ca-hon´tas. She ran and threw herself +between Smith and the up-lift-ed clubs. She clasped Smith's head with +her arms. She laid her own head upon his. + +"O father!" she cried, "spare this man's life. I am sure he has done +you no harm, and we ought to be his friends." + +The men with the clubs could not strike, for they did not want to hurt +the child. The king at first did not know what to do. Then he spoke to +some of his war-riors, and they lifted Smith from the ground. They +untied the cords from his wrists and feet, and set him free. + +The next day the king sent Smith home; and several Indians went with +him to protect him from harm. + +After that, as long as she lived, Po-ca-hon-tas was the friend of the +white men, and she did a great many things to help them. + + + + +GEORGE WASHINGTON AND HIS HATCHET. + + +When George Wash-ing-ton was quite a little boy, his father gave him a +hatchet. It was bright and new, and George took great delight in going +about and chopping things with it. + +He ran into the garden, and there he saw a tree which seemed to say to +him, "Come and cut me down!" + +George had often seen his father's men chop down the great trees in +the forest, and he thought that it would be fine sport to see this +tree fall with a crash to the ground. So he set to work with his +little hatchet, and, as the tree was a very small one, it did not take +long to lay it low. + +[Illustration] + +Soon after that, his father came home. + +"Who has been cutting my fine young cherry tree?" he cried. "It was +the only tree of its kind in this country, and it cost me a great +deal of money." + +He was very angry when he came into the house. + +"If I only knew who killed that cherry tree," he cried, "I would--yes, +I would"-- + +"Father!" cried little George. "I will tell you the truth about it. I +chopped the tree down with my hatchet." + +His father forgot his anger. + +"George," he said, and he took the little fellow in his arms, "George, +I am glad that you told me about it. I would rather lose a dozen +cherry trees than that you should tell one false-hood." + + + + +GRACE DARLING. + + +It was a dark Sep-tem-ber morning. There was a storm at sea. A ship +had been driven on a low rock off the shores of the Farne Islands. It +had been broken in two by the waves, and half of it had been washed +away. The other half lay yet on the rock, and those of the crew who +were still alive were cling-ing to it. But the waves were dashing over +it, and in a little while it too would be carried to the bottom. + +Could any one save the poor, half-drowned men who were there? + +On one of the islands was a light-house; and there, all through that +stormy night, Grace Darling had listened to the storm. + +Grace was the daughter of the light-house keeper, and she had lived by +the sea as long as she could re-mem-ber. + +In the darkness of the night, above the noise of the winds and waves, +she heard screams and wild cries. When day-light came, she could see +the wreck, a mile away, with the angry waters all around it. She could +see the men clinging to the masts. + +"We must try to save them!" she cried. "Let us go out in the boat at +once!" + +"It is of no use, Grace," said her father. "We cannot reach them." + +He was an old man, and he knew the force of the mighty waves. + +"We cannot stay here and see them die," said Grace. "We must at least +try to save them." + +Her father could not say, "No." + +In a few minutes they were ready. They set off in the heavy lighthouse +boat. Grace pulled one oar, and her father the other, and they made +straight toward the wreck. But it was hard rowing against such a sea, +and it seemed as though they would never reach the place. + +At last they were close to the rock, and now they were in greater +danger than before. The fierce waves broke against the boat, and it +would have been dashed in pieces, had it not been for the strength and +skill of the brave girl. + +But after many trials, Grace's father climbed upon the wreck, while +Grace herself held the boat. Then one by one the worn-out crew were +helped on board. It was all that the girl could do to keep the frail +boat from being drifted away, or broken upon the sharp edges of the +rock. + +Then her father clam-bered back into his place. Strong hands grasped +the oars, and by and by all were safe in the lighthouse. There Grace +proved to be no less tender as a nurse than she had been brave as a +sailor. She cared most kindly for the ship-wrecked men until the storm +had died away and they were strong enough to go to their own homes. + +All this happened a long time ago, but the name of Grace Darling will +never be forgotten. She lies buried now in a little church-yard by the +sea, not far from her old home. Every year many people go there to see +her grave; and there a mon-u-ment has been placed in honor of the +brave girl. It is not a large mon-u-ment, but it is one that speaks of +the noble deed which made Grace Darling famous. It is a figure carved +in stone of a woman lying at rest, with a boat's oar held fast in her +right hand. + + + + +THE STORY OF WILLIAM TELL. + + +The people of Swit-zer-land were not always free and happy as they are +to-day. Many years ago a proud tyrant, whose name was Gessler, ruled +over them, and made their lot a bitter one indeed. + +One day this tyrant set up a tall pole in the public square, and put +his own cap on the top of it; and then he gave orders that every man +who came into the town should bow down before it. But there was one +man, named William Tell, who would not do this. He stood up straight +with folded arms, and laughed at the swinging cap. He would not bow +down to Gessler himself. + +When Gessler heard of this, he was very angry. He was afraid that +other men would disobey, and that soon the whole country would rebel +against him. So he made up his mind to punish the bold man. + +William Tell's home was among the mountains, and he was a famous +hunter. No one in all the land could shoot with bow and arrow so well +as he. Gessler knew this, and so he thought of a cruel plan to make +the hunter's own skill bring him to grief. He ordered that Tell's +little boy should be made to stand up in the public square with an +apple on his head; and then he bade Tell shoot the apple with one of +his arrows. + +Tell begged the tyrant not to have him make this test of his skill. +What if the boy should move? What if the bow-man's hand should +tremble? What if the arrow should not carry true? + +[Illustration] + +"Will you make me kill my boy?" he said. + +"Say no more," said Gessler. "You must hit the apple with your one +arrow. If you fail, my sol-diers shall kill the boy before your +eyes." + +Then, without another word, Tell fitted the arrow to his bow. He took +aim, and let it fly. The boy stood firm and still. He was not afraid, +for he had all faith in his father's skill. + +The arrow whistled through the air. It struck the apple fairly in the +center, and carried it away. The people who saw it shouted with joy. + +As Tell was turning away from the place, an arrow which he had hidden +under his coat dropped to the ground. + +"Fellow!" cried Gessler, "what mean you with this second arrow?" + +"Tyrant!" was Tell's proud answer, "this arrow was for your heart if I +had hurt my child." + +And there is an old story, that, not long after this, Tell did shoot +the tyrant with one of his arrows; and thus he set his country free. + + + + +ARNOLD WINKELRIED. + + +A great army was marching into Swit-zer-land. If it should go much +farther, there would be no driving it out again. The soldiers would +burn the towns, they would rob the farmers of their grain and sheep, +they would make slaves of the people. + +The men of Switzerland knew all this. They knew that they must fight +for their homes and their lives. And so they came from the mountains +and valleys to try what they could do to save their land. Some came +with bows and arrows, some with scythes and pitch-forks, and some with +only sticks and clubs. + +But their foes kept in line as they marched along the road. Every +soldier was fully armed. As they moved and kept close together, +nothing could be seen of them but their spears and shields and shining +armor. What could the poor country people do against such foes as +these? + +"We must break their lines," cried their leader; "for we cannot harm +them while they keep together." + +The bowmen shot their arrows, but they glanced off from the soldiers' +shields. Others tried clubs and stones, but with no better luck. The +lines were still un-bro-ken. The soldiers moved stead-i-ly onward; +their shields lapped over one another; their thousand spears looked +like so many long bris-tles in the sun-light. What cared they for +sticks and stones and hunts-men's arrows? + +"If we cannot break their ranks," said the Swiss, "we have no chance +for fight, and our country will be lost!" + +Then a poor man, whose name was Ar-nold Wink´el-ried, stepped out. + +"On the side of yonder moun-tain," said he, "I have a happy home. +There my wife and chil-dren wait for my return. But they will not see +me again, for this day I will give my life for my country. And do you, +my friends, do your duty, and Switzerland shall be free." + +With these words he ran forward. "Follow me!" he cried to his friends. +"I will break the lines, and then let every man fight as bravely as he +can." + +He had nothing in his hands, neither club nor stone nor other weapon. +But he ran straight on-ward to the place where the spears were +thickest. + +"Make way for lib-er-ty!" he cried, as he dashed right into the lines. + +A hundred spears were turned to catch him upon their points. The +soldiers forgot to stay in their places. The lines were broken. +Arnold's friends rushed bravely after him. They fought with whatever +they had in hand. They snatched spears and shields from their foes. +They had no thought of fear. They only thought of their homes and +their dear native land. And they won at last. + +Such a battle no one ever knew before. But Switzerland was saved, and +Arnold Wink-el-ried did not die in vain. + + + + +THE BELL OF ATRI. + + +A-tri is the name of a little town in It-a-ly. It is a very old town, +and is built half-way up the side of a steep hill. + +A long time ago, the King of Atri bought a fine large bell, and had it +hung up in a tower in the market place. A long rope that reached +almost to the ground was fas-tened to the bell. The smallest child +could ring the bell by pulling upon this rope. + +"It is the bell of justice," said the king. + +When at last everything was ready, the people of Atri had a great +holiday. All the men and women and children came down to the market +place to look at the bell of justice. It was a very pretty bell, and +was, pol-ished until it looked almost as bright and yellow as the sun. + +"How we should like to hear it ring!" they said. + +Then the king came down the street. + +"Perhaps he will ring it," said the people; and everybody stood very +still, and waited to see what he would do. + +But he did not ring the bell. He did not even take the rope in his +hands. When he came to the foot of the tower, he stopped, and raised +his hand. + +"My people," he said, "do you see this beautiful bell? It is your +bell; but it must never be rung except in case of need. If any one of +you is wronged at any time, he may come and ring the bell; and then +the judges shall come together at once, and hear his case, and give +him justice. Rich and poor, old and young, all alike may come; but no +one must touch the rope unless he knows that he has been wronged." + +Many years passed by after this. Many times did the bell in the market +place ring out to call the judges together. Many wrongs were righted, +many ill-doers were punished. At last the hempen rope was almost worn +out. The lower part of it was un-twist-ed; some of the strands were +broken; it became so short that only a tall man could reach it. + +"This will never do," said the judges one day. "What if a child should +be wronged? It could not ring the bell to let us know it." + +They gave orders that a new rope should be put upon the bell at +once,--a rope that should hang down to the ground, so that the +smallest child could reach it. But there was not a rope to be found in +all Atri. They would have to send across the mountains for one, and it +would be many days before it could be brought. What if some great +wrong should be done before it came? How could the judges know about +it, if the in-jured one could not reach the old rope? + +"Let me fix it for you," said a man who stood by. + +He ran into his garden, which was not far away, and soon came back +with a long grape-vine in his hands. + +"This will do for a rope," he said; and he climbed up, and fastened it +to the bell. The slender vine, with its leaves and ten-drils still +upon it, trailed to the ground. + +"Yes," said the judges, "it is a very good rope. Let it be as it is." + +Now, on the hill-side above the village, there lived a man who had +once been a brave knight. In his youth he had ridden through many +lands, and he had fought in many a battle. His best friend through all +that time had been his horse,--a strong, noble steed that had borne +him safe through many a danger. + +But the knight, when he grew older, cared no more to ride into battle; +he cared no more to do brave deeds; he thought of nothing but gold; he +became a miser. At last he sold all that he had, except his horse, and +went to live in a little hut on the hill-side. Day after day he sat +among his money bags, and planned how he might get more gold; and day +after day his horse stood in his bare stall, half-starved, and +shiv-er-ing with cold. + +"What is the use of keeping that lazy steed?" said the miser to +himself one morning. "Every week it costs me more to keep him than he +is worth. I might sell him; but there is not a man that wants him. I +cannot even give him away. I will turn him out to shift for himself, +and pick grass by the roadside. If he starves to death, so much the +better." + +So the brave old horse was turned out to find what he could among the +rocks on the barren hill-side. Lame and sick, he strolled along the +dusty roads, glad to find a blade of grass or a thistle. The boys +threw stones at him, the dogs barked at him, and in all the world +there was no one to pity him. + +One hot afternoon, when no one was upon the street, the horse chanced +to wander into the market place. Not a man nor child was there, for +the heat of the sun had driven them all indoors. The gates were wide +open; the poor beast could roam where he pleased. He saw the +grape-vine rope that hung from the bell of justice. The leaves and +tendrils upon it were still fresh and green, for it had not been there +long. What a fine dinner they would be for a starving horse! + +He stretched his thin neck, and took one of the tempting morsels in +his mouth. It was hard to break it from the vine. He pulled at it, and +the great bell above him began to ring. All the people in Atri heard +it. It seemed to say,-- + +"Some one has done me wrong! + Some one has done me wrong! + Oh! come and judge my case! + Oh! come and judge my case! + For I've been wronged!" + +The judges heard it. They put on their robes, and went out through the +hot streets to the market place. They wondered who it could be who +would ring the bell at such a time. When they passed through the gate, +they saw the old horse nibbling at the vine. + +"Ha!" cried one, "it is the miser's steed. He has come to call for +justice; for his master, as everybody knows, has treated him most +shame-ful-ly." + +"He pleads his cause as well as any dumb brute can," said another. + +"And he shall have justice!" said the third. + +Mean-while a crowd of men and women and children had come into the +market place, eager to learn what cause the judges were about to try. +When they saw the horse, all stood still in wonder. Then every one was +ready to tell how they had seen him wan-der-ing on the hills, unfed, +un-cared for, while his master sat at home counting his bags of gold. + +"Go bring the miser before us," said the judges. + +[Illustration: "Some one has done me wrong!"] + +And when he came, they bade him stand and hear their judg-ment. + +"This horse has served you well for many a year," they said. "He has +saved you from many a peril. He has helped you gain your wealth. +Therefore we order that one half of all your gold shall be set aside +to buy him shelter and food, a green pasture where he may graze, and a +warm stall to comfort him in his old age." + +The miser hung his head, and grieved to lose his gold; but the people +shouted with joy, and the horse was led away to his new stall and a +dinner such as he had not had in many a day. + + + + +HOW NAPOLEON CROSSED THE ALPS. + + +About a hundred years ago there lived a great gen-er-al whose name was +Na-po´le-on Bo´na-parte. He was the leader of the French army; and +France was at war with nearly all the countries around. He wanted very +much to take his soldiers into It-a-ly; but between France and Italy +there are high mountains called the Alps, the tops of which are +covered with snow. + +"Is it pos-si-ble to cross the Alps?" said Na-po-le-on. + +The men who had been sent to look at the passes over the mountains +shook their heads. Then one of them said, "It may be possible, but"-- + +"Let me hear no more," said Napoleon. "Forward to Italy!" + +People laughed at the thought of an army of sixty thousand men +crossing the Alps where there was no road. But Napoleon waited only to +see that everything was in good order, and then he gave the order to +march. + +The long line of soldiers and horses and cannon stretched for twenty +miles. When they came to a steep place where there seemed to be no way +to go farther, the trum-pets sounded "Charge!" Then every man did his +best, and the whole army moved right onward. + +Soon they were safe over the Alps. In four days they were marching on +the plains of Italy. + +"The man who has made up his mind to win," said Napoleon, "will never +say 'Im-pos-si-ble.'" + + + + +THE STORY OF CINCINNATUS. + + +There was a man named Cin-cin-na´tus who lived on a little farm not +far from the city of Rome. He had once been rich, and had held the +highest office in the land; but in one way or another he had lost all +his wealth. He was now so poor that he had to do all the work on his +farm with his own hands. But in those days it was thought to be a +noble thing to till the soil. + +Cin-cin-na-tus was so wise and just that every-body trusted him, and +asked his advice; and when any one was in trouble, and did not know +what to do, his neighbors would say,-- + +"Go and tell Cincinnatus. He will help you." + +Now there lived among the mountains, not far away, a tribe of fierce, +half-wild men, who were at war with the Roman people. They per-suad-ed +another tribe of bold war-riors to help them, and then marched toward +the city, plun-der-ing and robbing as they came. They boasted that +they would tear down the walls of Rome, and burn the houses, and kill +all the men, and make slaves of the women and children. + +At first the Romans, who were very proud and brave, did not think +there was much danger. Every man in Rome was a soldier, and the army +which went out to fight the robbers was the finest in the world. No +one staid at home with the women and children and boys but the +white-haired "Fathers," as they were called, who made the laws for the +city, and a small company of men who guarded the walls. Everybody +thought that it would be an easy thing to drive the men of the +mountains back to the place where they belonged. + +But one morning five horsemen came riding down the road from the +mountains. They rode with great speed; and both men and horses were +covered with dust and blood. The watchman at the gate knew them, and +shouted to them as they gal-loped in. Why did they ride thus? and what +had happened to the Roman army? + +They did not answer him, but rode into the city and along the quiet +streets; and everybody ran after them, eager to find out what was the +matter. Rome was not a large city at that time; and soon they reached +the market place where the white-haired Fathers were sitting. Then +they leaped from their horses, and told their story. + +"Only yes-ter-day," they said, "our army was marching through a narrow +valley between two steep mountains. All at once a thou-sand sav-age +men sprang out from among the rocks before us and above us. They had +blocked up the way; and the pass was so narrow that we could not +fight. We tried to come back; but they had blocked up the way on this +side of us too. The fierce men of the mountains were before us and +behind us, and they were throwing rocks down upon us from above. We +had been caught in a trap. Then ten of us set spurs to our horses; and +five of us forced our way through, but the other five fell before the +spears of the mountain men. And now, O Roman Fathers! send help to our +army at once, or every man will be slain, and our city will be taken." + +"What shall we do?" said the white-haired Fathers. "Whom can we send +but the guards and the boys? and who is wise enough to lead them, and +thus save Rome?" + +All shook their heads and were very grave; for it seemed as if there +was no hope. Then one said, "Send for Cincinnatus. He will help us." + +Cincinnatus was in the field plowing when the men who had been sent to +him came in great haste. He stopped and greeted them kindly, and +waited for them to speak. + +"Put on your cloak, Cincinnatus," they said, "and hear the words of +the Roman people." + +Then Cincinnatus wondered what they could mean. "Is all well with +Rome?" he asked; and he called to his wife to bring him his cloak. + +She brought the cloak; and Cincinnatus wiped the dust from his hands +and arms, and threw it over his shoulders. Then the men told their +errand. + +They told him how the army with all the noblest men of Rome had been +en-trapped in the mountain pass. They told him about the great danger +the city was in. Then they said, "The people of Rome make you their +ruler and the ruler of their city, to do with everything as you +choose; and the Fathers bid you come at once and go out against our +enemies, the fierce men of the mountains." + +[Illustration] + +So Cincinnatus left his plow standing where it was, and hurried to the +city. When he passed through the streets, and gave orders as to what +should be done, some of the people were afraid, for they knew that he +had all power in Rome to do what he pleased. But he armed the guards +and the boys, and went out at their head to fight the fierce mountain +men, and free the Roman army from the trap into which it had fallen. + +A few days afterward there was great joy in Rome. There was good news +from Cincinnatus. The men of the mountains had been beaten with great +loss. They had been driven back into their own place. + +And now the Roman army, with the boys and the guards, was coming home +with banners flying, and shouts of vic-to-ry; and at their head rode +Cincinnatus. He had saved Rome. + +Cincinnatus might then have made himself king; for his word was law, +and no man dared lift a finger against him. But, before the people +could thank him enough for what he had done, he gave back the power to +the white-haired Roman Fathers, and went again to his little farm and +his plow. + +He had been the ruler of Rome for sixteen days. + + + + +THE STORY OF REGULUS. + + +On the other side of the sea from Rome there was once a great city +named Car-thage. The Roman people were never very friendly to the +people of Car-thage, and at last a war began between them. For a long +time it was hard to tell which would prove the stronger. First the +Romans would gain a battle, and then the men of Car-thage would gain a +battle; and so the war went on for many years. + +Among the Romans there was a brave gen-er-al named Reg´u-lus,--a man +of whom it was said that he never broke his word. It so happened after +a while, that Reg-u-lus was taken pris-on-er and carried to Carthage. +Ill and very lonely, he dreamed of his wife and little children so far +away beyond the sea; and he had but little hope of ever seeing them +again. He loved his home dearly, but he believed that his first duty +was to his country; and so he had left all, to fight in this cruel +war. + +He had lost a battle, it is true, and had been taken prisoner. Yet he +knew that the Romans were gaining ground, and the people of Carthage +were afraid of being beaten in the end. They had sent into other +countries to hire soldiers to help them; but even with these they +would not be able to fight much longer against Rome. + +One day some of the rulers of Carthage came to the prison to talk with +Regulus. + +"We should like to make peace with the Roman people," they said, "and +we are sure, that, if your rulers at home knew how the war is going, +they would be glad to make peace with us. We will set you free and let +you go home, if you will agree to do as we say." + +"What is that?" asked Regulus. + +"In the first place," they said, "you must tell the Romans about the +battles which you have lost, and you must make it plain to them that +they have not gained any-thing by the war. In the second place, you +must promise us, that, if they will not make peace, you will come back +to your prison." + +"Very well," said Regulus, "I promise you, that, if they will not make +peace, I will come back to prison." + +And so they let him go; for they knew that a great Roman would keep +his word. + +When he came to Rome, all the people greeted him gladly. His wife and +children were very happy, for they thought that now they would not be +parted again. The white-haired Fathers who made the laws for the city +came to see him. They asked him about the war. + +"I was sent from Carthage to ask you to make peace," he said. "But it +will not be wise to make peace. True, we have been beaten in a few +battles, but our army is gaining ground every day. The people of +Carthage are afraid, and well they may be. Keep on with the war a +little while longer, and Carthage shall be yours. As for me, I have +come to bid my wife and children and Rome fare-well. To-morrow I will +start back to Carthage and to prison; for I have promised." + +Then the Fathers tried to persuade him to stay. + +"Let us send another man in your place," they said. + +"Shall a Roman not keep his word?" answered Regulus. "I am ill, and at +the best have not long to live. I will go back, as I promised." + +His wife and little children wept, and his sons begged him not to +leave them again. + +"I have given my word," said Regulus. "The rest will be taken care +of." + +Then he bade them good-by, and went bravely back to the prison and the +cruel death which he ex-pect-ed. + +This was the kind of courage that made Rome the greatest city in the +world. + + + + +CORNELIA'S JEWELS. + + +It was a bright morning in the old city of Rome many hundred years +ago. In a vine-covered summer-house in a beautiful garden, two boys +were standing. They were looking at their mother and her friend, who +were walking among the flowers and trees. + +"Did you ever see so handsome a lady as our mother's friend?" asked +the younger boy, holding his tall brother's hand. "She looks like a +queen." + +"Yet she is not so beautiful as our mother," said the elder boy. "She +has a fine dress, it is true; but her face is not noble and kind. It +is our mother who is like a queen." + +"That is true," said the other. "There is no woman in Rome so much +like a queen as our own dear mother." + +Soon Cor-ne´li-a, their mother, came down the walk to speak with them. +She was simply dressed in a plain white robe. Her arms and feet were +bare, as was the custom in those days; and no rings nor chains +glit-tered about her hands and neck. For her only crown, long braids +of soft brown hair were coiled about her head; and a tender smile lit +up her noble face as she looked into her sons' proud eyes. + +"Boys," she said, "I have something to tell you." + +They bowed before her, as Roman lads were taught to do, and said, +"What is it, mother?" + +"You are to dine with us to-day, here in the garden; and then our +friend is going to show us that wonderful casket of jewels of which +you have heard so much." + +The brothers looked shyly at their mother's friend. Was it possible +that she had still other rings besides those on her fingers? Could she +have other gems besides those which sparkled in the chains about her +neck? + +When the simple out-door meal was over, a servant brought the casket +from the house. The lady opened it. Ah, how those jewels dazzled the +eyes of the wondering boys! There were ropes of pearls, white as milk, +and smooth as satin; heaps of shining rubies, red as the glowing +coals; sap-phires as blue as the sky that summer day; and di-a-monds +that flashed and sparkled like the sunlight. + +The brothers looked long at the gems. + +"Ah!" whis-pered the younger; "if our mother could only have such +beautiful things!" + +At last, how-ever, the casket was closed and carried care-ful-ly away. + +"Is it true, Cor-ne-li-a, that you have no jewels?" asked her friend. +"Is it true, as I have heard it whis-pered, that you are poor?" + +"No, I am not poor," answered Cornelia, and as she spoke she drew her +two boys to her side; "for here are my jewels. They are worth more +than all your gems." + +I am sure that the boys never forgot their mother's pride and love and +care; and in after years, when they had become great men in Rome, they +often thought of this scene in the garden. And the world still likes +to hear the story of Cornelia's jewels. + + + + +ANDROCLUS AND THE LION. + + +In Rome there was once a poor slave whose name was An´dro-clus. His +master was a cruel man, and so unkind to him that at last An-dro-clus +ran away. + +He hid himself in a wild wood for many days; but there was no food to +be found, and he grew so weak and sick that he thought he should die. +So one day he crept into a cave and lay down, and soon he was fast +asleep. + +After a while a great noise woke him up. A lion had come into the +cave, and was roaring loudly. Androclus was very much afraid, for he +felt sure that the beast would kill him. Soon, however, he saw that +the lion was not angry, but that he limped as though his foot hurt +him. + +Then Androclus grew so bold that he took hold of the lion's lame paw +to see what was the matter. The lion stood quite still, and rubbed his +head against the man's shoulder. He seemed to say,-- + +"I know that you will help me." + +Androclus lifted the paw from the ground, and saw that it was a long, +sharp thorn which hurt the lion so much. He took the end of the thorn +in his fingers; then he gave a strong, quick pull, and out it came. +The lion was full of joy. He jumped about like a dog, and licked the +hands and feet of his new friend. + +Androclus was not at all afraid after this; and when night came, he +and the lion lay down and slept side by side. + +For a long time, the lion brought food to Androclus every day; and the +two became such good friends, that Androclus found his new life a very +happy one. + +One day some soldiers who were passing through the wood found +Androclus in the cave. They knew who he was, and so took him back to +Rome. + +It was the law at that time that every slave who ran away from his +master should be made to fight a hungry lion. So a fierce lion was +shut up for a while without food, and a time was set for the fight. + +When the day came, thousands of people crowded to see the sport. They +went to such places at that time very much as people now-a-days go to +see a circus show or a game of base-ball. + +The door opened, and poor Androclus was brought in. He was almost dead +with fear, for the roars of the lion could al-read-y be heard. He +looked up, and saw that there was no pity in the thou-sands of faces +around him. + +Then the hungry lion rushed in. With a single bound he reached the +poor slave. Androclus gave a great cry, not of fear, but of gladness. +It was his old friend, the lion of the cave. + +The people, who had ex-pect-ed to see the man killed by the lion, were +filled with wonder. They saw Androclus put his arms around the lion's +neck; they saw the lion lie down at his feet, and lick them +lov-ing-ly; they saw the great beast rub his head against the slave's +face as though he wanted to be petted. They could not un-der-stand +what it all meant. + +[Illustration: Androclus and the Lion.] + +After a while they asked Androclus to tell them about it. So he +stood up before them, and, with his arm around the lion's neck, told +how he and the beast had lived together in the cave. + +"I am a man," he said; "but no man has ever befriended me. This poor +lion alone has been kind to me; and we love each other as brothers." + +The people were not so bad that they could be cruel to the poor slave +now. "Live and be free!" they cried. "Live and be free!" + +Others cried, "Let the lion go free too! Give both of them their +liberty!" + +And so Androclus was set free, and the lion was given to him for his +own. And they lived together in Rome for many years. + + + + +HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE. + + +Once there was a war between the Roman people and the E-trus´cans who +lived in the towns on the other side of the Ti-ber River. Por´se-na, +the King of the E-trus-cans, raised a great army, and marched toward +Rome. The city had never been in so great danger. + +The Romans did not have very many fighting men at that time, and they +knew that they were not strong enough to meet the Etruscans in open +battle. So they kept themselves inside of their walls, and set guards +to watch the roads. + +One morning the army of Por-se-na was seen coming over the hills from +the north. There were thousands of horsemen and footmen, and they were +marching straight toward the wooden bridge which spanned the river at +Rome. + +"What shall we do?" said the white-haired Fathers who made the laws +for the Roman people. "If they once gain the bridge, we cannot hinder +them from crossing; and then what hope will there be for the town?" + +Now, among the guards at the bridge, there was a brave man named +Ho-ra´ti-us. He was on the farther side of the river, and when he saw +that the Etruscans were so near, he called out to the Romans who were +behind him. + +"Hew down the bridge with all the speed that you can!" he cried. "I, +with the two men who stand by me, will keep the foe at bay." + +Then, with their shields before them, and their long spears in their +hands, the three brave men stood in the road, and kept back the +horsemen whom Porsena had sent to take the bridge. + +On the bridge the Romans hewed away at the beams and posts. Their axes +rang, the chips flew fast; and soon it trembled, and was ready to +fall. + +"Come back! come back, and save your lives!" they cried to Ho-ra-ti-us +and the two who were with him. + +But just then Porsena's horsemen dashed toward them again. + +"Run for your lives!" said Horatius to his friends. "I will keep the +road." + +They turned, and ran back across the bridge. They had hardly reached +the other side when there was a crashing of beams and timbers. The +bridge toppled over to one side, and then fell with a great splash +into the water. + +When Horatius heard the sound, he knew that the city was safe. With +his face still toward Porsena's men, he moved slowly back-ward till he +stood on the river's bank. A dart thrown by one of Porsena's soldiers +put out his left eye; but he did not falter. He cast his spear at the +fore-most horseman, and then he turned quickly around. He saw the +white porch of his own home among the trees on the other side of the +stream; + + "And he spake to the noble river + That rolls by the walls of Rome: + 'O Tiber! father Tiber! + To whom the Romans pray, + A Roman's life, a Roman's arms, + Take thou in charge to-day.'" + +He leaped into the deep, swift stream. He still had his heavy armor +on; and when he sank out of sight, no one thought that he would ever +be seen again. But he was a strong man, and the best swimmer in Rome. +The next minute he rose. He was half-way across the river, and safe +from the spears and darts which Porsena's soldiers hurled after him. + +Soon he reached the farther side, where his friends stood ready to +help him. Shout after shout greeted him as he climbed upon the bank. +Then Porsena's men shouted also, for they had never seen a man so +brave and strong as Horatius. He had kept them out of Rome, but he had +done a deed which they could not help but praise. + +As for the Romans, they were very grateful to Horatius for having +saved their city. They called him Horatius Co´cles, which meant the +"one-eyed Horatius," because he had lost an eye in defending the +bridge; they caused a fine statue of brass to be made in his honor; +and they gave him as much land as he could plow around in a day. And +for hundreds of years afterwards-- + + "With weeping and with laugh-ter, + Still was the story told, + How well Horatius kept the bridge + In the brave days of old." + + + + +JULIUS CÆSAR. + + +Nearly two thousand years ago there lived in Rome a man whose name was +Julius Cæ´sar. He was the greatest of all the Romans. + +Why was he so great? + +He was a brave warrior, and had con-quered many countries for Rome. He +was wise in planning and in doing. He knew how to make men both love +and fear him. + +At last he made himself the ruler of Rome. Some said that he wished to +become its king. But the Romans at that time did not believe in kings. + +Once when Cæ-sar was passing through a little country village, all the +men, women, and children of the place came out to see him. There were +not more than fifty of them, all together, and they were led by their +may-or, who told each one what to do. + +These simple people stood by the roadside and watched Cæsar pass. The +may-or looked very proud and happy; for was he not the ruler of this +village? He felt that he was almost as great a man as Cæsar himself. + +Some of the fine of-fi-cers who were with Cæsar laughed. They said, +"See how that fellow struts at the head of his little flock!" + +"Laugh as you will," said Cæsar, "he has reason to be proud. I would +rather be the head man of a village than the second man in Rome!" + +At an-oth-er time, Cæsar was crossing a narrow sea in a boat. Before +he was halfway to the farther shore, a storm overtook him. The wind +blew hard; the waves dashed high; the lightning flashed; the thunder +rolled. + +It seemed every minute as though the boat would sink. The captain was +in great fright. He had crossed the sea many times, but never in such +a storm as this. He trembled with fear; he could not guide the boat; +he fell down upon his knees; he moaned, "All is lost! all is lost!" + +But Cæsar was not afraid. He bade the man get up and take his oars +again. + +"Why should you be afraid?" he said. "The boat will not be lost; for +you have Cæsar on board." + + + + +THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES. + + +There was once a king whose name was Di-o-nys´i-us. He was so unjust +and cruel that he won for himself the name of tyrant. He knew that +almost everybody hated him, and so he was always in dread lest some +one should take his life. + +But he was very rich, and he lived in a fine palace where there were +many beautiful and costly things, and he was waited upon by a host of +servants who were always ready to do his bidding. One day a friend of +his, whose name was Dam´o-cles, said to him,-- + +"How happy you must be! You have here everything that any man could +wish." + +"Perhaps you would like to change places with me," said the tyrant. + +"No, not that, O king!" said Dam-o-cles; "but I think, that, if I +could only have your riches and your pleas-ures for one day, I should +not want any greater hap-pi-ness." + +"Very well," said the tyrant. "You shall have them." + +And so, the next day, Damocles was led into the palace, and all the +servants were bidden to treat him as their master. He sat down at a +table in the banquet hall, and rich foods were placed before him. +Nothing was wanting that could give him pleasure. There were costly +wines, and beautiful flowers, and rare perfumes, and de-light-ful +music. He rested himself among soft cushions, and felt that he was the +happiest man in all the world. + +[Illustration: The Sword of Damocles.] + +Then he chanced to raise his eyes toward the ceiling. What was it that +was dangling above him, with its point almost touching his head? It +was a sharp sword, and it was hung by only a single horse-hair. What +if the hair should break? There was danger every moment that it would +do so. + +The smile faded from the lips of Damocles. His face became ashy pale. +His hands trembled. He wanted no more food; he could drink no more +wine; he took no more delight in the music. He longed to be out of the +palace, and away, he cared not where. + +"What is the matter?" said the tyrant. + +"That sword! that sword!" cried Damocles. He was so badly frightened +that he dared not move. + +"Yes," said Di-o-nys-i-us, "I know there is a sword above your head, +and that it may fall at any moment. But why should that trouble you? I +have a sword over my head all the time. I am every moment in dread +lest something may cause me to lose my life." + +"Let me go," said Damocles. "I now see that I was mis-tak-en, and that +the rich and pow-er-ful are not so happy as they seem. Let me go back +to my old home in the poor little cot-tage among the mountains." + +And so long as he lived, he never again wanted to be rich, or to +change places, even for a moment, with the king. + + + + +DAMON AND PYTHIAS. + + +A young man whose name was Pyth´i-as had done something which the +tyrant Dionysius did not like. For this offense he was dragged to +prison, and a day was set when he should be put to death. His home was +far away, and he wanted very much to see his father and mother and +friends before he died. + +"Only give me leave to go home and say good-by to those whom I love," +he said, "and then I will come back and give up my life." + +The tyrant laughed at him. + +"How can I know that you will keep your promise?" he said. "You only +want to cheat me, and save your-self." + +Then a young man whose name was Da-mon spoke and said,-- + +"O king! put me in prison in place of my friend Pyth-i-as, and let him +go to his own country to put his affairs in order, and to bid his +friends fare-well. I know that he will come back as he promised, for +he is a man who has never broken his word. But if he is not here on +the day which you have set, then I will die in his stead." + +The tyrant was sur-prised that anybody should make such an offer. He +at last agreed to let Pythias go, and gave orders that the young man +Da-mon should be shut up in prison. + +Time passed, and by and by the day drew near which had been set for +Pythias to die; and he had not come back. The tyrant ordered the +jailer to keep close watch upon Damon, and not let him escape. But +Damon did not try to escape. He still had faith in the truth and honor +of his friend. He said, "If Pythias does not come back in time, it +will not be his fault. It will be because he is hin-dered against his +will." + +At last the day came, and then the very hour. Damon was ready to die. +His trust in his friend was as firm as ever; and he said that he did +not grieve at having to suffer for one whom he loved so much. + +Then the jailer came to lead him to his death; but at the same moment +Pythias stood in the door. He had been de-layed by storms and +ship-wreck, and he had feared that he was too late. He greeted Damon +kindly, and then gave himself into the hands of the jailer. He was +happy because he thought that he had come in time, even though it was +at the last moment. + +The tyrant was not so bad but that he could see good in others. He +felt that men who loved and trusted each other, as did Damon and +Pythias, ought not to suffer un-just-ly. And so he set them both +free. + +"I would give all my wealth to have one such friend," he said. + + + + +A LACONIC ANSWER. + + +Many miles beyond Rome there was a famous country which we call +Greece. The people of Greece were not u-nit-ed like the Romans; but +instead there were sev-er-al states, each of which had its own rulers. + +Some of the people in the southern part of the country were called +Spar-tans, and they were noted for their simple habits and their +brav-er-y. The name of their land was La-co´ni-a, and so they were +sometimes called La-cons. + +One of the strange rules which the Spartans had, was that they should +speak briefly, and never use more words than were needed. And so a +short answer is often spoken of as being _la-con-ic_; that is, as +being such an answer as a Lacon would be likely to give. + +There was in the northern part of Greece a land called Mac´e-don; and +this land was at one time ruled over by a war-like king named Philip. + +Philip of Mac-e-don wanted to become the master of all Greece. So he +raised a great army, and made war upon the other states, until nearly +all of them were forced to call him their king. Then he sent a letter +to the Spartans in La-co-ni-a, and said, "If I go down into your +country, I will level your great city to the ground." + +In a few days, an answer was brought back to him. When he opened the +letter, he found only one word written there. + +That word was "IF." + +It was as much as to say, "We are not afraid of you so long as the +little word 'if' stands in your way." + + + + +THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST. + + +Among the soldiers of King Philip there was a poor man who had done +some brave deeds. He had pleased the king in more ways than one, and +so the king put a good deal of trust in him. + +One day this soldier was on board of a ship at sea when a great storm +came up. The winds drove the ship upon the rocks, and it was wrecked. +The soldier was cast half-drowned upon the shore; and he would have +died there, had it not been for the kind care of a farmer who lived +close by. + +[Illustration] + +When the soldier was well enough to go home, he thanked the farmer for +what he had done, and promised that he would repay him for his +kindness. + +But he did not mean to keep his promise. He did not tell King Philip +about the man who had saved his life. He only said that there was a +fine farm by the seashore, and that he would like very much to have +it for his own. Would the king give it to him? + +"Who owns the farm now?" asked Philip. + +"Only a churlish farmer, who has never done anything for his country," +said the soldier. + +"Very well, then," said Philip. "You have served me for a long time, +and you shall have your wish. Go and take the farm for yourself." + +And so the soldier made haste to drive the farmer from his house and +home. He took the farm for his own. + +The poor farmer was stung to the heart by such treat-ment. He went +boldly to the king, and told the whole story from beginning to end. +King Philip was very angry when he learned that the man whom he had +trusted had done so base a deed. He sent for the soldier in great +haste; and when he had come, he caused these words to be burned in his +forehead:-- + + "THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST." + +Thus all the world was made to know of the mean act by which the +soldier had tried to enrich himself; and from that day until he died +all men shunned and hated him. + + + + +ALEXANDER AND BUCEPHALUS. + + +One day King Philip bought a fine horse called Bu-ceph´a-lus. He was a +noble an-i-mal, and the king paid a very high price for him. But he +was wild and savage, and no man could mount him, or do anything at all +with him. + +They tried to whip him, but that only made him worse. At last the king +bade his servants take him away. + +"It is a pity to ruin so fine a horse as that," said Al-ex-an´der, the +king's young son. "Those men do not know how to treat him." + +"Perhaps you can do better than they," said his father scorn-ful-ly. + +"I know," said Al-ex-an-der, "that, if you would only give me leave to +try, I could manage this horse better than any one else." + +"And if you fail to do so, what then?" asked Philip. + +"I will pay you the price of the horse," said the lad. + +While everybody was laughing, Alexander ran up to Bu-ceph-a-lus, and +turned his head toward the sun. He had noticed that the horse was +afraid of his own shadow. + +He then spoke gently to the horse, and patted him with his hand. When +he had qui-et-ed him a little, he made a quick spring, and leaped upon +the horse's back. + +Everybody expected to see the boy killed outright. But he kept his +place, and let the horse run as fast as he would. By and by, when +Bucephalus had become tired, Alexander reined him in, and rode back to +the place where his father was standing. + +All the men who were there shouted when they saw that the boy had +proved himself to be the master of the horse. + +He leaped to the ground, and his father ran and kissed him. + +"My son," said the king, "Macedon is too small a place for you. You +must seek a larger kingdom that will be worthy of you." + +After that, Alexander and Bucephalus were the best of friends. They +were said to be always together, for when one of them was seen, the +other was sure to be not far away. But the horse would never allow any +one to mount him but his master. + +Alexander became the most famous king and warrior that was ever known; +and for that reason he is always called Alexander the Great. +Bucephalus carried him through many countries and in many fierce +battles, and more than once did he save his master's life. + + + + +DIOGENES THE WISE MAN. + + +At Cor-inth, in Greece, there lived a very wise man whose name was +Di-og´e-nes. Men came from all parts of the land to see him and hear +him talk. + +But wise as he was, he had some very queer ways. He did not believe +that any man ought to have more things than he re-al-ly needed; and he +said that no man needed much. And so he did not live in a house, but +slept in a tub or barrel, which he rolled about from place to place. +He spent his days sitting in the sun, and saying wise things to those +who were around him. + +At noon one day, Di-og-e-nes was seen walking through the streets with +a lighted lantern, and looking all around as if in search of +something. + +"Why do you carry a lantern when the sun is shining?" some one said. + +"I am looking for an honest man," answered Diogenes. + +When Alexander the Great went to Cor-inth, all the fore-most men in +the city came out to see him and to praise him. But Diogenes did not +come; and he was the only man for whose o-pin-ions Alexander cared. + +[Illustration: Diogenes and Alexander.] + +And so, since the wise man would not come to see the king, the king +went to see the wise man. He found Diogenes in an out-of-the-way +place, lying on the ground by his tub. He was en-joy-ing the heat and +the light of the sun. + +When he saw the king and a great many people coming, he sat up and +looked at Alexander. Alexander greeted him and said,-- + +"Diogenes, I have heard a great deal about your wisdom. Is there +anything that I can do for you?" + +"Yes," said Diogenes. "You can stand a little on one side, so as not +to keep the sunshine from me." + +This answer was so dif-fer-ent from what he expected, that the king +was much sur-prised. But it did not make him angry; it only made him +admire the strange man all the more. When he turned to ride back, he +said to his officers,-- + +"Say what you will; if I were not Alexander, I would like to be +Diogenes." + + + + +THE BRAVE THREE HUNDRED. + + +All Greece was in danger. A mighty army, led by the great King of +Persia, had come from the east. It was marching along the seashore, +and in a few days would be in Greece. The great king had sent +mes-sen-gers into every city and state, bidding them give him water +and earth in token that the land and the sea were his. But they +said,-- + +"No: we will be free." + +And so there was a great stir through-out all the land. The men armed +themselves, and made haste to go out and drive back their foe; and the +women staid at home, weeping and waiting, and trembling with fear. + +There was only one way by which the Per-sian army could go into Greece +on that side, and that was by a narrow pass between the mountains and +the sea. This pass was guarded by Le-on´i-das, the King of the +Spartans, with three hundred Spartan soldiers. + +Soon the Persian soldiers were seen coming. There were so many of them +that no man could count them. How could a handful of men hope to stand +against so great a host? + +And yet Le-on-i-das and his Spartans held their ground. They had made +up their minds to die at their post. Some one brought them word that +there were so many Persians that their arrows dark-ened the sun. + +"So much the better," said the Spartans; "we shall fight in the +shade." + +Bravely they stood in the narrow pass. Bravely they faced their foes. +To Spartans there was no such thing as fear. The Persians came +forward, only to meet death at the points of their spears. + +But one by one the Spartans fell. At last their spears were broken; +yet still they stood side by side, fighting to the last. Some fought +with swords, some with daggers, and some with only their fists and +teeth. + +All day long the army of the Persians was kept at bay. But when the +sun went down, there was not one Spartan left alive. Where they had +stood there was only a heap of the slain, all bristled over with +spears and arrows. + +Twenty thousand Persian soldiers had fallen before that handful of +men. And Greece was saved. + +Thousands of years have passed since then; but men still like to tell +the story of Leonidas and the brave three hundred who died for their +country's sake. + + + + +SOCRATES AND HIS HOUSE. + + +There once lived in Greece a very wise man whose name was Soc´ra-tes. +Young men from all parts of the land went to him to learn wisdom from +him; and he said so many pleasant things, and said them in so +delightful a way, that no one ever grew tired of listening to him. + +One summer he built himself a house, but it was so small that his +neighbors wondered how he could be content with it. + +"What is the reason," said they, "that you, who are so great a man, +should build such a little box as this for your dwelling house?" + +"Indeed, there may be little reason," said he; "but, small as the +place is, I shall think myself happy if I can fill even it with true +friends." + + + + +THE KING AND HIS HAWK. + + +Gen´ghis Khan was a great king and war-rior. + +He led his army into China and Persia, and he con-quered many lands. +In every country, men told about his daring deeds; and they said that +since Alexander the Great there had been no king like him. + +One morning when he was home from the wars, he rode out into the woods +to have a day's sport. Many of his friends were with him. They rode +out gayly, carrying their bows and arrows. Behind them came the +servants with the hounds. + +It was a merry hunting party. The woods rang with their shouts and +laughter. They expected to carry much game home in the evening. + +On the king's wrist sat his favorite hawk; for in those days hawks +were trained to hunt. At a word from their masters they would fly high +up into the air, and look around for prey. If they chanced to see a +deer or a rabbit, they would swoop down upon it swift as any arrow. + +All day long Gen-ghis Khan and his huntsmen rode through the woods. +But they did not find as much game as they expected. + +Toward evening they started for home. The king had often ridden +through the woods, and he knew all the paths. So while the rest of the +party took the nearest way, he went by a longer road through a valley +between two mountains. + +The day had been warm, and the king was very thirsty. His pet hawk had +left his wrist and flown away. It would be sure to find its way home. + +The king rode slowly along. He had once seen a spring of clear water +near this path-way. If he could only find it now! But the hot days of +summer had dried up all the moun-tain brooks. + +At last, to his joy, he saw some water tric-kling down over the edge +of a rock. He knew that there was a spring farther up. In the wet +season, a swift stream of water always poured down here; but now it +came only one drop at a time. + +The king leaped from his horse. He took a little silver cup from his +hunting bag. He held it so as to catch the slowly falling drops. + +It took a long time to fill the cup; and the king was so thirsty that +he could hardly wait. At last it was nearly full. He put the cup to +his lips, and was about to drink. + +All at once there was a whir-ring sound in the air, and the cup was +knocked from his hands. The water was all spilled upon the ground. + +The king looked up to see who had done this thing. It was his pet +hawk. + +The hawk flew back and forth a few times, and then alighted among the +rocks by the spring. + +The king picked up the cup, and again held it to catch the tric-kling +drops. + +This time he did not wait so long. When the cup was half full, he +lifted it toward his mouth. But before it had touched his lips, the +hawk swooped down again, and knocked it from his hands. + +And now the king began to grow angry. He tried again; and for the +third time the hawk kept him from drinking. + +The king was now very angry indeed. + +"How do you dare to act so?" he cried. "If I had you in my hands, I +would wring your neck!" + +Then he filled the cup again. But before he tried to drink, he drew +his sword. + +"Now, Sir Hawk," he said, "this is the last time." + +He had hardly spoken, before the hawk swooped down and knocked the cup +from his hand. But the king was looking for this. With a quick sweep +of the sword he struck the bird as it passed. + +The next moment the poor hawk lay bleeding and dying at its master's +feet. + +"That is what you get for your pains," said Genghis Khan. + +But when he looked for his cup, he found that it had fallen between +two rocks, where he could not reach it. + +"At any rate, I will have a drink from that spring," he said to +himself. + +With that he began to climb the steep bank to the place from which the +water trickled. It was hard work, and the higher he climbed, the +thirst-i-er he became. + +At last he reached the place. There indeed was a pool of water; but +what was that lying in the pool, and almost filling it? It was a huge, +dead snake of the most poi-son-ous kind. + +The king stopped. He forgot his thirst. He thought only of the poor +dead bird lying on the ground below him. + +[Illustration] + +"The hawk saved my life!" he cried; "and how did I repay him? He was +my best friend, and I have killed him." + +He clam-bered down the bank. He took the bird up gently, and laid it +in his hunting bag. Then he mounted his horse and rode swiftly home. +He said to himself,-- + +"I have learned a sad lesson to-day; and that is, never to do +any-thing in anger." + + + + +DOCTOR GOLDSMITH. + + +There was once a kind man whose name was Oliver Gold-smith. He wrote +many de-light-ful books, some of which you will read when you are +older. + +He had a gentle heart. He was always ready to help others and to share +with them anything that he had. He gave away so much to the poor that +he was always poor himself. + +He was some-times called Doctor Goldsmith; for he had studied to be a +phy-si-cian. + +One day a poor woman asked Doctor Goldsmith to go and see her husband, +who was sick and could not eat. + +Goldsmith did so. He found that the family was in great need. The man +had not had work for a long time. He was not sick, but in distress; +and, as for eating, there was no food in the house. + +"Call at my room this evening," said Goldsmith to the woman, "and I +will give you some med-i-cine for your husband." + +In the evening the woman called. Goldsmith gave her a little paper box +that was very heavy. + +"Here is the med-i-cine," he said. "Use it faith-ful-ly, and I think +it will do your husband a great deal of good. But don't open the box +until you reach home." + +"What are the di-rec-tions for taking it?" asked the woman. + +"You will find them inside of the box," he answered. + +When the woman reached her home, she sat down by her husband's side, +and they opened the box; What do you think they found in it? + +It was full of pieces of money. And on the top were the +di-rec-tions:-- + + "TO BE TAKEN AS OFTEN AS NE-CES-SI-TY REQUIRES." + +Goldsmith had given them all the ready money that he had. + + + + +THE KINGDOMS. + + +There was once a king of Prussia whose name was Frederick William. + +On a fine morning in June he went out alone to walk in the green +woods. He was tired of the noise of the city, and he was glad to get +away from it. + +So, as he walked among the trees, he often stopped to listen to the +singing birds, or to look at the wild flowers that grew on every side. +Now and then he stooped to pluck a violet, or a primrose, or a yellow +but-ter-cup. Soon his hands were full of pretty blossoms. + +After a while he came to a little meadow in the midst of the wood. +Some children were playing there. They were running here and there, +and gathering the cow-slips that were blooming among the grass. + +It made the king glad to see the happy children, and hear their merry +voices. He stood still for some time, and watched them as they played. + +Then he called them around him, and all sat down to-geth-er in the +pleasant shade. The children did not know who the strange gentleman +was; but they liked his kind face and gentle manners. + +"Now, my little folks," said the king, "I want to ask you some +ques-tions, and the child who gives the best answer shall have a +prize." + +Then he held up an orange so that all the children could see. + +"You know that we all live in the king-dom of Prussia," he said; "but +tell me, to what king-dom does this orange belong?" + +[Illustration] + +The children were puz-zled. They looked at one another, and sat very +still for a little while. Then a brave, bright boy spoke up and +said,-- + +"It belongs to the veg-e-ta-ble kingdom, sir." + +"Why so, my lad?" asked the king. + +"It is the fruit of a plant, and all plants belong to that kingdom," +said the boy. + +The king was pleased. "You are quite right," he said; "and you shall +have the orange for your prize." + +He tossed it gayly to the boy. "Catch it if you can!" he said. + +Then he took a yellow gold piece from his pocket, and held it up so +that it glit-tered in the sunlight. + +"Now to what kingdom does this belong?" he asked. + +Another bright boy answered quick-ly, "To the min-er-al kingdom, sir! +All metals belong to that kingdom." + +"That is a good answer," said the king. "The gold piece is your +prize." + +The children were de-light-ed. With eager faces they waited to hear +what the stranger would say next. + +"I will ask you only one more question," said the king, "and it is an +easy one." Then he stood up, and said, "Tell me, my little folks, to +what kingdom do I belong?" + +The bright boys were puz-zled now. Some thought of saying, "To the +kingdom of Prussia." Some wanted to say, "To the animal kingdom." But +they were a little afraid, and all kept still. + +At last a tiny blue-eyed child looked up into the king's smiling face, +and said in her simple way,-- + +"I think to the kingdom of heaven." + +King Frederick William stooped down and lifted the little maiden in +his arms. Tears were in his eyes as he kissed her, and said, "So be +it, my child! So be it." + + + + +THE BARMECIDE FEAST. + + +There was once a rich old man who was called the Bar-me-cide. He lived +in a beautiful palace in the midst of flowery gardens. He had +every-thing that heart could wish. + +In the same land there was a poor man whose name was Schac-a-bac. His +clothing was rags, and his food was the scraps which other people had +thrown away. But he had a light heart, and was as happy as a king. + +Once when Schac-a-bac had not had anything to eat for a long time, he +thought that he would go and ask the Bar-me-cide to help him. + +The servant at the door said, "Come in and talk with our master. He +will not send you away hungry." + +Schacabac went in, and passed through many beautiful rooms, looking +for the Barmecide. At last he came to a grand hall where there were +soft carpets on the floor, and fine pictures on the walls, and +pleasant couches to lie down upon. + +At the upper end of the room he saw a noble man with a long white +beard. It was the Barmecide; and poor Schacabac bowed low before him, +as was the custom in that country. + +The Barmecide spoke very kindly, and asked what was wanted. + +Schacabac told him about all his troubles, and said that it was now +two days since he had tasted bread. + +"Is it possible?" said the Barmecide. "You must be almost dead with +hunger; and here I have plenty and to spare!" + +Then he turned and called, "Ho, boy! Bring in the water to wash our +hands, and then order the cook to hurry the supper." + +Schacabac had not expected to be treated so kindly. He began to thank +the rich man. + +"Say not a word," said the Barmecide, "but let us get ready for the +feast." + +Then the rich man began to rub his hands as though some one was +pouring water on them. "Come and wash with me," he said. + +Schacabac saw no boy, nor basin, nor water. But he thought that he +ought to do as he was bidden; and so, like the Barmecide, he made a +pretense of washing. + +"Come now," said the Barmecide, "let us have supper." + +He sat down, as if to a table, and pre-tend-ed to be carving a roast. +Then he said, "Help yourself, my good friend. You said you were +hungry: so, now, don't be afraid of the food." + +Schacabac thought that he un-der-stood the joke, and he made pretense +of taking food, and passing it to his mouth. Then he began to chew, +and said, "You see, sir, I lose no time." + +"Boy," said the old man, "bring on the roast goose.--Now, my good +friend, try this choice piece from the breast. And here are sweet +sauce, honey, raisins, green peas, and dry figs. Help yourself, and +remember that other good things are coming." + +Schacabac was almost dead with hunger, but he was too polite not to do +as he was bidden. + +"Come," said the Barmecide, "have another piece of the roast lamb. Did +you ever eat anything so de-li-cious?" + +"Never in my life," said Schacabac. "Your table is full of good +things." + +"Then eat heartily," said the Barmecide. "You cannot please me +better." + +After this came the des-sert. The Barmecide spoke of sweet-meats and +fruits; and Schacabac made believe that he was eating them. + +"Now is there anything else that you would like?" asked the host. + +"Ah, no!" said poor Schacabac. "I have indeed had great plenty." + +"Let us drink, then," said the Barmecide. "Boy, bring on the wine!" + +"Excuse me, my lord," said Schacabac, "I will drink no wine, for it is +for-bid-den." + +The Barmecide seized him by the hand. "I have long wished to find a +man like you," he said. "But come, now we will sup in earnest." + +He clapped his hands. Servants came, and he ordered supper. Soon they +sat down to a table loaded with the very dishes of which they had +pre-tend-ed to eat. + +Poor Schacabac had never had so good a meal in all his life. When they +had fin-ished, and the table had been cleared away, the Barmecide +said,-- + +"I have found you to be a man of good un-der-stand-ing. Your wits are +quick, and you are ready always to make the best of everything. Come +and live with me, and manage my house." + +And so Schacabac lived with the Barmecide many years, and never again +knew what it was to be hungry. + + + + +THE ENDLESS TALE. + + +In the Far East there was a great king who had no work to do. Every +day, and all day long, he sat on soft cush-ions and lis-tened to +stories. And no matter what the story was about, he never grew tired +of hearing it, even though it was very long. + +"There is only one fault that I find with your story," he often said: +"it is too short." + +All the story-tellers in the world were in-vit-ed to his palace; and +some of them told tales that were very long indeed. But the king was +always sad when a story was ended. + +At last he sent word into every city and town and country place, +offering a prize to any one who should tell him an endless tale. He +said,-- + +"To the man that will tell me a story which shall last forever, I will +give my fairest daugh-ter for his wife; and I will make him my heir, +and he shall be king after me." + +But this was not all. He added a very hard con-di-tion. "If any man +shall try to tell such a story and then fail, he shall have his head +cut off." + +The king's daughter was very pretty, and there were many young men in +that country who were willing to do anything to win her. But none of +them wanted to lose their heads, and so only a few tried for the +prize. + +One young man invented a story that lasted three months; but at the +end of that time, he could think of nothing more. His fate was a +warning to others, and it was a long time before another story-teller +was so rash as to try the king's patience. + +But one day a stran-ger from the South came into the palace. + +"Great king," he said, "is it true that you offer a prize to the man +who can tell a story that has no end?" + +"It is true," said the king. + +"And shall this man have your fairest daughter for his wife, and shall +he be your heir?" + +"Yes, if he suc-ceeds," said the king. "But if he fails, he shall lose +his head." + +"Very well, then," said the stran-ger. "I have a pleasant story about +locusts which I would like to relate." + +"Tell it," said the king. "I will listen to you." + +The story-teller began his tale. + +"Once upon a time a certain king seized upon all the corn in his +country, and stored it away in a strong gran-a-ry. But a swarm of +locusts came over the land and saw where the grain had been put. After +search-ing for many days they found on the east side of the gran-a-ry +a crev-ice that was just large enough for one locust to pass through +at a time. So one locust went in and carried away a grain of corn; +then another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn; then +another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn." + +Day after day, week after week, the man kept on saying, "Then another +locust went in and carried away a grain of corn." + +A month passed; a year passed. At the end of two years, the king +said,-- + +"How much longer will the locusts be going in and carrying away corn?" + +"O king!" said the story-teller, "they have as yet cleared only one +cubit; and there are many thousand cubits in the granary." + +"Man, man!" cried the king, "you will drive me mad. I can listen to it +no longer. Take my daughter; be my heir; rule my kingdom. But do not +let me hear another word about those horrible locusts!" + +And so the strange story-teller married the king's daughter. And he +lived happily in the land for many years. But his father-in-law, the +king, did not care to listen to any more stories. + + + + +THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT. + + +There were once six blind men who stood by the road-side every day, +and begged from the people who passed. They had often heard of +el-e-phants, but they had never seen one; for, being blind, how could +they? + +It so happened one morning that an el-e-phant was driven down the road +where they stood. When they were told that the great beast was before +them, they asked the driver to let him stop so that they might see +him. + +Of course they could not see him with their eyes; but they thought +that by touching him they could learn just what kind of animal he was. + +The first one happened to put his hand on the elephant's side. "Well, +well!" he said, "now I know all about this beast. He is ex-act-ly like +a wall." + +The second felt only of the elephant's tusk. "My brother," he said, +"you are mistaken. He is not at all like a wall. He is round and +smooth and sharp. He is more like a spear than anything else." + +The third happened to take hold of the elephant's trunk. "Both of you +are wrong," he said. "Anybody who knows anything can see that this +elephant is like a snake." + +The fourth reached out his arms, and grasped one of the elephant's +legs. "Oh, how blind you are!" he said. "It is very plain to me that +he is round and tall like a tree." + +The fifth was a very tall man, and he chanced to take hold of the +elephant's ear. "The blind-est man ought to know that this beast is +not like any of the things that you name," he said. "He is ex-act-ly +like a huge fan." + +The sixth was very blind indeed, and it was some time before he could +find the elephant at all. At last he seized the animal's tail. "O +foolish fellows!" he cried. "You surely have lost your senses. This +elephant is not like a wall, or a spear, or a snake, or a tree; +neither is he like a fan. But any man with a par-ti-cle of sense can +see that he is exactly like a rope." + +Then the elephant moved on, and the six blind men sat by the roadside +all day, and quar-reled about him. Each believed that he knew just how +the animal looked; and each called the others hard names because they +did not agree with him. People who have eyes sometimes act as +foolishly. + + + + +MAXIMILIAN AND THE GOOSE BOY. + + +One summer day King Max-i-mil´ian of Ba-va´ri-a was walking in the +country. The sun shone hot, and he stopped under a tree to rest. + +It was very pleasant in the cool shade. The king lay down on the soft +grass, and looked up at the white clouds sailing across the sky. Then +he took a little book from his pocket and tried to read. + +But the king could not keep his mind on his book. Soon his eyes +closed, and he was fast asleep. + +It was past noon when he awoke. He got up from his grassy bed, and +looked around. Then he took his cane in his hand, and started for +home. + +When he had walked a mile or more, he happened to think of his book. +He felt for it in his pocket. It was not there. He had left it under +the tree. + +The king was already quite tired, and he did not like to walk back so +far. But he did not wish to lose the book. What should he do? + +If there was only some one to send for it! + +While he was thinking, he happened to see a little bare-foot-ed boy in +the open field near the road. He was tending a large flock of geese +that were picking the short grass, and wading in a shallow brook. + +The king went toward the boy. He held a gold piece in his hand. + +"My boy," he said, "how would you like to have this piece of money?" + +"I would like it," said the boy; "but I never hope to have so much." + +"You shall have it if you will run back to the oak tree at the second +turning of the road, and fetch me the book that I left there." + +The king thought that the boy would be pleased. But not so. He turned +away, and said, "I am not so silly as you think." + +"What do you mean?" said the king. "Who says that you are silly?" + +"Well," said the boy, "you think that I am silly enough to believe +that you will give me that gold piece for running a mile, and +fetch-ing you a book. You can't catch me." + +"But if I give it to you now, perhaps you will believe me," said the +king; and he put the gold piece into the little fellow's hand. + +The boy's eyes spar-kled; but he did not move. + +"What is the matter now?" said the king. "Won't you go?" + +The boy said, "I would like to go; but I can't leave the geese. They +will stray away, and then I shall be blamed for it." + +[Illustration: "Crack the whip!"] + +"Oh, I will tend them while you are away," said the king. + +The boy laughed. "I should like to see you tending them!" he said. +"Why, they would run away from you in a minute." + +"Only let me try," said the king. + +At last the boy gave the king his whip, and started off. He had gone +but a little way, when he turned and came back. + +"What is the matter now?" said Max-i-mil-ian. + +"Crack the whip!" + +The king tried to do as he was bidden, but he could not make a sound. + +"I thought as much," said the boy. "You don't know how to do +anything." + +Then he took the whip, and gave the king lessons in whip cracking. +"Now you see how it is done," he said, as he handed it back. "If the +geese try to run away, crack it loud." + +The king laughed. He did his best to learn his lesson; and soon the +boy again started off on his errand. + +Maximilian sat down on a stone, and laughed at the thought of being a +goose-herd. But the geese missed their master at once. With a great +cac-kling and hissing they went, half flying, half running, across the +meadow. + +The king ran after them, but he could not run fast. He tried to crack +the whip, but it was of no use. The geese were soon far away. What was +worse, they had gotten into a garden, and were feeding on the tender +veg-e-ta-bles. + +A few minutes after-ward, the goose boy came back with the book. + +"Just as I thought," he said. "I have found the book, and you have +lost the geese." + +"Never mind," said the king, "I will help you get them again." + +"Well, then, run around that way, and stand by the brook while I drive +them out of the garden." + +The king did as he was told. The boy ran forward with his whip, and +after a great deal of shouting and scolding, the geese were driven +back into the meadow. + +"I hope you will pardon me for not being a better goose-herd," said +Maximilian; "but, as I am a king, I am not used to such work." + +"A king, indeed!" said the boy. "I was very silly to leave the geese +with you. But I am not so silly as to believe that you are a king." + +"Very well," said Maximilian, with a smile; "here is another gold +piece, and now let us be friends." + +The boy took the gold, and thanked the giver. He looked up into the +king's face and said,-- + +"You are a very kind man, and I think you might be a good king; but if +you were to try all your life, you would never be a good gooseherd." + + + + +THE INCHCAPE ROCK. + + +In the North Sea there is a great rock called the Inch-cape Rock. It +is twelve miles from any land, and is covered most of the time with +water. + +Many boats and ships have been wrecked on that rock; for it is so near +the top of the water that no vessel can sail over it without striking +it. + +More than a hundred years ago there lived not far away a kind-heart-ed +man who was called the Abbot of Ab-er-broth-ock. + +"It is a pity," he said, "that so many brave sailors should lose their +lives on that hidden rock." + +So the abbot caused a buoy to be fastened to the rock. The buoy +floated back and forth in the shallow water. A strong chain kept it +from floating away. + +On the top of the buoy the abbot placed a bell; and when the waves +dashed against it, the bell would ring out loud and clear. + +Sailors, now, were no longer afraid to cross the sea at that place. +When they heard the bell ringing, they knew just where the rock was, +and they steered their vessels around it. + +"God bless the good Abbot of Ab-er-broth-ock!" they all said. + +One calm summer day, a ship with a black flag happened to sail not far +from the Inch-cape Rock. The ship belonged to a sea robber called +Ralph the Rover; and she was a terror to all honest people both on sea +and shore. + +There was but little wind that day, and the sea was as smooth as +glass. The ship stood almost still; there was hardly a breath of air +to fill her sails. + +Ralph the Rover was walking on the deck. He looked out upon the glassy +sea. He saw the buoy floating above the Inchcape Rock. It looked like +a big black speck upon the water. But the bell was not ringing that +day. There were no waves to set it in motion. + +"Boys!" cried Ralph the Rover; "put out the boat, and row me to the +Inchcape Rock. We will play a trick on the old abbot." + +The boat was low-ered. Strong arms soon rowed it to the Inchcape Rock. +Then the robber, with a heavy ax, broke the chain that held the buoy. + +He cut the fas-ten-ings of the bell. It fell into the water. There +was a gur-gling sound as it sank out of sight. + +"The next one that comes this way will not bless the abbot," said +Ralph the Rover. + +Soon a breeze sprang up, and the black ship sailed away. The sea +robber laughed as he looked back and saw that there was nothing to +mark the place of the hidden rock. + +For many days, Ralph the Rover scoured the seas, and many were the +ships that he plun-dered. At last he chanced to sail back toward the +place from which he had started. + +The wind had blown hard all day. The waves rolled high. The ship was +moving swiftly. But in the evening the wind died away, and a thick fog +came on. + +Ralph the Rover walked the deck. He could not see where the ship was +going. "If the fog would only clear away!" he said. + +"I thought I heard the roar of breakers," said the pilot. "We must be +near the shore." + +"I cannot tell," said Ralph the Rover; "but I think we are not far +from the Inchcape Rock. I wish we could hear the good abbot's bell." + +The next moment there was a great crash. "It is the Inchcape Rock!" +the sailors cried, as the ship gave a lurch to one side, and began to +sink. + +"Oh, what a wretch am I!" cried Ralph the Rover. "This is what comes +of the joke that I played on the good abbot!" + +What was it that he heard as the waves rushed over him? Was it the +abbot's bell, ringing for him far down at the bottom of the sea? + + + + +WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT. + +I. THE CITY. + + +There was once a little boy whose name was Richard Whit´ting-ton; but +everybody called him Dick. His father and mother had died when he was +only a babe, and the people who had the care of him were very poor. +Dick was not old enough to work, and so he had a hard time of it +indeed. Sometimes he had no break-fast, and sometimes he had no +dinner; and he was glad at any time to get a crust of bread or a drop +of milk. + +Now, in the town where Dick lived, the people liked to talk about +London. None of them had ever been to the great city, but they seemed +to know all about the wonderful things which were to be seen there. +They said that all the folks who lived in London were fine gen-tle-men +and ladies; that there was singing and music there all day long; that +nobody was ever hungry there, and nobody had to work; and that the +streets were all paved with gold. + +Dick listened to these stories, and wished that he could go to London. + +One day a big wagon drawn by eight horses, all with bells on their +heads, drove into the little town. Dick saw the wagon standing by the +inn, and he thought that it must be going to the fine city of London. + +When the driver came out and was ready to start, the lad ran up and +asked him if he might walk by the side of the wagon. The driver asked +him some questions; and when he learned how poor Dick was, and that he +had neither father nor mother, he told him that he might do as he +liked. + +It was a long walk for the little lad; but by and by he came to the +city of London. He was in such a hurry to see the wonderful sights, +that he forgot to thank the driver of the wagon. He ran as fast as he +could, from one street to another, trying to find those that were +paved with gold. He had once seen a piece of money that was gold, and +he knew that it would buy a great, great many things; and now he +thought that if he could get only a little bit of the pave-ment, he +would have everything that he wanted. + +Poor Dick ran till he was so tired that he could run no farther. It +was growing dark, and in every street there was only dirt instead of +gold. He sat down in a dark corner, and cried himself to sleep. + +When he woke up the next morning, he was very hungry; but there was +not even a crust of bread for him to eat. He forgot all about the +golden pavements, and thought only of food. He walked about from one +street to another, and at last grew so hungry that he began to ask +those whom he met to give him a penny to buy something to eat. + +"Go to work, you idle fellow," said some of them; and the rest passed +him by without even looking at him. + +"I wish I could go to work!" said Dick. + +II. THE KITCHEN. + +By and by Dick grew so faint and tired that he could go no farther. He +sat down by the door of a fine house, and wished that he was back +again in the little town where he was born. The cook-maid, who was +just getting dinner, saw him, and called out,-- + +"What are you doing there, you little beggar? If you don't get away +quick, I'll throw a panful of hot dish-water over you. Then I guess +you will jump." + +Just at that time the master of the house, whose name was Mr. +Fitz-war´ren, came home to dinner. When he saw the ragged little +fellow at his door, he said,-- + +"My lad, what are you doing here? I am afraid you are a lazy fellow, +and that you want to live without work." + +"No, indeed!" said Dick. "I would like to work, if I could find +anything to do. But I do not know anybody in this town, and I have not +had anything to eat for a long time." + +"Poor little fellow!" said Mr. Fitz-war-ren. "Come in, and I will see +what I can do for you." And he ordered the cook to give the lad a good +dinner, and then to find some light work for him to do. + +Little Dick would have been very happy in the new home which he had +thus found, if it had not been for the cross cook. She would often +say,-- + +"You are my boy now, and so you must do as I tell you. Look sharp +there! Make the fires, carry out the ashes, wash these dishes, sweep +the floor, bring in the wood! Oh, what a lazy fellow you are!" And +then she would box his ears, or beat him with the broom-stick. + +At last, little Alice, his master's daughter, saw how he was treated, +and she told the cook she would be turned off if she was not kinder to +the lad. After that, Dick had an eas-i-er time of it; but his +troubles were not over yet, by any means. + +His bed was in a garret at the top of the house, far away from the +rooms where the other people slept. There were many holes in the floor +and walls, and every night a great number of rats and mice came in. +They tor-ment-ed Dick so much, that he did not know what to do. + +One day a gentleman gave him a penny for cleaning his shoes, and he +made up his mind that he would buy a cat with it. The very next +morning he met a girl who was car-ry-ing a cat in her arms. + +"I will give you a penny for that cat," he said. + +"All right," the girl said. "You may have her, and you will find that +she is a good mouser too." + +Dick hid his cat in the garret, and every day he carried a part of his +dinner to her. It was not long before she had driven all the rats and +mice away; and then Dick could sleep soundly every night. + +III. THE VENTURE. + +Some time after that, a ship that belonged to Mr. Fitzwarren was about +to start on a voyage across the sea. It was loaded with goods which +were to be sold in lands far away. Mr. Fitzwarren wanted to give his +servants a chance for good fortune too, and so he called all of them +into the parlor, and asked if they had anything they would like to +send out in the ship for trade. + +Every one had something to send,--every one but Dick; and as he had +neither money nor goods, he staid in the kitchen, and did not come in +with the rest. Little Alice guessed why he did not come, and so she +said to her papa,-- + +"Poor Dick ought to have a chance too. Here is some money out of my +own purse that you may put in for him." + +"No, no, my child!" said Mr. Fitzwarren. "He must risk something of +his own." And then he called very loud, "Here, Dick! What are you +going to send out on the ship?" + +Dick heard him, and came into the room. + +"I have nothing in the world," he said, "but a cat which I bought some +time ago for a penny." + +"Fetch your cat, then, my lad," said Mr. Fitzwarren, "and let her go +out. Who knows but that she will bring you some profit?" + +Dick, with tears in his eyes, carried poor puss down to the ship, and +gave her to the captain. Everybody laughed at his queer venture; but +little Alice felt sorry for him, and gave him money to buy another +cat. + +[Illustration] + +After that, the cook was worse than before. She made fun of him for +sending his cat to sea. "Do you think," she would say, "that puss will +sell for enough money to buy a stick to beat you?" + +At last Dick could not stand her abuse any longer, and he made up his +mind to go back to his old home in the little country town. So, very +early in the morning on All-hal-lows Day, he started. He walked as far +as the place called Hol-lo-way, and there he sat down on a stone, +which to this day is called "Whit-ting-ton's Stone." + +As he sat there very sad, and wondering which way he should go, he +heard the bells on Bow Church, far away, ringing out a merry chime. He +listened. They seemed to say to him,-- + + "Turn again, Whittington, Thrice Lord Mayor of London." + +"Well, well!" he said to himself. "I would put up with almost +anything, to be Lord Mayor of London when I am a man, and to ride in a +fine coach! I think I will go back and let the old cook cuff and scold +as much as she pleases." + +Dick did go back, and he was lucky enough to get into the kitchen, and +set about his work, before the cook came down-stairs to get +break-fast. + +IV. THE CAT. + +Mr. Fitzwarren's ship made a long voyage, and at last reached a +strange land on the other side of the sea. The people had never seen +any white men before, and they came in great crowds to buy the fine +things with which the ship was loaded. The captain wanted very much to +trade with the king of the country; and it was not long before the +king sent word for him to come to the palace and see him. + +The captain did so. He was shown into a beautiful room, and given a +seat on a rich carpet all flow-ered with silver and gold. The king and +queen were seated not far away; and soon a number of dishes were +brought in for dinner. + +They had hardly begun to eat when an army of rats and mice rushed in, +and de-voured all the meat before any one could hinder them. The +captain wondered at this, and asked if it was not very un-pleas-ant to +have so many rats and mice about. + +"Oh, yes!" was the answer. "It is indeed un-pleas-ant; and the king +would give half his treas-ure if he could get rid of them." + +The captain jumped for joy. He remembered the cat which little +Whittington had sent out; and he told the king that he had a little +creature on board his ship which would make short work of the pests. + +Then it was the king's turn to jump for joy; and he jumped so high, +that his yellow cap, or turban, dropped off his head. + +"Bring the creature to me," he said. "If she will do what you say, I +will load your ship with gold." + +The captain made believe that he would be very sorry to part with the +cat; but at last he went down to the ship to get her, while the king +and queen made haste to have another dinner made ready. + +The captain, with puss under his arm, reached the palace just in time +to see the table crowded with rats. The cat leaped out upon them, and +oh! what havoc she did make among the trou-ble-some creatures! Most of +them were soon stretched dead upon the floor, while the rest +scam-pered away to their holes, and did not dare to come out again. + +The king had never been so glad in his life; and the queen asked that +the creature which had done such wonders should be brought to her. The +captain called, "Pussy, pussy, pussy!" and the cat came up and rubbed +against his legs. He picked her up, and offered her to the queen; but +at first the queen was afraid to touch her. + +However, the captain stroked the cat, and called, "Pussy, pussy, +pussy!" and then the queen ventured to touch her. She could only say, +"Putty, putty, putty!" for she had not learned to talk English. The +captain then put the cat down on the queen's lap, where she purred and +purred until she went to sleep. + +The king would not have missed getting the cat now for the world. He +at once made a bargain with the captain for all the goods on board the +ship; and then he gave him ten times as much for the cat as all the +rest came to. + +The captain was very glad. He bade the king and queen good-by, and the +very next day set sail for England. + +V. THE FORTUNE. + +One morning Mr. Fitzwarren was sitting at his desk in his office. He +heard some one tap softly at his door, and he said,-- + +"Who's there?" + +"A friend," was the answer. "I have come to bring you news of your +ship 'U-ni-corn.'" + +Mr. Fitzwarren jumped up quickly, and opened the door. Whom should he +see waiting there but the captain, with a bill of lading in one hand +and a box of jewels in the other? He was so full of joy that he lifted +up his eyes, and thanked Heaven for sending him such good fortune. + +The captain soon told the story of the cat; and then he showed the +rich present which the king and queen had sent to poor Dick in payment +for her. As soon as the good gentleman heard this, he called out to +his servants,-- + + "Go send him in, and tell him of his fame; Pray call him Mr. + Whittington by name." + +Some of the men who stood by said that so great a present ought not to +be given to a mere boy; but Mr. Fitzwarren frowned upon them. + +"It is his own," he said, "and I will not hold back one penny from +him." + +Dick was scouring the pots when word was brought to him that he should +go to the office. + +"Oh, I am so dirty!" he said, "and my shoes are full of hob-nails." +But he was told to make haste. + +Mr. Fitzwarren ordered a chair to be set for him, and then the lad +began to think that they were making fun of him. + +"I beg that you won't play tricks with a poor boy like me," he said. +"Please let me go back to my work." + +"Mr. Whittington," said Mr. Fitzwarren, "this is no joke at all. The +captain has sold your cat, and has brought you, in return for her, +more riches than I have in the whole world." + +Then he opened the box of jewels, and showed Dick his treasures. + +The poor boy did not know what to do. He begged his master to take a +part of it; but Mr. Fitzwarren said, "No, it is all your own; and I +feel sure that you will make good use of it." + +Dick then offered some of his jewels to his mistress and little Alice. +They thanked him, and told him that they felt great joy at his good +luck, but wished him to keep his riches for himself. + +[Illustration] + +But he was too kind-heart-ed to keep everything for himself. He gave +nice presents to the cap-tain and the sailors, and to the servants in +Mr. Fitz-warren's house. He even remembered the cross old cook. + +After that, Whittington's face was washed, and his hair curled, and he +was dressed in a nice suit of clothes; and then he was as handsome a +young man as ever walked the streets of London. + +Some time after that, there was a fine wedding at the finest church in +London; and Miss Alice became the wife of Mr. Richard Whittington. And +the lord mayor was there, and the great judges, and the sher-iffs, and +many rich mer-chants; and everybody was very happy. + +And Richard Whittington became a great merchant, and was one of the +foremost men in London. He was sheriff of the city, and thrice lord +mayor; and King Henry V. made him a knight. + +He built the famous prison of New-gate in London. On the arch-way in +front of the prison was a figure, cut in stone, of Sir Richard +Whittington and his cat; and for three hundred years this figure was +shown to all who visited London. + + + + +CASABIANCA. + + +There was a great battle at sea. One could hear nothing but the roar +of the big guns. The air was filled with black smoke. The water was +strewn with broken masts and pieces of timber which the cannon balls +had knocked from the ships. Many men had been killed, and many more +had been wounded. + +The flag-ship had taken fire. The flames were breaking out from below. +The deck was all ablaze. The men who were left alive made haste to +launch a small boat. They leaped into it, and rowed swiftly away. Any +other place was safer now than on board of that burning ship. There +was powder in the hold. + +But the captain's son, young Ca-sa-bi-an´ca, still stood upon the +deck. The flames were almost all around him now; but he would not stir +from his post. His father had bidden him stand there, and he had been +taught always to obey. He trusted in his father's word, and be-lieved +that when the right time came he would tell him to go. + +He saw the men leap into the boat. He heard them call to him to come. +He shook his head. + +"When father bids me, I will go," he said. + +And now the flames were leaping up the masts. The sails were all +ablaze. The fire blew hot upon his cheek. It scorched his hair. It was +before him, behind him, all around him. + +"O father!" he cried, "may I not go now? The men have all left the +ship. Is it not time that we too should leave it?" + +He did not know that his father was lying in the burning cabin below, +that a cannon ball had struck him dead at the very be-gin-ning of the +fight. He listened to hear his answer. + +"Speak louder, father!" he cried. "I cannot hear what you say." + +Above the roaring of the flames, above the crashing of the falling +spars, above the booming of the guns, he fancied that his father's +voice came faintly to him through the scorching air. + +"I am here, father! Speak once again!" he gasped. + +But what is that? + +A great flash of light fills the air; clouds of smoke shoot quickly +upward to the sky; and-- + +"Boom!" + +Oh, what a ter-rif-ic sound! Louder than thunder, louder than the roar +of all the guns! The air quivers; the sea itself trembles; the sky is +black. + +The blazing ship is seen no more. + +There was powder in the hold! + + * * * * * + +A long time ago a lady, whose name was Mrs. Hemans, wrote a poem about +this brave boy Ca-sa-bi-an-ca. It is not a very well written poem, and +yet everybody has read it, and thousands of people have learned it by +heart. I doubt not but that some day you too will read it. It begins +in this way:-- + + "The boy stood on the burning deck + Whence all but him had fled; + The flame that lit the battle's wreck + Shone round him o'er the dead. + + "Yet beautiful and bright he stood, + As born to rule the storm-- + A creature of heroic blood, + A proud though childlike form." + + + + +ANTONIO CANOVA. + + +A good many years ago there lived in Italy a little boy whose name was +An-to´ni-o Ca-no´va. He lived with his grand-fa-ther, for his own +father was dead. His grand-fa-ther was a stone-cut-ter, and he was +very poor. + +An-to-ni-o was a puny lad, and not strong enough to work. He did not +care to play with the other boys of the town. But he liked to go with +his grandfather to the stone-yard. While the old man was busy, cutting +and trimming the great blocks of stone, the lad would play among the +chips. Sometimes he would make a little statue of soft clay; sometimes +he would take hammer and chisel, and try to cut a statue from a piece +of rock. He showed so much skill that his grandfather was de-light-ed. + +"The boy will be a sculp-tor some day," he said. + +Then when they went home in the evening, the grand-moth-er would say, +"What have you been doing to-day, my little sculp-tor?" + +And she would take him upon her lap and sing to him, or tell him +stories that filled his mind with pictures of wonderful and beautiful +things. And the next day, when he went back to the stone-yard, he +would try to make some of those pictures in stone or clay. + +There lived in the same town a rich man who was called the Count. +Sometimes the Count would have a grand dinner, and his rich friends +from other towns would come to visit him. Then Antonio's grandfather +would go up to the Count's house to help with the work in the kitchen; +for he was a fine cook as well as a good stone-cut-ter. + +It happened one day that Antonio went with his grandfather to the +Count's great house. Some people from the city were coming, and there +was to be a grand feast. The boy could not cook, and he was not old +enough to wait on the table; but he could wash the pans and kettles, +and as he was smart and quick, he could help in many other ways. + +All went well until it was time to spread the table for dinner. Then +there was a crash in the dining room, and a man rushed into the +kitchen with some pieces of marble in his hands. He was pale, and +trembling with fright. + +"What shall I do? What shall I do?" he cried. "I have broken the +statue that was to stand at the center of the table. I cannot make the +table look pretty without the statue. What will the Count say?" + +And now all the other servants were in trouble. Was the dinner to be a +failure after all? For everything de-pend-ed on having the table +nicely arranged. The Count would be very angry. + +"Ah, what shall we do?" they all asked. + +Then little Antonio Ca-no-va left his pans and kettles, and went up to +the man who had caused the trouble. + +"If you had another statue, could you arrange the table?" he asked. + +"Cer-tain-ly," said the man; "that is, if the statue were of the right +length and height." + +"Will you let me try to make one?" asked Anto-nio "Perhaps I can make +something that will do." + +The man laughed. + +"Non-sense!" he cried. "Who are you, that you talk of making statues +on an hour's notice?" + +"I am Antonio Canova," said the lad. + +"Let the boy try what he can do," said the servants, who knew him. + +And so, since nothing else could be done, the man allowed him to try. + +On the kitchen table there was a large square lump of yellow butter. +Two hundred pounds the lump weighed, and it had just come in, fresh +and clean, from the dairy on the mountain. With a kitchen knife in his +hand, Antonio began to cut and carve this butter. In a few minutes he +had molded it into the shape of a crouching lion; and all the servants +crowded around to see it. + +"How beautiful!" they cried. "It is a great deal pret-ti-er than the +statue that was broken." + +When it was finished, the man carried it to its place. + +"The table will be hand-som-er by half than I ever hoped to make it," +he said. + +When the Count and his friends came in to dinner, the first thing they +saw was the yellow lion. + +"What a beautiful work of art!" they cried. "None but a very great +artist could ever carve such a figure; and how odd that he should +choose to make it of butter!" And then they asked the Count to tell +them the name of the artist. + +[Illustration: "The servants crowded around to see it."] + +"Truly, my friends," he said, "this is as much of a surprise to me as +to you." And then he called to his head servant, and asked him where +he had found so wonderful a statue. + +"It was carved only an hour ago by a little boy in the kitchen," said +the servant. + +This made the Count's friends wonder still more; and the Count bade +the servant call the boy into the room. + +"My lad," he said, "you have done a piece of work of which the +greatest artists would be proud. What is your name, and who is your +teacher?" + +"My name is Antonio Canova," said the boy, "and I have had no teacher +but my grandfather the stonecutter." + +By this time all the guests had crowded around Antonio. There were +famous artists among them, and they knew that the lad was a genius. +They could not say enough in praise of his work; and when at last they +sat down at the table, nothing would please them but that Antonio +should have a seat with them; and the dinner was made a feast in his +honor. + +The very next day the Count sent for Antonio to come and live with +him. The best artists in the land were em-ployed to teach him the art +in which he had shown so much skill; but now, instead of carving +butter, he chis-eled marble. In a few years, Antonio Canova became +known as one of the greatest sculptors in the world. + + + + +PICCIOLA. + + +Many years ago there was a poor gentleman shut up in one of the great +prisons of France. His name was Char-ney, and he was very sad and +un-hap-py. He had been put into prison wrong-ful-ly, and it seemed to +him as though there was no one in the world who cared for him. + +He could not read, for there were no books in the prison. He was not +allowed to have pens or paper, and so he could not write. The time +dragged slowly by. There was nothing that he could do to make the days +seem shorter. His only pastime was walking back and forth in the paved +prison yard. There was no work to be done, no one to talk with. + +One fine morning in spring, Char-ney was taking his walk in the yard. +He was counting the paving stones, as he had done a thousand times +before. All at once he stopped. What had made that little mound of +earth between two of the stones? + +He stooped down to see. A seed of some kind had fallen between the +stones. It had sprouted; and now a tiny green leaf was pushing its way +up out of the ground. Charney was about to crush it with his foot, +when he saw that there was a kind of soft coating over the leaf. + +"Ah!" said he. "This coating is to keep it safe. I must not harm it." +And he went on with his walk. + +The next day he almost stepped upon the plant before he thought of it. +He stooped to look at it. There were two leaves now, and the plant was +much stronger and greener than it was the day before. He staid by it a +long time, looking at all its parts. + +Every morning after that, Charney went at once to his little plant. He +wanted to see if it had been chilled by the cold, or scorched by the +sun. He wanted to see how much it had grown. + +One day as he was looking from his window, he saw the jailer go across +the yard. The man brushed so close to the little plant, that it seemed +as though he would crush it. Charney trembled from head to foot. + +"O my Pic-cio-la!" he cried. + +When the jailer came to bring his food, he begged the grim fellow to +spare his little plant. He expected that the man would laugh at him; +but al-though a jailer, he had a kind heart. + +"Do you think that I would hurt your little plant?" he said. "No, +indeed! It would have been dead long ago, if I had not seen that you +thought so much of it." + +"That is very good of you, indeed," said Char-ney. He felt half +ashamed at having thought the jailer unkind. + +Every day he watched Pic-cio-la, as he had named the plant. Every day +it grew larger and more beautiful. But once it was almost broken by +the huge feet of the jailer's dog. Charney's heart sank within him. + +"Picciola must have a house," he said. "I will see if I can make one." + +So, though the nights were chilly, he took, day by day, some part of +the firewood that was allowed him, and with this he built a little +house around the plant. + +The plant had a thousand pretty ways which he noticed. He saw how it +always bent a little toward the sun; he saw how the flowers folded +their petals before a storm. + +He had never thought of such things before, and yet he had often seen +whole gardens of flowers in bloom. + +One day, with soot and water he made some ink; he spread out his +hand-ker-chief for paper; he used a sharp-ened stick for a pen--and +all for what? He felt that he must write down the doings of his little +pet. He spent all his time with the plant. + +"See my lord and my lady!" the jailer would say when he saw them. + +As the summer passed by, Picciola grew more lovely every day. There +were no fewer than thirty blossoms on its stem. + +But one sad morning it began to droop. Charney did not know what to +do. He gave it water, but still it drooped. The leaves were +with-er-ing. The stones of the prison yard would not let the plant +live. + +Charney knew that there was but one way to save his treasure. Alas! +how could he hope that it might be done? The stones must be taken up +at once. + +But this was a thing which the jailer dared not do. The rules of the +prison were strict, and no stone must be moved. Only the highest +officers in the land could have such a thing done. + +Poor Charney could not sleep. Picciola must die. Already the flowers +had with-ered; the leaves would soon fall from the stem. + +Then a new thought came to Charney. He would ask the great Napoleon, +the em-per-or himself, to save his plant. + +It was a hard thing for Charney to do,--to ask a favor of the man whom +he hated, the man who had shut him up in this very prison. But for the +sake of Picciola he would do it. + +He wrote his little story on his hand-ker-chief. Then he gave it into +the care of a young girl, who promised to carry it to Napoleon. Ah! if +the poor plant would only live a few days longer! + +What a long journey that was for the young girl! What a long, dreary +waiting it was for Charney and Picciola! + +But at last news came to the prison. The stones were to be taken up. +Picciola was saved! + +The em-per-or's kind wife had heard the story of Charney's care for +the plant. She saw the handkerchief on which he had written of its +pretty ways. + +"Surely," she said, "it can do us no good to keep such a man in +prison." + +And so, at last, Charney was set free. Of course he was no longer sad +and un-lov-ing. He saw how God had cared for him and the little plant, +and how kind and true are the hearts of even rough men. And he +cher-ished Picciola as a dear, loved friend whom he could never +forget. + + + + +MIGNON. + + +Here is the story of Mignon as I remember having read it in a famous +old book. + +A young man named Wil-helm was staying at an inn in the city. One day +as he was going up-stairs he met a little girl coming down. He would +have taken her for a boy, if it had not been for the long curls of +black hair wound about her head. As she ran by, he caught her in his +arms and asked her to whom she belonged. He felt sure that she must be +one of the rope-dan-cers who had just come to the inn. She gave him a +sharp, dark look, slipped out of his arms, and ran away without +speaking. + +The next time he saw her, Wil-helm spoke to her again. + +"Do not be afraid of me, little one," he said kindly. "What is your +name?" + +"They call me Mignon," said the child. + +"How old are you?" he asked. + +"No one has counted," the child an-swered. + +Wilhelm went on; but he could not help wondering about the child, and +thinking of her dark eyes and strange ways. + +One day not long after that, there was a great outcry among the crowd +that was watching the rope-dan-cers. Wilhelm went down to find out +what was the matter. He saw that the master of the dancers was beating +little Mignon with a stick. He ran and held the man by the collar. + +"Let the child alone!" he cried. "If you touch her again, one of us +shall never leave this spot." + +The man tried to get loose; but Wilhelm held him fast. The child crept +away, and hid herself in the crowd. + +"Pay me what her clothes cost," cried the ropedancer at last, "and you +may take her." + +As soon as all was quiet, Wilhelm went to look for Mignon; for she now +belonged to him. But he could not find her, and it was not until the +ropedancers had left the town that she came to him. + +"Where have you been?" asked Wilhelm in his kindest tones; but the +child did not speak. + +"You are to live with me now, and you must be a good child," he said. + +"I will try," said Mignon gently. + +From that time she tried to do all that she could for Wilhelm and his +friends. She would let no one wait on him but herself. She was often +seen going to a basin of water to wash from her face the paint with +which the ropedancers had red-dened her cheeks: indeed, she nearly +rubbed off the skin in trying to wash away its fine brown tint, which +she thought was some deep dye. + +Mignon grew more lovely every day. She never walked up and down the +stairs, but jumped. She would spring along by the railing, and before +you knew it, would be sitting quietly above on the landing. + +To each one she would speak in a different way. To Wilhelm it was with +her arms crossed upon her breast. Often for a whole day she would not +say one word, and yet in waiting upon Wilhelm she never tired. + +One night he came home very weary and sad. Mignon was waiting for him. +She carried the light before him up-stairs. She set the light down +upon the table, and in a little while she asked him if she might +dance. + +"It might ease your heart a little," she said. + +Wilhelm, to please her, told her that she might. + +Then she brought a little carpet, and spread it upon the floor. At +each corner she placed a candle, and on the carpet she put a number of +eggs. She arranged the eggs in the form of certain figures. When this +was done, she called to a man who was waiting with a violin. She tied +a band about her eyes, and then the dancing began. + +[Illustration: "And then the dancing began."] + +How lightly, quickly, nimbly, wonderfully, she moved! She skipped so +fast among the eggs, she trod so closely beside them, that you would +have thought she must crush them all. But not one of them did she +touch. With all kinds of steps she passed among them. Not one of them +was moved from its place. + +Wilhelm forgot all his cares. He watched every motion of the child. He +almost forgot who and where he was. + +When the dance was ended, Mignon rolled the eggs together with her +foot into a little heap. Not one was left behind, not one was harmed. +Then she took the band from her eyes, and made a little bow. + +Wilhelm thanked her for showing him a dance that was so wonderful and +pretty. He praised her, petted her, and hoped that she had not tired +herself too much. + +When she had gone from the room, the man with the violin told Wilhelm +of the care she had taken to teach him the music of the dance. He told +how she had sung it to him over and over again. He told how she had +even wished to pay him with her own money for learning to play it for +her. + +There was yet another way in which Mignon tried to please Wilhelm, and +make him forget his cares. She sang to him. + +The song which he liked best was one whose words he had never heard +before. Its music, too, was strange to him, and yet it pleased him +very much. He asked her to speak the words over and over again. He +wrote them down; but the sweetness of the tune was more delightful +than the words. The song began in this way:-- + + "Do you know the land where citrons, lemons, grow, + And oranges under the green leaves glow?" + +Once, when she had ended the song, she said again, "Do you know the +land?" + +"It must be Italy," said Wilhelm. "Have you ever been there?" + +The child did not answer. + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD *** + +***** This file should be named 18442-8.txt or 18442-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/4/4/18442/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fifty Famous Stories Retold + +Author: James Baldwin + +Release Date: May 23, 2006 [EBook #18442] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + + +<h1>FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES</h1> +<h1>RETOLD</h1> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>JAMES BALDWIN</h2> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_001.jpg" alt="Seal" width="150" height="169" /></div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY</h2> +<h3>NEW YORK CINCINNATI CHICAGO</h3> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1896, by</span></p> + +<p class="center">AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY. +</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<table summary="Contents"> +<tr><td><a href="#FIFTY_FAMOUS_STORIES_RETOLD">King Alfred and the Cakes</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#KING_ALFRED_AND_THE_BEGGAR">King Alfred and the Beggar</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#KING_CANUTE_ON_THE_SEASHORE">King Canute on the Seashore</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_SONS_OF_WILLIAM_THE_CONQUEROR">The Sons of William the Conqueror</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_WHITE_SHIP">The White Ship</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#KING_JOHN_AND_THE_ABBOT">King John and the Abbot</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#A_STORY_OF_ROBIN_HOOD">A Story of Robin Hood</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#BRUCE_AND_THE_SPIDER">Bruce and the Spider</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_BLACK_DOUGLAS">The Black Douglas</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THREE_MEN_OF_GOTHAM">Three Men of Gotham</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#OTHER_WISE_MEN_OF_GOTHAM">Other Wise Men of Gotham</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_MILLER_OF_THE_DEE">The Miller of the Dee</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#SIR_PHILIP_SIDNEY">Sir Philip Sidney</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_UNGRATEFUL_SOLDIER">The Ungrateful Soldier</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#SIR_HUMPHREY_GILBERT">Sir Humphrey Gilbert</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#SIR_WALTER_RALEIGH">Sir Walter Raleigh</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#POCAHONTAS">Pocahontas</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#GEORGE_WASHINGTON_AND_HIS_HATCHET">George Washington and his Hatchet</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#GRACE_DARLING">Grace Darling</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_STORY_OF_WILLIAM_TELL">The Story of William Tell</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ARNOLD_WINKELRIED">Arnold Winkelried</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_BELL_OF_ATRI">The Bell of Atri</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#HOW_NAPOLEON_CROSSED_THE_ALPS">How Napoleon crossed the Alps</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_STORY_OF_CINCINNATUS">The Story of Cincinnatus</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_STORY_OF_REGULUS">The Story of Regulus</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CORNELIAS_JEWELS">Cornelia's Jewels</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ANDROCLUS_AND_THE_LION">Androclus and the Lion</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#HORATIUS_AT_THE_BRIDGE">Horatius at the Bridge</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#JULIUS_CAESAR">Julius Cæsar</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_SWORD_OF_DAMOCLES">The Sword of Damocles</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#DAMON_AND_PYTHIAS">Damon and Pythias</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#A_LACONIC_ANSWER">A Laconic Answer</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_UNGRATEFUL_GUEST">The Ungrateful Guest</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_103">103</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ALEXANDER_AND_BUCEPHALUS">Alexander and Bucephalus</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_106">106</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#DIOGENES_THE_WISE_MAN">Diogenes the Wise Man</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_108">108</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_BRAVE_THREE_HUNDRED">The Brave Three Hundred</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_110">110</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#SOCRATES_AND_HIS_HOUSE">Socrates and his House</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_112">112</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_KING_AND_HIS_HAWK">The King and his Hawk</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#DOCTOR_GOLDSMITH">Doctor Goldsmith</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_KINGDOMS">The Kingdoms</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_BARMECIDE_FEAST">The Barmecide Feast</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_ENDLESS_TALE">The Endless Tale</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_BLIND_MEN_AND_THE_ELEPHANT">The Blind Men and the Elephant</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_130">130</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#MAXIMILIAN_AND_THE_GOOSE_BOY">Maximilian and the Goose Boy</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_132">132</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_INCHCAPE_ROCK">The Inchcape Rock</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_137">137</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#WHITTINGTON_AND_HIS_CAT">Whittington and his Cat</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_140">140</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CASABIANCA">Casabianca</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ANTONIO_CANOVA">Antonio Canova</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_156">156</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PICCIOLA">Picciola</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_162">162</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td><a href="#MIGNON">Mignon</a></td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_167">167</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CONCERNING_THESE_STORIES" id="CONCERNING_THESE_STORIES"></a>CONCERNING THESE STORIES.</h2> + + +<p>There are numerous time-honored stories which have become so +incorporated into the literature and thought of our race that a +knowledge of them is an indispensable part of one's education. These +stories are of several different classes. To one class belong the +popular fairy tales which have delighted untold generations of +children, and will continue to delight them to the end of time. To +another class belong the limited number of fables that have come down +to us through many channels from hoar antiquity. To a third belong the +charming stories of olden times that are derived from the literatures +of ancient peoples, such as the Greeks and the Hebrews. A fourth class +includes the half-legendary tales of a distinctly later origin, which +have for their subjects certain romantic episodes in the lives of +well-known heroes and famous men, or in the history of a people.</p> + +<p>It is to this last class that most of the fifty stories contained in +the present volume belong. As a matter of course, some of these +stories are better known, and therefore more <i>famous</i>, than others. +Some have a slight historical value; some are useful as giving point +to certain great moral truths; others are products solely of the +fancy, and are intended only to amuse. Some are derived from very +ancient sources, and are current in the literature of many lands; some +have come to us through the ballads and folk tales of the English +people; a few are of quite recent origin; nearly all are the subjects +of frequent allusions in poetry and prose and in the conversation of +educated people. Care has been taken to exclude everything that is not +strictly within the limits of probability; hence there is here no +trespassing upon the domain of the fairy tale, the fable, or the myth.</p> + +<p>That children naturally take a deep interest in such stories, no +person can deny; that the reading of them will not only give pleasure, +but will help to lay the foundation for broader literary studies, can +scarcely be doubted. It is believed, therefore, that the present +collection will be found to possess an educative value which will +commend it as a supplementary reader in the middle primary grades at +school. It is also hoped that the book will prove so attractive that +it will be in demand out of school as well as in.</p> + +<p>Acknowledgments are due to Mrs. Charles A. Lane, by whom eight or ten +of the stories were suggested.</p> +<p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="FIFTY_FAMOUS_STORIES_RETOLD" id="FIFTY_FAMOUS_STORIES_RETOLD"></a>FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD.</h2> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p> </p> +<h2>KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES.</h2> +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_005.jpg" alt="KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES." width="650" height="532" /></div> + +<p>Many years ago there lived in Eng-land a wise and good king whose name +was Al-fred. No other man ever did so much for his country as he; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +people now, all over the world, speak of him as Alfred the Great.</p> + +<p>In those days a king did not have a very easy life. There was war +almost all the time, and no one else could lead his army into battle +so well as he. And so, between ruling and fighting, he had a busy time +of it indeed.</p> + +<p>A fierce, rude people, called the Danes, had come from over the sea, +and were fighting the Eng-lish. There were so many of them, and they +were so bold and strong, that for a long time they gained every +battle. If they kept on, they would soon be the masters of the whole +country.</p> + +<p>At last, after a great battle, the English army was broken up and +scat-tered. Every man had to save himself in the best way he could. +King Alfred fled alone, in great haste, through the woods and swamps.</p> + +<p>Late in the day the king came to the hut of a wood-cut-ter. He was +very tired and hungry, and he begged the wood-cut-ter's wife to give +him something to eat and a place to sleep in her hut.</p> + +<p>The wom-an was baking some cakes upon the hearth, and she looked with +pity upon the poor, ragged fellow who seemed so hungry. She had no +thought that he was the king.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she said, "I will give you some supper if<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> you will watch these +cakes. I want to go out and milk the cow; and you must see that they +do not burn while I am gone."</p> + +<p>King Alfred was very willing to watch the cakes, but he had far +greater things to think about. How was he going to get his army +to-geth-er again? And how was he going to drive the fierce Danes out +of the land? He forgot his hunger; he forgot the cakes; he forgot that +he was in the woodcutter's hut. His mind was busy making plans for +to-mor-row.</p> + +<p>In a little while the wom-an came back. The cakes were smoking on the +hearth. They were burned to a crisp. Ah, how angry she was!</p> + +<p>"You lazy fellow!" she cried. "See what you have done! You want +some-thing to eat, but you do not want to work!"</p> + +<p>I have been told that she even struck the king with a stick; but I can +hardly be-lieve that she was so ill-na-tured.</p> + +<p>The king must have laughed to himself at the thought of being scolded +in this way; and he was so hungry that he did not mind the woman's +angry words half so much as the loss of the cakes.</p> + +<p>I do not know whether he had any-thing to eat that night, or whether +he had to go to bed without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> his supper. But it was not many days +until he had gath-ered his men to-geth-er again, and had beaten the +Danes in a great battle.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="KING_ALFRED_AND_THE_BEGGAR" id="KING_ALFRED_AND_THE_BEGGAR"></a>KING ALFRED AND THE BEGGAR.</h2> + + +<p>At one time the Danes drove King Alfred from his kingdom, and he had +to lie hidden for a long time on a little is-land in a river.</p> + +<p>One day, all who were on the is-land, except the king and queen and +one servant, went out to fish. It was a very lonely place, and no one +could get to it except by a boat. About noon a ragged beggar came to +the king's door, and asked for food.</p> + +<p>The king called the servant, and asked, "How much food have we in the +house?"</p> + +<p>"My lord," said the servant, "we have only one loaf and a little +wine."</p> + +<p>Then the king gave thanks to God, and said, "Give half of the loaf and +half of the wine to this poor man."</p> + +<p>The servant did as he was bidden. The beggar thanked the king for his +kindness, and went on his way.</p> + +<p>In the after-noon the men who had gone out to fish came back. They had +three boats full of fish,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> and they said, "We have caught more fish +to-day than in all the other days that we have been on this island."</p> + +<p>The king was glad, and he and his people were more hopeful than they +had ever been before.</p> + +<p>When night came, the king lay awake for a long time, and thought about +the things that had happened that day. At last he fancied that he saw +a great light like the sun; and in the midst of the light there stood +an old man with black hair, holding an open book in his hand.</p> + +<p>It may all have been a dream, and yet to the king it seemed very real +indeed. He looked and wondered, but was not afraid.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" he asked of the old man.</p> + +<p>"Alfred, my son, be brave," said the man; "for I am the one to whom +you gave this day the half of all the food that you had. Be strong and +joyful of heart, and listen to what I say. Rise up early in the +morning and blow your horn three times, so loudly that the Danes may +hear it. By nine o'clock, five hundred men will be around you ready to +be led into battle. Go forth bravely, and within seven days your +en-e-mies shall be beaten, and you shall go back to your kingdom to +reign in peace."</p> + +<p>Then the light went out, and the man was seen no more.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> + +<p>In the morning the king arose early, and crossed over to the mainland. +Then he blew his horn three times very loudly; and when his friends +heard it they were glad, but the Danes were filled with fear.</p> + +<p>At nine o'clock, five hundred of his bravest soldiers stood around him +ready for battle. He spoke, and told them what he had seen and heard +in his dream; and when he had fin-ished, they all cheered loudly, and +said that they would follow him and fight for him so long as they had +strength.</p> + +<p>So they went out bravely to battle; and they beat the Danes, and drove +them back into their own place. And King Alfred ruled wisely and well +over all his people for the rest of his days.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="KING_CANUTE_ON_THE_SEASHORE" id="KING_CANUTE_ON_THE_SEASHORE"></a>KING CANUTE ON THE SEASHORE.</h2> + + +<p>A hundred years or more after the time of Alfred the Great there was a +king of England named Ca-nuté. King Canute was a Dane; but the Danes +were not so fierce and cruel then as they had been when they were at +war with King Alfred.</p> + +<p>The great men and of-fi-cers who were around King Canute were always +praising him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You are the greatest man that ever lived," one would say.</p> + +<p>Then an-oth-er would say, "O king! there can never be an-oth-er man so +mighty as you."</p> + +<p>And another would say, "Great Canute, there is nothing in the world +that dares to dis-o-bey you."</p> + +<p>The king was a man of sense, and he grew very tired of hearing such +foolish speeches.</p> + +<p>One day he was by the sea-shore, and his of-fi-cers were with him. +They were praising him, as they were in the habit of doing. He thought +that now he would teach them a lesson, and so he bade them set his +chair on the beach close by the edge of the water.</p> + +<p>"Am I the greatest man in the world?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"O king!" they cried, "there is no one so mighty as you."</p> + +<p>"Do all things obey me?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing that dares to dis-o-bey you, O king!" they said. +"The world bows before you, and gives you honor."</p> + +<p>"Will the sea obey me?" he asked; and he looked down at the little +waves which were lapping the sand at his feet.</p> +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_013.jpg" alt=""Sea, I command you to come no farther!"" width="500" height="765" /><br /> + <br /> + +<span class="caption">"Sea, I command you to come no farther!"</span></div> +<p>The foolish officers were puzzled, but they did not dare to say "No."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Command it, O king! and it will obey," said one.</p> + +<p>"Sea," cried Canute, "I command you to come no farther! Waves, stop +your rolling, and do not dare to touch my feet!"</p> + +<p>But the tide came in, just as it always did. The water rose higher and +higher. It came up around the king's chair, and wet not only his feet, +but also his robe. His officers stood about him, alarmed, and +won-der-ing whether he was not mad.</p> + +<p>Then Canute took off his crown, and threw it down upon the sand.</p> + +<p>"I shall never wear it again," he said. "And do you, my men, learn a +lesson from what you have seen. There is only one King who is +all-powerful; and it is he who rules the sea, and holds the ocean in +the hollow of his hand. It is he whom you ought to praise and serve +above all others."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_SONS_OF_WILLIAM_THE_CONQUEROR" id="THE_SONS_OF_WILLIAM_THE_CONQUEROR"></a>THE SONS OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.</h2> + + +<p>There was once a great king of England who was called Wil-liam the +Con-quer-or, and he had three sons.</p> + + + +<p>One day King Wil-liam seemed to be thinking of something that made him +feel very sad; and the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span>wise men who were about him asked him what +was the matter.</p> + +<p>"I am thinking," he said, "of what my sons may do after I am dead. +For, unless they are wise and strong, they cannot keep the kingdom +which I have won for them. Indeed, I am at a loss to know which one of +the three ought to be the king when I am gone."</p> + +<p>"O king!" said the wise men, "if we only knew what things your sons +admire the most, we might then be able to tell what kind of men they +will be. Perhaps, by asking each one of them a few ques-tions, we can +find out which one of them will be best fitted to rule in your place."</p> + +<p>"The plan is well worth trying, at least," said the king. "Have the +boys come before you, and then ask them what you please."</p> + +<p>The wise men talked with one another for a little while, and then +agreed that the young princes should be brought in, one at a time, and +that the same ques-tions should be put to each.</p> + +<p>The first who came into the room was Robert. He was a tall, willful +lad, and was nick-named Short Stocking.</p> + +<p>"Fair sir," said one of the men, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?"</p> + +<p>"A hawk," answered Robert. "I would rather be a hawk, for no other +bird reminds one so much of a bold and gallant knight."</p> + +<p>The next who came was young William, his father's name-sake and pet. +His face was jolly and round, and because he had red hair he was +nicknamed Rufus, or the Red.</p> + +<p>"Fair sir," said the wise man, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?"</p> + +<p>"An eagle," answered William. "I would rather be an eagle, because it +is strong and brave. It is feared by all other birds, and is +there-fore the king of them all."</p> + +<p>Lastly came the youngest brother, Henry, with quiet steps and a sober, +thought-ful look. He had been taught to read and write, and for that +reason he was nick-named Beau-clerc, or the Hand-some Schol-ar.</p> + +<p>"Fair sir," said the wise man, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?"</p> + +<p>"A star-ling," said Henry. "I would rather be a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> star-ling, because it +is good-mannered and kind and a joy to every one who sees it, and it +never tries to rob or abuse its neigh-bor."</p> + +<p>Then the wise men talked with one another for a little while, and when +they had agreed among themselves, they spoke to the king.</p> + +<p>"We find," said they, "that your eldest son, Robert, will be bold and +gallant. He will do some great deeds, and make a name for himself; but +in the end he will be over-come by his foes, and will die in prison.</p> + +<p>"The second son, William, will be as brave and strong as the eagle; +but he will be feared and hated for his cruel deeds. He will lead a +wicked life, and will die a shameful death.</p> + +<p>"The youngest son, Henry, will be wise and prudent and peaceful. He +will go to war only when he is forced to do so by his enemies. He will +be loved at home, and re-spect-ed abroad; and he will die in peace +after having gained great pos-ses-sions."</p> + +<p>Years passed by, and the three boys had grown up to be men. King +William lay upon his death-bed, and again he thought of what would +become of his sons when he was gone. Then he re-mem-bered what the +wise men had told him; and so he de-clared that Robert should have the +lands which he held in France, that William should be the King<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> of +England, and that Henry should have no land at all, but only a chest +of gold.</p> + +<p>So it hap-pened in the end very much as the wise men had fore-told. +Robert, the Short Stocking, was bold and reckless, like the hawk which +he so much admired. He lost all the lands that his father had left +him, and was at last shut up in prison, where he was kept until he +died.</p> + +<p>William Rufus was so over-bear-ing and cruel that he was feared and +hated by all his people. He led a wicked life, and was killed by one +of his own men while hunting in the forest.</p> + +<p>And Henry, the Handsome Scholar, had not only the chest of gold for +his own, but he became by and by the King of England and the ruler of +all the lands that his father had had in France.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_WHITE_SHIP" id="THE_WHITE_SHIP"></a>THE WHITE SHIP.</h2> + + +<p>King Henry, the Handsome Scholar, had one son, named William, whom he +dearly loved. The young man was noble and brave, and every-body hoped +that he would some day be the King of England.</p> + +<p>One summer Prince William went with his father across the sea to look +after their lands in France.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> They were wel-comed with joy by all +their people there, and the young prince was so gallant and kind, that +he won the love of all who saw him.</p> + +<p>But at last the time came for them to go back to England. The king, +with his wise men and brave knights, set sail early in the day; but +Prince William with his younger friends waited a little while. They +had had so joyous a time in France that they were in no great haste to +tear them-selves away.</p> + +<p>Then they went on board of the ship which was waiting to carry them +home. It was a beau-ti-ful ship with white sails and white masts, and +it had been fitted up on purpose for this voyage.</p> + +<p>The sea was smooth, the winds were fair, and no one thought of danger. +On the ship, every-thing had been ar-ranged to make the trip a +pleasant one. There was music and dancing, and everybody was merry and +glad.</p> + +<p>The sun had gone down before the white-winged vessel was fairly out of +the bay. But what of that? The moon was at its full, and it would give +light enough; and before the dawn of the morrow, the narrow sea would +be crossed. And so the prince, and the young people who were with him, +gave themselves up to mer-ri-ment and feasting and joy.</p> + +<p>The ear-li-er hours of the night passed by; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> then there was a cry +of alarm on deck. A moment after-ward there was a great crash. The +ship had struck upon a rock. The water rushed in. She was sinking. Ah, +where now were those who had lately been so heart-free and glad?</p> + +<p>Every heart was full of fear. No one knew what to do. A small boat was +quickly launched, and the prince with a few of his bravest friends +leaped into it. They pushed off just as the ship was be-gin-ning to +settle beneath the waves. Would they be saved?</p> + +<p>They had rowed hardly ten yards from the ship, when there was a cry +from among those that were left behind.</p> + +<p>"Row back!" cried the prince. "It is my little sister. She must be +saved!"</p> + +<p>The men did not dare to disobey. The boat was again brought along-side +of the sinking vessel. The prince stood up, and held out his arms for +his sister. At that moment the ship gave a great lurch forward into +the waves. One shriek of terror was heard, and then all was still save +the sound of the moaning waters.</p> + +<p>Ship and boat, prince and prin-cess, and all the gay com-pa-ny that +had set sail from France, went down to the bottom together. One man +clung to a floating plank, and was saved the next day. He was the only +person left alive to tell the sad story.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> + +<p>When King Henry heard of the death of his son his grief was more than +he could bear. His heart was broken. He had no more joy in life; and +men say that no one ever saw him smile again.</p> + +<p>Here is a poem about him that your teacher may read to you, and +perhaps, after a while, you may learn it by heart.</p> + +<p class="center">HE NEVER SMILED AGAIN.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The bark that held the prince went down,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The sweeping waves rolled on;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And what was England's glorious crown<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To him that wept a son?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He lived, for life may long be borne<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Ere sorrow breaks its chain:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Why comes not death to those who mourn?<br /></span> +<span class="i2">He never smiled again.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">There stood proud forms before his throne,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The stately and the brave;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But who could fill the place of one,—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">That one beneath the wave?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Before him passed the young and fair,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">In pleasure's reckless train;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But seas dashed o'er his son's bright hair—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">He never smiled again.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">He sat where festal bowls went round;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">He heard the minstrel sing;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He saw the tour-ney's victor crowned<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Amid the knightly ring.<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span><span class="i0">A murmur of the restless deep<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Was blent with every strain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A voice of winds that would not sleep—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">He never smiled again.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Hearts, in that time, closed o'er the trace<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Of vows once fondly poured,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And strangers took the kins-man's place<br /></span> +<span class="i2">At many a joyous board;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Graves which true love had bathed with tears<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Were left to heaven's bright rain;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fresh hopes were born for other years—<br /></span> +<span class="i2"><i>He</i> never smiled again!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="sig"><span class="smcap">Mrs. Hemans.</span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="KING_JOHN_AND_THE_ABBOT" id="KING_JOHN_AND_THE_ABBOT"></a>KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT.</h2> + +<h3>I. THE THREE QUESTIONS.</h3> +<p>There was once a king of England whose name was John. He was a bad +king; for he was harsh and cruel to his people, and so long as he +could have his own way, he did not care what became of other folks. He +was the worst king that England ever had.</p> + +<p>Now, there was in the town of Can´ter-bur-y a rich old abbot who lived +in grand style in a great house called the Abbey. Every day a hundred +noble men sat down with him to dine; and fifty brave knights,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> in fine +velvet coats and gold chains, waited upon him at his table.</p> + +<p>When King John heard of the way in which the abbot lived, he made up +his mind to put a stop to it. So he sent for the old man to come and +see him.</p> + +<p>"How now, my good abbot?" he said. "I hear that you keep a far better +house than I. How dare you do such a thing? Don't you know that no man +in the land ought to live better than the king? And I tell you that no +man shall."</p> + +<p>"O king!" said the abbot, "I beg to say that I am spending nothing but +what is my own. I hope that you will not think ill of me for making +things pleasant for my friends and the brave knights who are with me."</p> + +<p>"Think ill of you?" said the king. "How can I help but think ill of +you? All that there is in this broad land is mine by right; and how do +you dare to put me to shame by living in grander style than I? One +would think that you were trying to be king in my place."</p> + +<p>"Oh, do not say so!" said the abbot "For I"—</p> + +<p>"Not another word!" cried the king. "Your fault is plain, and unless +you can answer me three questions, your head shall be cut off, and all +your riches shall be mine."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I will try to answer them, O king!" said the abbot.</p> + +<p>"Well, then," said King John, "as I sit here with my crown of gold on +my head, you must tell me to within a day just how long I shall live. +Sec-ond-ly, you must tell me how soon I shall ride round the whole +world; and lastly, you shall tell me what I think."</p> + +<p>"O king!" said the abbot, "these are deep, hard questions, and I +cannot answer them just now. But if you will give me two weeks to +think about them, I will do the best that I can."</p> + +<p>"Two weeks you shall have," said the king; "but if then you fail to +answer me, you shall lose your head, and all your lands shall be +mine."</p> + +<p>The abbot went away very sad and in great fear. He first rode to +Oxford. Here was a great school, called a u-ni-ver´si-ty, and he +wanted to see if any of the wise pro-fess-ors could help him. But they +shook their heads, and said that there was nothing about King John in +any of their books.</p> + +<p>Then the abbot rode down to Cam-bridge, where there was another +u-ni-ver-si-ty. But not one of the teachers in that great school could +help him.</p> + +<p>At last, sad and sor-row-ful, he rode toward home to bid his friends +and his brave knights good-by. For now he had not a week to live.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> + +<h3>II. THE THREE ANSWERS.</h3> +<p>As the abbot was riding up the lane which led to his grand house, he +met his shep-herd going to the fields.</p> + +<p>"Welcome home, good master!" cried the shepherd. "What news do you +bring us from great King John?"</p> + +<p>"Sad news, sad news," said the abbot; and then he told him all that +had happened.</p> + +<p>"Cheer up, cheer up, good master," said the shepherd. "Have you never +yet heard that a fool may teach a wise man wit? I think I can help you +out of your trouble."</p> + +<p>"You help me!" cried the abbot "How? how?"</p> + +<p>"Well," answered the shepherd, "you know that everybody says that I +look just like you, and that I have some-times been mis-tak-en for +you. So, lend me your servants and your horse and your gown, and I +will go up to London and see the king. If nothing else can be done, I +can at least die in your place."</p> + +<p>"My good shepherd," said the abbot, "you are very, very kind; and I +have a mind to let you try your plan. But if the worst comes to the +worst, you shall not die for me. I will die for myself."</p> + +<p>So the shepherd got ready to go at once. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> dressed himself with +great care. Over his shepherd's coat he threw the abbot's long gown, +and he bor-rowed the abbot's cap and golden staff. When all was ready, +no one in the world would have thought that he was not the great man +himself. Then he mounted his horse, and with a great train of servants +set out for London.</p> + +<p>Of course the king did not know him.</p> + +<p>"Welcome, Sir Abbot!" he said. "It is a good thing that you have come +back. But, prompt as you are, if you fail to answer my three +questions, you shall lose your head."</p> + +<p>"I am ready to answer them, O king!" said the shepherd.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, indeed!" said the king, and he laughed to himself. "Well, +then, answer my first question: How long shall I live? Come, you must +tell me to the very day."</p> + +<p>"You shall live," said the shepherd, "until the day that you die, and +not one day longer. And you shall die when you take your last breath, +and not one moment before."</p> +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_026.jpg" alt=""You shall live until the day that you die."" width="500" height="707" /><br /> +<br /> +<span class="caption">"You shall live until the day that you die."</span></div> +<p>The king laughed.</p> + +<p>"You are witty, I see," he said. "But we will let that pass, and say +that your answer is right. And now tell me how soon I may ride round +the world."</p> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You must rise with the sun," said the shepherd, "and you must ride +with the sun until it rises again the next morning. As soon as you do +that, you will find that you have ridden round the world in +twenty-four hours."</p> + +<p>The king laughed again. "Indeed," he said, "I did not think that it +could be done so soon. You are not only witty, but you are wise, and +we will let this answer pass. And now comes my third and last +question: What do I think?"</p> + +<p>"That is an easy question," said the shepherd. "You think that I am +the Abbot of Can-ter-bur-y. But, to tell you the truth, I am only his +poor shepherd, and I have come to beg your pardon for him and for me." +And with that, he threw off his long gown.</p> + +<p>The king laughed loud and long.</p> + +<p>"A merry fellow you are," said he, "and you shall be the Abbot of +Canterbury in your master's place."</p> + +<p>"O king! that cannot be," said the shepherd; "for I can neither read +nor write."</p> + +<p>"Very well, then," said the king, "I will give you something else to +pay you for this merry joke. I will give you four pieces of silver +every week as long as you live. And when you get home, you may tell +the old abbot that you have brought him a free pardon from King +John."</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="A_STORY_OF_ROBIN_HOOD" id="A_STORY_OF_ROBIN_HOOD"></a>A STORY OF ROBIN HOOD.</h2> + + +<p>In the rude days of King Rich-ard and King John there were many great +woods in England. The most famous of these was Sher-wood forest, where +the king often went to hunt deer. In this forest there lived a band of +daring men called out-laws.</p> + +<p>They had done something that was against the laws of the land, and had +been forced to hide themselves in the woods to save their lives. There +they spent their time in roaming about among the trees, in hunting the +king's deer, and in robbing rich trav-el-ers that came that way.</p> + +<p>There were nearly a hundred of these outlaws, and their leader was a +bold fellow called Robin Hood. They were dressed in suits of green, +and armed with bows and arrows; and sometimes they carried long wooden +lances and broad-swords, which they knew how to handle well. When-ever +they had taken anything, it was brought and laid at the feet of Robin +Hood, whom they called their king. He then di-vid-ed it fairly among +them, giving to each man his just share.</p> + +<p>Robin never allowed his men to harm any-body but the rich men who +lived in great houses and did no work. He was always kind to the poor, +and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> he often sent help to them; and for that reason the common people +looked upon him as their friend.</p> + +<p>Long after he was dead, men liked to talk about his deeds. Some +praised him, and some blamed him. He was, indeed, a rude, lawless +fellow; but at that time, people did not think of right and wrong as +they do now.</p> + +<p>A great many songs were made up about Robin Hood, and these songs were +sung in the cot-ta-ges and huts all over the land for hundreds of +years after-ward.</p> + +<p>Here is a little story that is told in one of those songs:—</p> + +<p>Robin Hood was standing one day under a green tree by the road-side. +While he was lis-ten-ing to the birds among the leaves, he saw a young +man passing by. This young man was dressed in a fine suit of bright +red cloth; and, as he tripped gayly along the road, he seemed to be as +happy as the day.</p> + +<p>"I will not trou-ble him," said Robin Hood, "for I think he is on his +way to his wedding."</p> + +<p>The next day Robin stood in the same place. He had not been there long +when he saw the same young man coming down the road. But he did not +seem to be so happy this time. He had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> left his scarlet coat at home, +and at every step he sighed and groaned.</p> + +<p>"Ah the sad day! the sad day!" he kept saying to himself.</p> + +<p>Then Robin Hood stepped out from under the tree, and said,—</p> + +<p>"I say, young man! Have you any money to spare for my merry men and +me?"</p> + +<p>"I have nothing at all," said the young man, "but five shil-lings and +a ring."</p> + +<p>"A gold ring?" asked Robin.</p> + +<p>"Yes?" said the young man, "it is a gold ring. Here it is."</p> + +<p>"Ah, I see!" said Robin: "it is a wedding ring."</p> + +<p>"I have kept it these seven years," said the young man; "I have kept +it to give to my bride on our wedding day. We were going to be married +yes-ter-day. But her father has prom-ised her to a rich old man whom +she never saw. And now my heart is broken."</p> + +<p>"What is your name?" asked Robin.</p> + +<p>"My name is Allin-a-Dale," said the young man.</p> + +<p>"What will you give me, in gold or fee," said Robin, "if I will help +you win your bride again in spite of the rich old man to whom she has +been promised?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_031.jpg" width="500" height="695" alt="Robin Hood" /></div> + +<p>"I have no money," said Allin, "but I will promise to be your +servant."</p> + +<p>"How many miles is it to the place where the maiden lives?" asked +Robin.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It is not far," said Allin. "But she is to be married this very day, +and the church is five miles away."</p> + +<p>Then Robin made haste to dress himself as a harper; and in the +after-noon he stood in the door of the church.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" said the bishop, "and what are you doing here?"</p> + +<p>"I am a bold harper," said Robin, "the best in the north country."</p> + +<p>"I am glad you have come," said the bishop kindly. "There is no music +that I like so well as that of the harp. Come in, and play for us."</p> + +<p>"I will go in," said Robin Hood; "but I will not give you any music +until I see the bride and bridegroom."</p> + +<p>Just then an old man came in. He was dressed in rich clothing, but was +bent with age, and was feeble and gray. By his side walked a fair +young girl. Her cheeks were very pale, and her eyes were full of +tears.</p> + +<p>"This is no match," said Robin. "Let the bride choose for herself."</p> + +<p>Then he put his horn to his lips, and blew three times. The very next +minute, four and twenty men, all dressed in green, and car-ry-ing long +bows in their hands, came running across the fields.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> And as they +marched into the church, all in a row, the fore-most among them was +Allin-a-Dale.</p> + +<p>"Now whom do you choose?" said Robin to the maiden.</p> + +<p>"I choose Allin-a-Dale," she said, blushing.</p> + +<p>"And Allin-a-Dale you shall have," said Robin; "and he that takes you +from Allin-a-Dale shall find that he has Robin Hood to deal with."</p> + +<p>And so the fair maiden and Allin-a-Dale were married then and there, +and the rich old man went home in a great rage.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"And thus having ended this merry wedding,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The bride looked like a queen:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And so they re-turned to the merry green wood,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Amongst the leaves so green."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="BRUCE_AND_THE_SPIDER" id="BRUCE_AND_THE_SPIDER"></a>BRUCE AND THE SPIDER.</h2> + + +<p>There was once a king of Scot-land whose name was Robert Bruce. He had +need to be both brave and wise, for the times in which he lived were +wild and rude. The King of England was at war with him, and had led a +great army into Scotland to drive him out of the land.</p> + +<p>Battle after battle had been fought. Six times had Bruce led his brave +little army against his foes;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> and six times had his men been beaten, +and driven into flight. At last his army was scat-tered, and he was +forced to hide himself in the woods and in lonely places among the +moun-tains.</p> + +<p>One rainy day, Bruce lay on the ground under a rude shed, lis-ten-ing +to the patter of the drops on the roof above him. He was tired and +sick at heart, and ready to give up all hope. It seemed to him that +there was no use for him to try to do anything more.</p> + +<p>As he lay thinking, he saw a spider over his head, making ready to +weave her web. He watched her as she toiled slowly and with great +care. Six times she tried to throw her frail thread from one beam to +another, and six times it fell short.</p> + +<p>"Poor thing!" said Bruce: "you, too, know what it is to fail."</p> + +<p>But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure. With still +more care, she made ready to try for the seventh time. Bruce almost +forgot his own troubles as he watched her swing herself out upon the +slender line. Would she fail again? No! The thread was carried safely +to the beam, and fas-tened there.</p> + +<p>"I, too, will try a seventh time!" cried Bruce.</p> + +<p>He arose and called his men together. He told<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> them of his plans, and +sent them out with mes-sa-ges of cheer to his dis-heart-ened people. +Soon there was an army of brave Scotch-men around him. Another battle +was fought, and the King of England was glad to go back into his own +country.</p> + +<p>I have heard it said, that, after that day, no one by the name of +Bruce would ever hurt a spider. The lesson which the little crea-ture +had taught the king was never for-got-ten.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_BLACK_DOUGLAS" id="THE_BLACK_DOUGLAS"></a>THE BLACK DOUGLAS.</h2> + + +<p>In Scotland, in the time of King Robert Bruce, there lived a brave man +whose name was Doug-las. His hair and beard were black and long, and +his face was tanned and dark; and for this reason people nicknamed him +the Black Douglas. He was a good friend of the king, and one of his +strongest helpers.</p> + +<p>In the war with the English, who were trying to drive Bruce from +Scotland, the Black Douglas did many brave deeds; and the English +people became very much afraid of him. By and by the fear of him +spread all through the land. Nothing could frighten an English lad +more than to tell him that the Black Douglas was not far away. Women<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +would tell their chil-dren, when they were naughty, that the Black +Douglas would get them; and this would make them very quiet and good.</p> + +<p>There was a large cas-tle in Scotland which the English had taken +early in the war. The Scot-tish soldiers wanted very much to take it +again, and the Black Douglas and his men went one day to see what they +could do. It happened to be a hol-i-day, and most of the English +soldiers in the cas-tle were eating and drinking and having a merry +time. But they had left watch-men on the wall to see that the Scottish +soldiers did not come upon them un-a-wares; and so they felt quite +safe.</p> + +<p>In the e-ven-ing, when it was growing dark, the wife of one of the +soldiers went up on the wall with her child in her arms. As she looked +over into the fields below the castle, she saw some dark objects +moving toward the foot of the wall. In the dusk she could not make out +what they were, and so she pointed them out to one of the watch-men.</p> + +<p>"Pooh, pooh!" said the watchman. "Those are nothing to frighten us. +They are the farmer's cattle, trying to find their way home. The +farmer himself is en-joy-ing the hol-i-day, and he has forgotten to +bring them in. If the Douglas should happen this way before morning, +he will be sorry for his care-less-ness."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> + +<p>But the dark objects were not cattle. They were the Black Douglas and +his men, creeping on hands and feet toward the foot of the castle +wall. Some of them were dragging ladders behind them through the +grass. They would soon be climbing to the top of the wall. None of the +English soldiers dreamed that they were within many miles of the +place.</p> + +<p>The woman watched them until the last one had passed around a corner +out of sight. She was not afraid, for in the dark-en-ing twi-light +they looked indeed like cattle. After a little while she began to sing +to her child:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The Black Douglas shall not get ye."<br /></span> +</div></div> +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_038.jpg" width="600" height="844" alt=""Don't be so sure about that!"" /></div> +<p class="caption">"Don't be so sure about that!"</p> +<p>All at once a gruff voice was heard behind her, saying, "Don't be so +sure about that!"</p> + +<p>She looked around, and there stood the Black Douglas himself. At the +same moment a Scottish soldier climbed off a ladder and leaped upon +the wall; and then there came another and another and another, until +the wall was covered with them. Soon there was hot fighting in every +part of the castle. But the English were so taken by surprise that +they could not do much. Many of them were killed, and in a little +while the Black Douglas<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> and his men were the masters of the castle, +which by right be-longed to them.</p> + + + +<p>As for the woman and her child, the Black Douglas would not suffer any +one to harm them. After a while they went back to England; and whether +the mother made up any more songs about the Black Douglas I cannot +tell.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THREE_MEN_OF_GOTHAM" id="THREE_MEN_OF_GOTHAM"></a>THREE MEN OF GOTHAM.</h2> + + +<p>There is a town in England called Go-tham, and many merry stories are +told of the queer people who used to live there.</p> + +<p>One day two men of Go-tham met on a bridge. Hodge was coming from the +market, and Peter was going to the market.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" said Hodge.</p> + +<p>"I am going to the market to buy sheep," said Peter.</p> + +<p>"Buy sheep?" said Hodge. "And which way will you bring them home?"</p> + +<p>"I shall bring them over this bridge," said Peter.</p> + +<p>"No, you shall not," said Hodge.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I will," said Peter.</p> + +<p>"You shall not," said Hodge.</p> + +<p>"I will," said Peter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then they beat with their sticks on the ground as though there had +been a hundred sheep between them.</p> + +<p>"Take care!" cried Peter. "Look out that my sheep don't jump on the +bridge."</p> + +<p>"I care not where they jump," said Hodge; "but they shall not go over +it."</p> + +<p>"But they shall," said Peter.</p> + +<p>"Have a care," said Hodge; "for if you say too much, I will put my +fingers in your mouth."</p> + +<p>"Will you?" said Peter.</p> + +<p>Just then another man of Gotham came from the market with a sack of +meal on his horse. He heard his neigh-bors quar-rel-ing about sheep; +but he could see no sheep between them, and so he stopped and spoke to +them.</p> + +<p>"Ah, you foolish fellows!" he cried. "It is strange that you will +never learn wisdom.—Come here, Peter, and help me lay my sack on my +shoul-der."</p> + +<p>Peter did so, and the man carried his meal to the side of the bridge.</p> + +<p>"Now look at me," he said, "and learn a lesson." And he opened the +mouth of the sack, and poured all the meal into the river.</p> + +<p>"Now, neighbors," he said, "can you tell how much meal is in my +sack?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_041.jpg" width="500" height="750" alt=""How much meal is in my sack?"" /><br /> +<span class="caption">"How much meal is in my sack?"</span></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> + +<p>"There is none at all!" cried Hodge and Peter together.</p> + +<p>"You are right," said the man; "and you that stand here and quarrel +about nothing, have no more sense in your heads than I have meal in my +sack!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="OTHER_WISE_MEN_OF_GOTHAM" id="OTHER_WISE_MEN_OF_GOTHAM"></a>OTHER WISE MEN OF GOTHAM.</h2> + + +<p>One day, news was brought to Gotham that the king was coming that way, +and that he would pass through the town. This did not please the men +of Gotham at all. They hated the king, for they knew that he was a +cruel, bad man. If he came to their town, they would have to find food +and lodg-ing for him and his men; and if he saw anything that pleased +him, he would be sure to take it for his own. What should they do?</p> + +<p>They met together to talk the matter over.</p> + +<p>"Let us chop down the big trees in the woods, so that they will block +up all the roads that lead into the town," said one of the wise men.</p> + +<p>"Good!" said all the rest.</p> + +<p>So they went out with their axes, and soon all the roads and paths to +the town were filled with logs and brush. The king's horse-men would +have a hard time of it getting into Gotham. They would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> either have to +make a new road, or give up the plan al-to-geth-er, and go on to some +other place.</p> + +<p>When the king came, and saw that the road had been blocked up, he was +very angry.</p> + +<p>"Who chopped those trees down in my way?" he asked of two country lads +that were passing by.</p> + +<p>"The men of Gotham," said the lads.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the king, "go and tell the men of Gotham that I shall +send my sher-iff into their town, and have all their noses cut off."</p> + +<p>The two lads ran to the town as fast as they could, and made known +what the king had said.</p> + +<p>Every-body was in great fright. The men ran from house to house, +carrying the news, and asking one another what they should do.</p> + +<p>"Our wits have kept the king out of the town," said one; "and so now +our wits must save our noses."</p> + +<p>"True, true!" said the others. "But what shall we do?"</p> + +<p>Then one, whose name was Dobbin, and who was thought to be the wisest +of them all, said, "Let me tell you something. Many a man has been +punished because he was wise, but I have never heard of any one being +harmed because he was a fool. So, when the king's sher-iff comes, let +us all act like fools."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Good, good!" cried the others. "We will all act like fools."</p> + +<p>It was no easy thing for the king's men to open the roads; and while +they were doing it, the king grew tired of waiting, and went back to +London. But very early one morning, the sheriff with a party of fierce +soldiers rode through the woods, and between the fields, toward +Gotham. Just before they reached the town, they saw a queer sight. The +old men were rolling big stones up the hill, and all the young men +were looking on, and grunting very loudly.</p> + +<p>The sheriff stopped his horses, and asked what they were doing.</p> + +<p>"We are rolling stones up-hill to make the sun rise," said one of the +old men.</p> + +<p>"You foolish fellow!" said the sheriff. "Don't you know that the sun +will rise without any help?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! will it?" said the old man. "Well, I never thought of that. How +wise you are!"</p> + +<p>"And what are <i>you</i> doing?" said the sheriff to the young men.</p> + +<p>"Oh, we do the grunting while our fathers do the working," they +answered.</p> + +<p>"I see," said the sheriff. "Well, that is the way the world goes +every-where." And he rode on toward the town.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> + +<p>He soon came to a field where a number of men were building a stone +wall.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Why, master," they answered, "there is a cuck-oo in this field, and +we are building a wall around it so as to keep the bird from straying +away."</p> + +<p>"You foolish fellows!" said the sheriff. "Don't you know that the bird +will fly over the top of your wall, no matter how high you build it?"</p> + +<p>"Why, no," they said. "We never thought of that. How very wise you +are!"</p> + +<p>The sheriff next met a man who was carrying a door on his back.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I have just started on a long jour-ney," said the man.</p> + +<p>"But why do you carry that door?" asked the sheriff.</p> + +<p>"I left my money at home."</p> + +<p>"Then why didn't you leave the door at home too?"</p> + +<p>"I was afraid of thieves; and you see, if I have the door with me, +they can't break it open and get in."</p> + +<p>"You foolish fellow!" said the sheriff. "It would be safer to leave +the door at home, and carry the money with you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, would it, though?" said the man. "Now,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> I never thought of that. +You are the wisest man that I ever saw."</p> + +<p>Then the sheriff rode on with his men; but every one that they met was +doing some silly thing.</p> + +<p>"Truly I believe that the people of Gotham are all fools," said one of +the horsemen.</p> + +<p>"That is true," said another. "It would be a shame to harm such simple +people."</p> + +<p>"Let us ride back to London, and tell the king all about them," said +the sheriff.</p> + +<p>"Yes, let us do so," said the horsemen.</p> + +<p>So they went back, and told the king that Gotham was a town of fools; +and the king laughed, and said that if that was the case, he would not +harm them, but would let them keep their noses.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_MILLER_OF_THE_DEE" id="THE_MILLER_OF_THE_DEE"></a>THE MILLER OF THE DEE.</h2> + + +<p>Once upon a time there lived on the banks of the River Dee a miller, +who was the hap-pi-est man in England. He was always busy from morning +till night, and he was always singing as merrily as any lark. He was +so cheerful that he made everybody else cheerful; and people all over +the land liked to talk about his pleasant ways. At last the king heard +about him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I will go down and talk with this won-der-ful miller," he said. +"Perhaps he can tell me how to be happy."</p> + +<p>As soon as he stepped inside of the mill, he heard the miller +singing:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"I envy no-body—no, not I!—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For I am as happy as I can be;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And nobody envies me."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"You're wrong, my friend," said the king. "You're wrong as wrong can +be. I envy you; and I would gladly change places with you, if I could +only be as light-hearted as you are."</p> + +<p>The miller smiled, and bowed to the king.</p> + +<p>"I am sure I could not think of changing places with you, sir," he +said.</p> + +<p>"Now tell me," said the king, "what makes you so cheerful and glad +here in your dusty mill, while I, who am king, am sad and in trouble +every day."</p> + +<p>The miller smiled again, and said, "I do not know why you are sad, but +I can eas-i-ly tell why I am glad. I earn my own bread; I love my wife +and my children; I love my friends, and they love me; and I owe not a +penny to any man. Why should I not be happy? For here is the River +Dee, and every day it turns my mill; and the mill grinds the corn that +feeds my wife, my babes, and me."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_048.jpg" width="500" height="680" alt="THE MILLER OF THE DEE." /></div> + +<p>"Say no more," said the king. "Stay where you are, and be happy still. +But I envy you. Your dusty cap is worth more than my golden crown. +Your mill does more for you than my kingdom can do for me. If there +were more such men as you, what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> a good place this world would be! +Good-by, my friend!"</p> + +<p>The king turned about, and walked sadly away; and the miller went back +to his work singing:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Oh, I'm as happy as happy can be,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For I live by the side of the River Dee!"<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="SIR_PHILIP_SIDNEY" id="SIR_PHILIP_SIDNEY"></a>SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.</h2> + + +<p>A cruel battle was being fought. The ground was covered with dead and +dying men. The air was hot and stifling. The sun shone down without +pity on the wounded soldiers lying in the blood and dust.</p> + +<p>One of these soldiers was a no-ble-man, whom everybody loved for his +gen-tle-ness and kindness. Yet now he was no better off than the +poorest man in the field. He had been wounded, and would die; and he +was suf-fer-ing much with pain and thirst.</p> + +<p>When the battle was over, his friends hurried to his aid. A soldier +came running with a cup in his hand.</p> + +<p>"Here, Sir Philip," he said, "I have brought you some clear, cool +water from the brook. I will raise your head so that you can drink."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> + +<p>The cup was placed to Sir Philip's lips. How thank-ful-ly he looked at +the man who had brought it! Then his eyes met those of a dying soldier +who was lying on the ground close by. The wist-ful look in the poor +man's face spoke plainer than words.</p> + +<p>"Give the water to that man," said Sir Philip quickly; and then, +pushing the cup toward him, he said, "Here, my comrade, take this. Thy +need is greater than mine."</p> + +<p>What a brave, noble man he was! The name of Sir Philip Sidney will +never be for-got-ten; for it was the name of a Chris-tian gen-tle-man +who always had the good of others in his mind. Was it any wonder that +everybody wept when it was heard that he was dead?</p> + +<p>It is said, that, on the day when he was carried to the grave, every +eye in the land was filled with tears. Rich and poor, high and low, +all felt that they had lost a friend; all mourned the death of the +kindest, gentlest man that they had ever known.</p> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_050.jpg" width="150" height="160" alt="Decorative Image" /></div> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="THE_UNGRATEFUL_SOLDIER" id="THE_UNGRATEFUL_SOLDIER"></a>THE UNGRATEFUL SOLDIER.</h2> + + +<p>Here is another story of the bat-tle-field, and it is much like the +one which I have just told you.</p> + +<p>Not quite a hundred years after the time of Sir Philip Sidney there +was a war between the Swedes and the Danes. One day a great battle was +fought, and the Swedes were beaten, and driven from the field. A +soldier of the Danes who had been slightly wounded was sitting on the +ground. He was about to take a drink from a flask. All at once he +heard some one say,—</p> + +<p>"O sir! give me a drink, for I am dying."</p> + +<p>It was a wounded Swede who spoke. He was lying on the ground only a +little way off. The Dane went to him at once. He knelt down by the +side of his fallen foe, and pressed the flask to his lips.</p> + +<p>"Drink," said he, "for thy need is greater than mine."</p> + +<p>Hardly had he spoken these words, when the Swede raised himself on his +elbow. He pulled a pistol from his pocket, and shot at the man who +would have be-friend-ed him. The bullet grazed the Dane's shoulder, +but did not do him much harm.</p> + +<p>"Ah, you rascal!" he cried. "I was going to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> befriend you, and you +repay me by trying to kill me. Now I will punish you. I would have +given you all the water, but now you shall have only half." And with +that he drank the half of it, and then gave the rest to the Swede.</p> + +<div class="center" > +<img src="images/image_052.jpg" width="650" height="557" alt="THE UNGRATEFUL SOLDIER." /></div> + +<p>When the King of the Danes heard about this, he sent for the soldier +and had him tell the story just as it was.</p> + +<p>"Why did you spare the life of the Swede after he had tried to kill +you?" asked the king.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Because, sir," said the soldier, "I could never kill a wounded +enemy."</p> + +<p>"Then you deserve to be a no-ble-man," said the king. And he +re-ward-ed him by making him a knight, and giving him a noble title.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="SIR_HUMPHREY_GILBERT" id="SIR_HUMPHREY_GILBERT"></a>SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT.</h2> + + +<p>More than three hundred years ago there lived in England a brave man +whose name was Sir Humphrey Gil-bert. At that time there were no white +people in this country of ours. The land was covered with forests; and +where there are now great cities and fine farms there were only trees +and swamps among which roamed wild In-di-ans and wild beasts.</p> + +<p>Sir Hum-phrey Gilbert was one of the first men who tried to make a +set-tle-ment in A-mer-i-ca. Twice did he bring men and ships over the +sea, and twice did he fail, and sail back for England. The second +time, he was on a little ship called the "Squirrel." Another ship, +called the "Golden Hind," was not far away. When they were three days +from land, the wind failed, and the ships lay floating on the waves. +Then at night the air grew very cold. A breeze sprang up from the +east. Great white<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> ice-bergs came drifting around them. In the morning +the little ships were almost lost among the floating mountains of ice. +The men on the "Hind" saw Sir Humphrey sitting on the deck of the +"Squirrel" with an open book in his hand. He called to them and +said,—</p> + +<p>"Be brave, my friends! We are as near heaven on the sea as on the +land."</p> + +<p>Night came again. It was a stormy night, with mist and rain. All at +once the men on the "Hind" saw the lights on board of the "Squirrel" +go out. The little vessel, with brave Sir Humphrey and all his brave +men, was swal-lowed up by the waves.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="SIR_WALTER_RALEIGH" id="SIR_WALTER_RALEIGH"></a>SIR WALTER RALEIGH.</h2> + + +<p>There once lived in England a brave and noble man whose name was +Walter Ra-leigh. He was not only brave and noble, but he was also +handsome and polite; and for that reason the queen made him a knight, +and called him Sir Walter Ra-leigh.</p> + +<p>I will tell you about it.</p> + +<p>When Raleigh was a young man, he was one day walking along a street in +London. At that time the streets were not paved, and there were no +side<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span>walks. Raleigh was dressed in very fine style, and he wore a +beau-ti-ful scar-let cloak thrown over his shoulders.</p> + +<p>As he passed along, he found it hard work to keep from stepping in the +mud, and soiling his hand-some new shoes. Soon he came to a puddle of +muddy water which reached from one side of the street to the other. He +could not step across. Perhaps he could jump over it.</p> + +<p>As he was thinking what he should do, he happened to look up. Who was +it coming down the street, on the other side of the puddle?</p> + +<p>It was E-liz-a-beth, the Queen of England, with her train of +gen-tle-wom-en and waiting maids. She saw the dirty puddle in the +street. She saw the handsome young man with the scar-let cloak, +stand-ing by the side of it. How was she to get across?</p> + +<p>Young Raleigh, when he saw who was coming, forgot about himself. He +thought only of helping the queen. There was only one thing that he +could do, and no other man would have thought of that.</p> + +<p>He took off his scarlet cloak, and spread it across the puddle. The +queen could step on it now, as on a beautiful carpet.</p> + +<p>She walked across. She was safely over the ugly puddle, and her feet +had not touched the mud. She paused a moment, and thanked the young +man.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>As she walked onward with her train, she asked one of the +gen-tle-wom-en, "Who is that brave gen-tle-man who helped us so +handsomely?"</p> + +<p>"His name is Walter Raleigh," said the gentle-woman.</p> + +<p>"He shall have his reward," said the queen.</p> + +<p>Not long after that, she sent for Raleigh to come to her pal-ace.</p> + +<p>The young man went, but he had no scarlet cloak to wear. Then, while +all the great men and fine ladies of England stood around, the queen +made him a knight. And from that time he was known as Sir Walter +Raleigh, the queen's favorite.</p> + +<p>Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Humphrey Gilbert about whom I have already +told you, were half-broth-ers.</p> + +<p>When Sir Humphrey made his first voy-age to America, Sir Walter was +with him. After that, Sir Walter tried sev-er-al times to send men to +this country to make a set-tle-ment.</p> + +<p>But those whom he sent found only great forests, and wild beasts, and +sav-age In-di-ans. Some of them went back to England; some of them +died for want of food; and some of them were lost in the woods. At +last Sir Walter gave up trying to get people to come to America.</p> + +<p>But he found two things in this country which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> the people of England +knew very little about. One was the po-ta-to, the other was to-bac-co.</p> + +<p>If you should ever go to Ireland, you may be shown the place where Sir +Walter planted the few po-ta-toes which he carried over from America. +He told his friends how the Indians used them for food; and he proved +that they would grow in the Old World as well as in the New.</p> + +<p>Sir Walter had seen the Indians smoking the leaves of the to-bac-co +plant. He thought that he would do the same, and he carried some of +the leaves to England. Englishmen had never used tobacco before that +time; and all who saw Sir Walter puff-ing away at a roll of leaves +thought that it was a strange sight.</p> + +<p>One day as he was sitting in his chair and smoking, his servant came +into the room. The man saw the smoke curling over his master's head, +and he thought that he was on fire.</p> + +<p>He ran out for some water. He found a pail that was quite full. He +hurried back, and threw the water into Sir Walter's face. Of course +the fire was all put out.</p> + +<p>After that a great many men learned to smoke. And now tobacco is used +in all countries of the world. It would have been well if Sir Walter +Raleigh had let it alone.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="POCAHONTAS" id="POCAHONTAS"></a>POCAHONTAS.</h2> + + +<p>There was once a very brave man whose name was John Smith. He came to +this country many years ago, when there were great woods everywhere, +and many wild beasts and Indians. Many tales are told of his +ad-ven-tures, some of them true and some of them untrue. The most +famous of all these is the fol-low-ing:—</p> + +<p>One day when Smith was in the woods, some Indians came upon him, and +made him their pris-on-er. They led him to their king, and in a short +time they made ready to put him to death.</p> + +<p>A large stone was brought in, and Smith was made to lie down with his +head on it. Then two tall Indians with big clubs in their hands came +forward. The king and all his great men stood around to see. The +Indians raised their clubs. In another moment they would fall on +Smith's head.</p> + +<p>But just then a little Indian girl rushed in. She was the daugh-ter of +the king, and her name was Po-ca-hon´tas. She ran and threw herself +between Smith and the up-lift-ed clubs. She clasped Smith's head with +her arms. She laid her own head upon his.</p> + +<p>"O father!" she cried, "spare this man's life. I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> am sure he has done +you no harm, and we ought to be his friends."</p> + +<p>The men with the clubs could not strike, for they did not want to hurt +the child. The king at first did not know what to do. Then he spoke to +some of his war-riors, and they lifted Smith from the ground. They +untied the cords from his wrists and feet, and set him free.</p> + +<p>The next day the king sent Smith home; and several Indians went with +him to protect him from harm.</p> + +<p>After that, as long as she lived, Po-ca-hon-tas was the friend of the +white men, and she did a great many things to help them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="GEORGE_WASHINGTON_AND_HIS_HATCHET" id="GEORGE_WASHINGTON_AND_HIS_HATCHET"></a>GEORGE WASHINGTON AND HIS HATCHET.</h2> + + +<p>When George Wash-ing-ton was quite a little boy, his father gave him a +hatchet. It was bright and new, and George took great delight in going +about and chopping things with it.</p> + +<p>He ran into the garden, and there he saw a tree which seemed to say to +him, "Come and cut me down!"</p> + +<p>George had often seen his father's men chop down the great trees in +the forest, and he thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> that it would be fine sport to see this +tree fall with a crash to the ground. So he set to work with his +little hatchet, and, as the tree was a very small one, it did not take +long to lay it low.</p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_060.jpg" width="500" height="620" alt="GEORGE WASHINGTON AND HIS HATCHET." /></div> + +<p>Soon after that, his father came home.</p> + +<p>"Who has been cutting my fine young cherry tree?" he cried. "It was +the only tree of its kind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> in this country, and it cost me a great +deal of money."</p> + +<p>He was very angry when he came into the house.</p> + +<p>"If I only knew who killed that cherry tree," he cried, "I would—yes, +I would"—</p> + +<p>"Father!" cried little George. "I will tell you the truth about it. I +chopped the tree down with my hatchet."</p> + +<p>His father forgot his anger.</p> + +<p>"George," he said, and he took the little fellow in his arms, "George, +I am glad that you told me about it. I would rather lose a dozen +cherry trees than that you should tell one false-hood."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="GRACE_DARLING" id="GRACE_DARLING"></a>GRACE DARLING.</h2> + + +<p>It was a dark Sep-tem-ber morning. There was a storm at sea. A ship +had been driven on a low rock off the shores of the Farne Islands. It +had been broken in two by the waves, and half of it had been washed +away. The other half lay yet on the rock, and those of the crew who +were still alive were cling-ing to it. But the waves were dashing over +it, and in a little while it too would be carried to the bottom.</p> + +<p>Could any one save the poor, half-drowned men who were there?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> + +<p>On one of the islands was a light-house; and there, all through that +stormy night, Grace Darling had listened to the storm.</p> + +<p>Grace was the daughter of the light-house keeper, and she had lived by +the sea as long as she could re-mem-ber.</p> + +<p>In the darkness of the night, above the noise of the winds and waves, +she heard screams and wild cries. When day-light came, she could see +the wreck, a mile away, with the angry waters all around it. She could +see the men clinging to the masts.</p> + +<p>"We must try to save them!" she cried. "Let us go out in the boat at +once!"</p> + +<p>"It is of no use, Grace," said her father. "We cannot reach them."</p> + +<p>He was an old man, and he knew the force of the mighty waves.</p> + +<p>"We cannot stay here and see them die," said Grace. "We must at least +try to save them."</p> + +<p>Her father could not say, "No."</p> + +<p>In a few minutes they were ready. They set off in the heavy lighthouse +boat. Grace pulled one oar, and her father the other, and they made +straight toward the wreck. But it was hard rowing against such a sea, +and it seemed as though they would never reach the place.</p> + +<p>At last they were close to the rock, and now<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> they were in greater +danger than before. The fierce waves broke against the boat, and it +would have been dashed in pieces, had it not been for the strength and +skill of the brave girl.</p> + +<p>But after many trials, Grace's father climbed upon the wreck, while +Grace herself held the boat. Then one by one the worn-out crew were +helped on board. It was all that the girl could do to keep the frail +boat from being drifted away, or broken upon the sharp edges of the +rock.</p> + +<p>Then her father clam-bered back into his place. Strong hands grasped +the oars, and by and by all were safe in the lighthouse. There Grace +proved to be no less tender as a nurse than she had been brave as a +sailor. She cared most kindly for the ship-wrecked men until the storm +had died away and they were strong enough to go to their own homes.</p> + +<p>All this happened a long time ago, but the name of Grace Darling will +never be forgotten. She lies buried now in a little church-yard by the +sea, not far from her old home. Every year many people go there to see +her grave; and there a mon-u-ment has been placed in honor of the +brave girl. It is not a large mon-u-ment, but it is one that speaks of +the noble deed which made Grace Darling famous. It is a figure carved +in stone of a woman lying at rest, with a boat's oar held fast in her +right hand.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="THE_STORY_OF_WILLIAM_TELL" id="THE_STORY_OF_WILLIAM_TELL"></a>THE STORY OF WILLIAM TELL.</h2> + + +<p>The people of Swit-zer-land were not always free and happy as they are +to-day. Many years ago a proud tyrant, whose name was Gessler, ruled +over them, and made their lot a bitter one indeed.</p> + +<p>One day this tyrant set up a tall pole in the public square, and put +his own cap on the top of it; and then he gave orders that every man +who came into the town should bow down before it. But there was one +man, named William Tell, who would not do this. He stood up straight +with folded arms, and laughed at the swinging cap. He would not bow +down to Gessler himself.</p> + +<p>When Gessler heard of this, he was very angry. He was afraid that +other men would disobey, and that soon the whole country would rebel +against him. So he made up his mind to punish the bold man.</p> + +<p>William Tell's home was among the mountains, and he was a famous +hunter. No one in all the land could shoot with bow and arrow so well +as he. Gessler knew this, and so he thought of a cruel plan to make +the hunter's own skill bring him to grief. He ordered that Tell's +little boy should be made to stand up in the public square with an +apple on his head; and then he bade Tell shoot the apple with one of +his arrows.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> + +<p>Tell begged the tyrant not to have him make this test of his skill. +What if the boy should move? What if the bow-man's hand should +tremble? What if the arrow should not carry true?</p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_065.jpg" width="650" height="638" alt="WILLIAM TELL." /></div> + +<p>"Will you make me kill my boy?" he said.</p> + +<p>"Say no more," said Gessler. "You must hit the apple with your one +arrow. If you fail, my sol-diers shall kill the boy before your +eyes."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then, without another word, Tell fitted the arrow to his bow. He took +aim, and let it fly. The boy stood firm and still. He was not afraid, +for he had all faith in his father's skill.</p> + +<p>The arrow whistled through the air. It struck the apple fairly in the +center, and carried it away. The people who saw it shouted with joy.</p> + +<p>As Tell was turning away from the place, an arrow which he had hidden +under his coat dropped to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Fellow!" cried Gessler, "what mean you with this second arrow?"</p> + +<p>"Tyrant!" was Tell's proud answer, "this arrow was for your heart if I +had hurt my child."</p> + +<p>And there is an old story, that, not long after this, Tell did shoot +the tyrant with one of his arrows; and thus he set his country free.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ARNOLD_WINKELRIED" id="ARNOLD_WINKELRIED"></a>ARNOLD WINKELRIED.</h2> + + +<p>A great army was marching into Swit-zer-land. If it should go much +farther, there would be no driving it out again. The soldiers would +burn the towns, they would rob the farmers of their grain and sheep, +they would make slaves of the people.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> + +<p>The men of Switzerland knew all this. They knew that they must fight +for their homes and their lives. And so they came from the mountains +and valleys to try what they could do to save their land. Some came +with bows and arrows, some with scythes and pitch-forks, and some with +only sticks and clubs.</p> + +<p>But their foes kept in line as they marched along the road. Every +soldier was fully armed. As they moved and kept close together, +nothing could be seen of them but their spears and shields and shining +armor. What could the poor country people do against such foes as +these?</p> + +<p>"We must break their lines," cried their leader; "for we cannot harm +them while they keep together."</p> + +<p>The bowmen shot their arrows, but they glanced off from the soldiers' +shields. Others tried clubs and stones, but with no better luck. The +lines were still un-bro-ken. The soldiers moved stead-i-ly onward; +their shields lapped over one another; their thousand spears looked +like so many long bris-tles in the sun-light. What cared they for +sticks and stones and hunts-men's arrows?</p> + +<p>"If we cannot break their ranks," said the Swiss, "we have no chance +for fight, and our country will be lost!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then a poor man, whose name was Ar-nold Wink´el-ried, stepped out.</p> + +<p>"On the side of yonder moun-tain," said he, "I have a happy home. +There my wife and chil-dren wait for my return. But they will not see +me again, for this day I will give my life for my country. And do you, +my friends, do your duty, and Switzerland shall be free."</p> + +<p>With these words he ran forward. "Follow me!" he cried to his friends. +"I will break the lines, and then let every man fight as bravely as he +can."</p> + +<p>He had nothing in his hands, neither club nor stone nor other weapon. +But he ran straight on-ward to the place where the spears were +thickest.</p> + +<p>"Make way for lib-er-ty!" he cried, as he dashed right into the lines.</p> + +<p>A hundred spears were turned to catch him upon their points. The +soldiers forgot to stay in their places. The lines were broken. +Arnold's friends rushed bravely after him. They fought with whatever +they had in hand. They snatched spears and shields from their foes. +They had no thought of fear. They only thought of their homes and +their dear native land. And they won at last.</p> + +<p>Such a battle no one ever knew before. But Switzerland was saved, and +Arnold Wink-el-ried did not die in vain.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="THE_BELL_OF_ATRI" id="THE_BELL_OF_ATRI"></a>THE BELL OF ATRI.</h2> + + +<p>A-tri is the name of a little town in It-a-ly. It is a very old town, +and is built half-way up the side of a steep hill.</p> + +<p>A long time ago, the King of Atri bought a fine large bell, and had it +hung up in a tower in the market place. A long rope that reached +almost to the ground was fas-tened to the bell. The smallest child +could ring the bell by pulling upon this rope.</p> + +<p>"It is the bell of justice," said the king.</p> + +<p>When at last everything was ready, the people of Atri had a great +holiday. All the men and women and children came down to the market +place to look at the bell of justice. It was a very pretty bell, and +was, pol-ished until it looked almost as bright and yellow as the sun.</p> + +<p>"How we should like to hear it ring!" they said.</p> + +<p>Then the king came down the street.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he will ring it," said the people; and everybody stood very +still, and waited to see what he would do.</p> + +<p>But he did not ring the bell. He did not even take the rope in his +hands. When he came to the foot of the tower, he stopped, and raised +his hand.</p> + +<p>"My people," he said, "do you see this beautiful bell? It is your +bell; but it must never be rung<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> except in case of need. If any one of +you is wronged at any time, he may come and ring the bell; and then +the judges shall come together at once, and hear his case, and give +him justice. Rich and poor, old and young, all alike may come; but no +one must touch the rope unless he knows that he has been wronged."</p> + +<p>Many years passed by after this. Many times did the bell in the market +place ring out to call the judges together. Many wrongs were righted, +many ill-doers were punished. At last the hempen rope was almost worn +out. The lower part of it was un-twist-ed; some of the strands were +broken; it became so short that only a tall man could reach it.</p> + +<p>"This will never do," said the judges one day. "What if a child should +be wronged? It could not ring the bell to let us know it."</p> + +<p>They gave orders that a new rope should be put upon the bell at +once,—a rope that should hang down to the ground, so that the +smallest child could reach it. But there was not a rope to be found in +all Atri. They would have to send across the mountains for one, and it +would be many days before it could be brought. What if some great +wrong should be done before it came? How could the judges know about +it, if the in-jured one could not reach the old rope?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Let me fix it for you," said a man who stood by.</p> + +<p>He ran into his garden, which was not far away, and soon came back +with a long grape-vine in his hands.</p> + +<p>"This will do for a rope," he said; and he climbed up, and fastened it +to the bell. The slender vine, with its leaves and ten-drils still +upon it, trailed to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the judges, "it is a very good rope. Let it be as it is."</p> + +<p>Now, on the hill-side above the village, there lived a man who had +once been a brave knight. In his youth he had ridden through many +lands, and he had fought in many a battle. His best friend through all +that time had been his horse,—a strong, noble steed that had borne +him safe through many a danger.</p> + +<p>But the knight, when he grew older, cared no more to ride into battle; +he cared no more to do brave deeds; he thought of nothing but gold; he +became a miser. At last he sold all that he had, except his horse, and +went to live in a little hut on the hill-side. Day after day he sat +among his money bags, and planned how he might get more gold; and day +after day his horse stood in his bare stall, half-starved, and +shiv-er-ing with cold.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What is the use of keeping that lazy steed?" said the miser to +himself one morning. "Every week it costs me more to keep him than he +is worth. I might sell him; but there is not a man that wants him. I +cannot even give him away. I will turn him out to shift for himself, +and pick grass by the roadside. If he starves to death, so much the +better."</p> + +<p>So the brave old horse was turned out to find what he could among the +rocks on the barren hill-side. Lame and sick, he strolled along the +dusty roads, glad to find a blade of grass or a thistle. The boys +threw stones at him, the dogs barked at him, and in all the world +there was no one to pity him.</p> + +<p>One hot afternoon, when no one was upon the street, the horse chanced +to wander into the market place. Not a man nor child was there, for +the heat of the sun had driven them all indoors. The gates were wide +open; the poor beast could roam where he pleased. He saw the +grape-vine rope that hung from the bell of justice. The leaves and +tendrils upon it were still fresh and green, for it had not been there +long. What a fine dinner they would be for a starving horse!</p> + +<p>He stretched his thin neck, and took one of the tempting morsels in +his mouth. It was hard to break it from the vine. He pulled at it, and +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> great bell above him began to ring. All the people in Atri heard +it. It seemed to say,—</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> +"Some one has done me wrong!<br /> + Some one has done me wrong!<br /> + Oh! come and judge my case!<br /> + Oh! come and judge my case!<br /> + For I've been wronged!"<br /> +</p> + +<p>The judges heard it. They put on their robes, and went out through the +hot streets to the market place. They wondered who it could be who +would ring the bell at such a time. When they passed through the gate, +they saw the old horse nibbling at the vine.</p> + +<p>"Ha!" cried one, "it is the miser's steed. He has come to call for +justice; for his master, as everybody knows, has treated him most +shame-ful-ly."</p> + +<p>"He pleads his cause as well as any dumb brute can," said another.</p> + +<p>"And he shall have justice!" said the third.</p> + +<p>Mean-while a crowd of men and women and children had come into the +market place, eager to learn what cause the judges were about to try. +When they saw the horse, all stood still in wonder. Then every one was +ready to tell how they had seen him wan-der-ing on the hills, unfed, +un-cared for, while his master sat at home counting his bags of gold.</p> + +<p>"Go bring the miser before us," said the judges.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_074.jpg" width="600" height="828" alt=""Some one has done me wrong!"" /><br /> + <span class="caption">"Some one has done me wrong!"</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> + +<p>And when he came, they bade him stand and hear their judg-ment.</p> + +<p>"This horse has served you well for many a year," they said. "He has +saved you from many a peril. He has helped you gain your wealth. +Therefore we order that one half of all your gold shall be set aside +to buy him shelter and food, a green pasture where he may graze, and a +warm stall to comfort him in his old age."</p> + +<p>The miser hung his head, and grieved to lose his gold; but the people +shouted with joy, and the horse was led away to his new stall and a +dinner such as he had not had in many a day.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="HOW_NAPOLEON_CROSSED_THE_ALPS" id="HOW_NAPOLEON_CROSSED_THE_ALPS"></a>HOW NAPOLEON CROSSED THE ALPS.</h2> + + +<p>About a hundred years ago there lived a great gen-er-al whose name was +Na-po´le-on Bo´na-parte. He was the leader of the French army; and +France was at war with nearly all the countries around. He wanted very +much to take his soldiers into It-a-ly; but between France and Italy +there are high mountains called the Alps, the tops of which are +covered with snow.</p> + +<p>"Is it pos-si-ble to cross the Alps?" said Na-po-le-on.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> + +<p>The men who had been sent to look at the passes over the mountains +shook their heads. Then one of them said, "It may be possible, but"—</p> + +<p>"Let me hear no more," said Napoleon. "Forward to Italy!"</p> + +<p>People laughed at the thought of an army of sixty thousand men +crossing the Alps where there was no road. But Napoleon waited only to +see that everything was in good order, and then he gave the order to +march.</p> + +<p>The long line of soldiers and horses and cannon stretched for twenty +miles. When they came to a steep place where there seemed to be no way +to go farther, the trum-pets sounded "Charge!" Then every man did his +best, and the whole army moved right onward.</p> + +<p>Soon they were safe over the Alps. In four days they were marching on +the plains of Italy.</p> + +<p>"The man who has made up his mind to win," said Napoleon, "will never +say 'Im-pos-si-ble.'"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_STORY_OF_CINCINNATUS" id="THE_STORY_OF_CINCINNATUS"></a>THE STORY OF CINCINNATUS.</h2> + + +<p>There was a man named Cin-cin-na´tus who lived on a little farm not +far from the city of Rome. He had once been rich, and had held the +highest office<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> in the land; but in one way or another he had lost all +his wealth. He was now so poor that he had to do all the work on his +farm with his own hands. But in those days it was thought to be a +noble thing to till the soil.</p> + +<p>Cin-cin-na-tus was so wise and just that every-body trusted him, and +asked his advice; and when any one was in trouble, and did not know +what to do, his neighbors would say,—</p> + +<p>"Go and tell Cincinnatus. He will help you."</p> + +<p>Now there lived among the mountains, not far away, a tribe of fierce, +half-wild men, who were at war with the Roman people. They per-suad-ed +another tribe of bold war-riors to help them, and then marched toward +the city, plun-der-ing and robbing as they came. They boasted that +they would tear down the walls of Rome, and burn the houses, and kill +all the men, and make slaves of the women and children.</p> + +<p>At first the Romans, who were very proud and brave, did not think +there was much danger. Every man in Rome was a soldier, and the army +which went out to fight the robbers was the finest in the world. No +one staid at home with the women and children and boys but the +white-haired "Fathers," as they were called, who made the laws for the +city, and a small company of men who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> guarded the walls. Everybody +thought that it would be an easy thing to drive the men of the +mountains back to the place where they belonged.</p> + +<p>But one morning five horsemen came riding down the road from the +mountains. They rode with great speed; and both men and horses were +covered with dust and blood. The watchman at the gate knew them, and +shouted to them as they gal-loped in. Why did they ride thus? and what +had happened to the Roman army?</p> + +<p>They did not answer him, but rode into the city and along the quiet +streets; and everybody ran after them, eager to find out what was the +matter. Rome was not a large city at that time; and soon they reached +the market place where the white-haired Fathers were sitting. Then +they leaped from their horses, and told their story.</p> + +<p>"Only yes-ter-day," they said, "our army was marching through a narrow +valley between two steep mountains. All at once a thou-sand sav-age +men sprang out from among the rocks before us and above us. They had +blocked up the way; and the pass was so narrow that we could not +fight. We tried to come back; but they had blocked up the way on this +side of us too. The fierce men of the mountains were before us and +behind us, and they were throwing rocks down<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> upon us from above. We +had been caught in a trap. Then ten of us set spurs to our horses; and +five of us forced our way through, but the other five fell before the +spears of the mountain men. And now, O Roman Fathers! send help to our +army at once, or every man will be slain, and our city will be taken."</p> + +<p>"What shall we do?" said the white-haired Fathers. "Whom can we send +but the guards and the boys? and who is wise enough to lead them, and +thus save Rome?"</p> + +<p>All shook their heads and were very grave; for it seemed as if there +was no hope. Then one said, "Send for Cincinnatus. He will help us."</p> + +<p>Cincinnatus was in the field plowing when the men who had been sent to +him came in great haste. He stopped and greeted them kindly, and +waited for them to speak.</p> + +<p>"Put on your cloak, Cincinnatus," they said, "and hear the words of +the Roman people."</p> + +<p>Then Cincinnatus wondered what they could mean. "Is all well with +Rome?" he asked; and he called to his wife to bring him his cloak.</p> + +<p>She brought the cloak; and Cincinnatus wiped the dust from his hands +and arms, and threw it over his shoulders. Then the men told their +errand.</p> + +<p>They told him how the army with all the noblest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> men of Rome had been +en-trapped in the mountain pass. They told him about the great danger +the city was in. Then they said, "The people of Rome make you their +ruler and the ruler of their city, to do with everything as you +choose; and the Fathers bid you come at once and go out against our +enemies, the fierce men of the mountains."</p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_080.jpg" width="600" height="677" alt="THE STORY OF CINCINNATUS." /></div> + +<p>So Cincinnatus left his plow standing where it was, and hurried to the +city. When he passed through the streets, and gave orders as to what +should be done, some of the people were afraid, for they knew that he +had all power in Rome to do what he pleased. But he armed the guards +and the boys, and went out at their head to fight the fierce mountain +men, and free the Roman army from the trap into which it had fallen.</p> + +<p>A few days afterward there was great joy in Rome. There was good news +from Cincinnatus. The men of the mountains had been beaten with great +loss. They had been driven back into their own place.</p> + +<p>And now the Roman army, with the boys and the guards, was coming home +with banners flying, and shouts of vic-to-ry; and at their head rode +Cincinnatus. He had saved Rome.</p> + +<p>Cincinnatus might then have made himself king; for his word was law, +and no man dared lift a finger against him. But, before the people +could thank him enough for what he had done, he gave back the power to +the white-haired Roman Fathers, and went again to his little farm and +his plow.</p> + +<p>He had been the ruler of Rome for sixteen days.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="THE_STORY_OF_REGULUS" id="THE_STORY_OF_REGULUS"></a>THE STORY OF REGULUS.</h2> + + +<p>On the other side of the sea from Rome there was once a great city +named Car-thage. The Roman people were never very friendly to the +people of Car-thage, and at last a war began between them. For a long +time it was hard to tell which would prove the stronger. First the +Romans would gain a battle, and then the men of Car-thage would gain a +battle; and so the war went on for many years.</p> + +<p>Among the Romans there was a brave gen-er-al named Reg´u-lus,—a man +of whom it was said that he never broke his word. It so happened after +a while, that Reg-u-lus was taken pris-on-er and carried to Carthage. +Ill and very lonely, he dreamed of his wife and little children so far +away beyond the sea; and he had but little hope of ever seeing them +again. He loved his home dearly, but he believed that his first duty +was to his country; and so he had left all, to fight in this cruel +war.</p> + +<p>He had lost a battle, it is true, and had been taken prisoner. Yet he +knew that the Romans were gaining ground, and the people of Carthage +were afraid of being beaten in the end. They had sent into other +countries to hire soldiers to help<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> them; but even with these they +would not be able to fight much longer against Rome.</p> + +<p>One day some of the rulers of Carthage came to the prison to talk with +Regulus.</p> + +<p>"We should like to make peace with the Roman people," they said, "and +we are sure, that, if your rulers at home knew how the war is going, +they would be glad to make peace with us. We will set you free and let +you go home, if you will agree to do as we say."</p> + +<p>"What is that?" asked Regulus.</p> + +<p>"In the first place," they said, "you must tell the Romans about the +battles which you have lost, and you must make it plain to them that +they have not gained any-thing by the war. In the second place, you +must promise us, that, if they will not make peace, you will come back +to your prison."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Regulus, "I promise you, that, if they will not make +peace, I will come back to prison."</p> + +<p>And so they let him go; for they knew that a great Roman would keep +his word.</p> + +<p>When he came to Rome, all the people greeted him gladly. His wife and +children were very happy, for they thought that now they would not be +parted again. The white-haired Fathers who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> made the laws for the city +came to see him. They asked him about the war.</p> + +<p>"I was sent from Carthage to ask you to make peace," he said. "But it +will not be wise to make peace. True, we have been beaten in a few +battles, but our army is gaining ground every day. The people of +Carthage are afraid, and well they may be. Keep on with the war a +little while longer, and Carthage shall be yours. As for me, I have +come to bid my wife and children and Rome fare-well. To-morrow I will +start back to Carthage and to prison; for I have promised."</p> + +<p>Then the Fathers tried to persuade him to stay.</p> + +<p>"Let us send another man in your place," they said.</p> + +<p>"Shall a Roman not keep his word?" answered Regulus. "I am ill, and at +the best have not long to live. I will go back, as I promised."</p> + +<p>His wife and little children wept, and his sons begged him not to +leave them again.</p> + +<p>"I have given my word," said Regulus. "The rest will be taken care +of."</p> + +<p>Then he bade them good-by, and went bravely back to the prison and the +cruel death which he ex-pect-ed.</p> + +<p>This was the kind of courage that made Rome the greatest city in the +world.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CORNELIAS_JEWELS" id="CORNELIAS_JEWELS"></a>CORNELIA'S JEWELS.</h2> + + +<p>It was a bright morning in the old city of Rome many hundred years +ago. In a vine-covered summer-house in a beautiful garden, two boys +were standing. They were looking at their mother and her friend, who +were walking among the flowers and trees.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever see so handsome a lady as our mother's friend?" asked +the younger boy, holding his tall brother's hand. "She looks like a +queen."</p> + +<p>"Yet she is not so beautiful as our mother," said the elder boy. "She +has a fine dress, it is true; but her face is not noble and kind. It +is our mother who is like a queen."</p> + +<p>"That is true," said the other. "There is no woman in Rome so much +like a queen as our own dear mother."</p> + +<p>Soon Cor-ne´li-a, their mother, came down the walk to speak with them. +She was simply dressed in a plain white robe. Her arms and feet were +bare, as was the custom in those days; and no rings nor chains +glit-tered about her hands and neck. For her only crown, long braids +of soft brown hair were coiled about her head; and a tender smile lit +up her noble face as she looked into her sons' proud eyes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Boys," she said, "I have something to tell you."</p> + +<p>They bowed before her, as Roman lads were taught to do, and said, +"What is it, mother?"</p> + +<p>"You are to dine with us to-day, here in the garden; and then our +friend is going to show us that wonderful casket of jewels of which +you have heard so much."</p> + +<p>The brothers looked shyly at their mother's friend. Was it possible +that she had still other rings besides those on her fingers? Could she +have other gems besides those which sparkled in the chains about her +neck?</p> + +<p>When the simple out-door meal was over, a servant brought the casket +from the house. The lady opened it. Ah, how those jewels dazzled the +eyes of the wondering boys! There were ropes of pearls, white as milk, +and smooth as satin; heaps of shining rubies, red as the glowing +coals; sap-phires as blue as the sky that summer day; and di-a-monds +that flashed and sparkled like the sunlight.</p> + +<p>The brothers looked long at the gems.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" whis-pered the younger; "if our mother could only have such +beautiful things!"</p> + +<p>At last, how-ever, the casket was closed and carried care-ful-ly away.</p> + +<p>"Is it true, Cor-ne-li-a, that you have no jewels?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> asked her friend. +"Is it true, as I have heard it whis-pered, that you are poor?"</p> + +<p>"No, I am not poor," answered Cornelia, and as she spoke she drew her +two boys to her side; "for here are my jewels. They are worth more +than all your gems."</p> + +<p>I am sure that the boys never forgot their mother's pride and love and +care; and in after years, when they had become great men in Rome, they +often thought of this scene in the garden. And the world still likes +to hear the story of Cornelia's jewels.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ANDROCLUS_AND_THE_LION" id="ANDROCLUS_AND_THE_LION"></a>ANDROCLUS AND THE LION.</h2> + + +<p>In Rome there was once a poor slave whose name was An´dro-clus. His +master was a cruel man, and so unkind to him that at last An-dro-clus +ran away.</p> + +<p>He hid himself in a wild wood for many days; but there was no food to +be found, and he grew so weak and sick that he thought he should die. +So one day he crept into a cave and lay down, and soon he was fast +asleep.</p> + +<p>After a while a great noise woke him up. A lion had come into the +cave, and was roaring loudly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> Androclus was very much afraid, for he +felt sure that the beast would kill him. Soon, however, he saw that +the lion was not angry, but that he limped as though his foot hurt +him.</p> + +<p>Then Androclus grew so bold that he took hold of the lion's lame paw +to see what was the matter. The lion stood quite still, and rubbed his +head against the man's shoulder. He seemed to say,—</p> + +<p>"I know that you will help me."</p> + +<p>Androclus lifted the paw from the ground, and saw that it was a long, +sharp thorn which hurt the lion so much. He took the end of the thorn +in his fingers; then he gave a strong, quick pull, and out it came. +The lion was full of joy. He jumped about like a dog, and licked the +hands and feet of his new friend.</p> + +<p>Androclus was not at all afraid after this; and when night came, he +and the lion lay down and slept side by side.</p> + +<p>For a long time, the lion brought food to Androclus every day; and the +two became such good friends, that Androclus found his new life a very +happy one.</p> + +<p>One day some soldiers who were passing through the wood found +Androclus in the cave. They knew who he was, and so took him back to +Rome.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was the law at that time that every slave who ran away from his +master should be made to fight a hungry lion. So a fierce lion was +shut up for a while without food, and a time was set for the fight.</p> + +<p>When the day came, thousands of people crowded to see the sport. They +went to such places at that time very much as people now-a-days go to +see a circus show or a game of base-ball.</p> + +<p>The door opened, and poor Androclus was brought in. He was almost dead +with fear, for the roars of the lion could al-read-y be heard. He +looked up, and saw that there was no pity in the thou-sands of faces +around him.</p> + +<p>Then the hungry lion rushed in. With a single bound he reached the +poor slave. Androclus gave a great cry, not of fear, but of gladness. +It was his old friend, the lion of the cave.</p> + +<p>The people, who had ex-pect-ed to see the man killed by the lion, were +filled with wonder. They saw Androclus put his arms around the lion's +neck; they saw the lion lie down at his feet, and lick them +lov-ing-ly; they saw the great beast rub his head against the slave's +face as though he wanted to be petted. They could not un-der-stand +what it all meant.</p> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_090.jpg" width="500" height="714" alt="Androclus and the Lion." /><br /> +<span class="caption">Androclus and the Lion.</span></div> + +<p>After a while they asked Androclus to tell them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span>about it. So he +stood up before them, and, with his arm around the lion's neck, told +how he and the beast had lived together in the cave.</p> + +<p>"I am a man," he said; "but no man has ever befriended me. This poor +lion alone has been kind to me; and we love each other as brothers."</p> + +<p>The people were not so bad that they could be cruel to the poor slave +now. "Live and be free!" they cried. "Live and be free!"</p> + +<p>Others cried, "Let the lion go free too! Give both of them their +liberty!"</p> + +<p>And so Androclus was set free, and the lion was given to him for his +own. And they lived together in Rome for many years.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="HORATIUS_AT_THE_BRIDGE" id="HORATIUS_AT_THE_BRIDGE"></a>HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE.</h2> + + +<p>Once there was a war between the Roman people and the E-trus´cans who +lived in the towns on the other side of the Ti-ber River. Por´se-na, +the King of the E-trus-cans, raised a great army, and marched toward +Rome. The city had never been in so great danger.</p> + +<p>The Romans did not have very many fighting men at that time, and they +knew that they were not strong enough to meet the Etruscans in open<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +battle. So they kept themselves inside of their walls, and set guards +to watch the roads.</p> + +<p>One morning the army of Por-se-na was seen coming over the hills from +the north. There were thousands of horsemen and footmen, and they were +marching straight toward the wooden bridge which spanned the river at +Rome.</p> + +<p>"What shall we do?" said the white-haired Fathers who made the laws +for the Roman people. "If they once gain the bridge, we cannot hinder +them from crossing; and then what hope will there be for the town?"</p> + +<p>Now, among the guards at the bridge, there was a brave man named +Ho-ra´ti-us. He was on the farther side of the river, and when he saw +that the Etruscans were so near, he called out to the Romans who were +behind him.</p> + +<p>"Hew down the bridge with all the speed that you can!" he cried. "I, +with the two men who stand by me, will keep the foe at bay."</p> + +<p>Then, with their shields before them, and their long spears in their +hands, the three brave men stood in the road, and kept back the +horsemen whom Porsena had sent to take the bridge.</p> + +<p>On the bridge the Romans hewed away at the beams and posts. Their axes +rang, the chips flew fast; and soon it trembled, and was ready to +fall.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Come back! come back, and save your lives!" they cried to Ho-ra-ti-us +and the two who were with him.</p> + +<p>But just then Porsena's horsemen dashed toward them again.</p> + +<p>"Run for your lives!" said Horatius to his friends. "I will keep the +road."</p> + +<p>They turned, and ran back across the bridge. They had hardly reached +the other side when there was a crashing of beams and timbers. The +bridge toppled over to one side, and then fell with a great splash +into the water.</p> + +<p>When Horatius heard the sound, he knew that the city was safe. With +his face still toward Porsena's men, he moved slowly back-ward till he +stood on the river's bank. A dart thrown by one of Porsena's soldiers +put out his left eye; but he did not falter. He cast his spear at the +fore-most horseman, and then he turned quickly around. He saw the +white porch of his own home among the trees on the other side of the +stream;</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"And he spake to the noble river<br /></span> +<span class="i2">That rolls by the walls of Rome:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'O Tiber! father Tiber!<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To whom the Romans pray,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A Roman's life, a Roman's arms,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Take thou in charge to-day.'"<br /></span> +</div></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> +<p>He leaped into the deep, swift stream. He still had his heavy armor +on; and when he sank out of sight, no one thought that he would ever +be seen again. But he was a strong man, and the best swimmer in Rome. +The next minute he rose. He was half-way across the river, and safe +from the spears and darts which Porsena's soldiers hurled after him.</p> + +<p>Soon he reached the farther side, where his friends stood ready to +help him. Shout after shout greeted him as he climbed upon the bank. +Then Porsena's men shouted also, for they had never seen a man so +brave and strong as Horatius. He had kept them out of Rome, but he had +done a deed which they could not help but praise.</p> + +<p>As for the Romans, they were very grateful to Horatius for having +saved their city. They called him Horatius Co´cles, which meant the +"one-eyed Horatius," because he had lost an eye in defending the +bridge; they caused a fine statue of brass to be made in his honor; +and they gave him as much land as he could plow around in a day. And +for hundreds of years afterwards—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"With weeping and with laugh-ter,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Still was the story told,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How well Horatius kept the bridge<br /></span> +<span class="i2">In the brave days of old."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="JULIUS_CAESAR" id="JULIUS_CAESAR"></a>JULIUS CÆSAR.</h2> + + +<p>Nearly two thousand years ago there lived in Rome a man whose name was +Julius Cæ´sar. He was the greatest of all the Romans.</p> + +<p>Why was he so great?</p> + +<p>He was a brave warrior, and had con-quered many countries for Rome. He +was wise in planning and in doing. He knew how to make men both love +and fear him.</p> + +<p>At last he made himself the ruler of Rome. Some said that he wished to +become its king. But the Romans at that time did not believe in kings.</p> + +<p>Once when Cæ-sar was passing through a little country village, all the +men, women, and children of the place came out to see him. There were +not more than fifty of them, all together, and they were led by their +may-or, who told each one what to do.</p> + +<p>These simple people stood by the roadside and watched Cæsar pass. The +may-or looked very proud and happy; for was he not the ruler of this +village? He felt that he was almost as great a man as Cæsar himself.</p> + +<p>Some of the fine of-fi-cers who were with Cæsar laughed. They said, +"See how that fellow struts at the head of his little flock!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Laugh as you will," said Cæsar, "he has reason to be proud. I would +rather be the head man of a village than the second man in Rome!"</p> + +<p>At an-oth-er time, Cæsar was crossing a narrow sea in a boat. Before +he was halfway to the farther shore, a storm overtook him. The wind +blew hard; the waves dashed high; the lightning flashed; the thunder +rolled.</p> + +<p>It seemed every minute as though the boat would sink. The captain was +in great fright. He had crossed the sea many times, but never in such +a storm as this. He trembled with fear; he could not guide the boat; +he fell down upon his knees; he moaned, "All is lost! all is lost!"</p> + +<p>But Cæsar was not afraid. He bade the man get up and take his oars +again.</p> + +<p>"Why should you be afraid?" he said. "The boat will not be lost; for +you have Cæsar on board."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_SWORD_OF_DAMOCLES" id="THE_SWORD_OF_DAMOCLES"></a>THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES.</h2> + + +<p>There was once a king whose name was Di-o-nys´i-us. He was so unjust +and cruel that he won for himself the name of tyrant. He knew that +almost everybody hated him, and so he was always in dread lest some +one should take his life.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> + +<p>But he was very rich, and he lived in a fine palace where there were +many beautiful and costly things, and he was waited upon by a host of +servants who were always ready to do his bidding. One day a friend of +his, whose name was Dam´o-cles, said to him,—</p> + +<p>"How happy you must be! You have here everything that any man could +wish."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you would like to change places with me," said the tyrant.</p> + +<p>"No, not that, O king!" said Dam-o-cles; "but I think, that, if I +could only have your riches and your pleas-ures for one day, I should +not want any greater hap-pi-ness."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said the tyrant. "You shall have them."</p> + +<p>And so, the next day, Damocles was led into the palace, and all the +servants were bidden to treat him as their master. He sat down at a +table in the banquet hall, and rich foods were placed before him. +Nothing was wanting that could give him pleasure. There were costly +wines, and beautiful flowers, and rare perfumes, and de-light-ful +music. He rested himself among soft cushions, and felt that he was the +happiest man in all the world.</p> + +<div class="center" > +<img src="images/image_098.jpg" width="500" height="759" alt="The Sword of Damocles." /><br /> + +<span class="caption">The Sword of Damocles.</span> +</div> + +<p>Then he chanced to raise his eyes toward the ceiling. What was it that +was dangling above him, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span>with its point almost touching his head? It +was a sharp sword, and it was hung by only a single horse-hair. What +if the hair should break? There was danger every moment that it would +do so.</p> + +<p>The smile faded from the lips of Damocles. His face became ashy pale. +His hands trembled. He wanted no more food; he could drink no more +wine; he took no more delight in the music. He longed to be out of the +palace, and away, he cared not where.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" said the tyrant.</p> + +<p>"That sword! that sword!" cried Damocles. He was so badly frightened +that he dared not move.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Di-o-nys-i-us, "I know there is a sword above your head, +and that it may fall at any moment. But why should that trouble you? I +have a sword over my head all the time. I am every moment in dread +lest something may cause me to lose my life."</p> + +<p>"Let me go," said Damocles. "I now see that I was mis-tak-en, and that +the rich and pow-er-ful are not so happy as they seem. Let me go back +to my old home in the poor little cot-tage among the mountains."</p> + +<p>And so long as he lived, he never again wanted to be rich, or to +change places, even for a moment, with the king.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="DAMON_AND_PYTHIAS" id="DAMON_AND_PYTHIAS"></a>DAMON AND PYTHIAS.</h2> + + +<p>A young man whose name was Pyth´i-as had done something which the +tyrant Dionysius did not like. For this offense he was dragged to +prison, and a day was set when he should be put to death. His home was +far away, and he wanted very much to see his father and mother and +friends before he died.</p> + +<p>"Only give me leave to go home and say good-by to those whom I love," +he said, "and then I will come back and give up my life."</p> + +<p>The tyrant laughed at him.</p> + +<p>"How can I know that you will keep your promise?" he said. "You only +want to cheat me, and save your-self."</p> + +<p>Then a young man whose name was Da-mon spoke and said,—</p> + +<p>"O king! put me in prison in place of my friend Pyth-i-as, and let him +go to his own country to put his affairs in order, and to bid his +friends fare-well. I know that he will come back as he promised, for +he is a man who has never broken his word. But if he is not here on +the day which you have set, then I will die in his stead."</p> + +<p>The tyrant was sur-prised that anybody should make such an offer. He +at last agreed to let<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> Pythias go, and gave orders that the young man +Da-mon should be shut up in prison.</p> + +<p>Time passed, and by and by the day drew near which had been set for +Pythias to die; and he had not come back. The tyrant ordered the +jailer to keep close watch upon Damon, and not let him escape. But +Damon did not try to escape. He still had faith in the truth and honor +of his friend. He said, "If Pythias does not come back in time, it +will not be his fault. It will be because he is hin-dered against his +will."</p> + +<p>At last the day came, and then the very hour. Damon was ready to die. +His trust in his friend was as firm as ever; and he said that he did +not grieve at having to suffer for one whom he loved so much.</p> + +<p>Then the jailer came to lead him to his death; but at the same moment +Pythias stood in the door. He had been de-layed by storms and +ship-wreck, and he had feared that he was too late. He greeted Damon +kindly, and then gave himself into the hands of the jailer. He was +happy because he thought that he had come in time, even though it was +at the last moment.</p> + +<p>The tyrant was not so bad but that he could see good in others. He +felt that men who loved and trusted each other, as did Damon and +Pythias,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> ought not to suffer un-just-ly. And so he set them both +free.</p> + +<p>"I would give all my wealth to have one such friend," he said.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="A_LACONIC_ANSWER" id="A_LACONIC_ANSWER"></a>A LACONIC ANSWER.</h2> + + +<p>Many miles beyond Rome there was a famous country which we call +Greece. The people of Greece were not u-nit-ed like the Romans; but +instead there were sev-er-al states, each of which had its own rulers.</p> + +<p>Some of the people in the southern part of the country were called +Spar-tans, and they were noted for their simple habits and their +brav-er-y. The name of their land was La-co´ni-a, and so they were +sometimes called La-cons.</p> + +<p>One of the strange rules which the Spartans had, was that they should +speak briefly, and never use more words than were needed. And so a +short answer is often spoken of as being <i>la-con-ic</i>; that is, as +being such an answer as a Lacon would be likely to give.</p> + +<p>There was in the northern part of Greece a land called Mac´e-don; and +this land was at one time ruled over by a war-like king named Philip.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p> + +<p>Philip of Mac-e-don wanted to become the master of all Greece. So he +raised a great army, and made war upon the other states, until nearly +all of them were forced to call him their king. Then he sent a letter +to the Spartans in La-co-ni-a, and said, "If I go down into your +country, I will level your great city to the ground."</p> + +<p>In a few days, an answer was brought back to him. When he opened the +letter, he found only one word written there.</p> + +<p>That word was "<span class="smcap">IF</span>."</p> + +<p>It was as much as to say, "We are not afraid of you so long as the +little word 'if' stands in your way."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_UNGRATEFUL_GUEST" id="THE_UNGRATEFUL_GUEST"></a>THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST.</h2> + + +<p>Among the soldiers of King Philip there was a poor man who had done +some brave deeds. He had pleased the king in more ways than one, and +so the king put a good deal of trust in him.</p> + +<p>One day this soldier was on board of a ship at sea when a great storm +came up. The winds drove the ship upon the rocks, and it was wrecked. +The soldier was cast half-drowned upon the shore; and he would have +died there, had it not been for the kind care of a farmer who lived +close by.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_104.jpg" width="500" height="612" alt="THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST." /></div> + +<p>When the soldier was well enough to go home, he thanked the farmer for +what he had done, and promised that he would repay him for his +kindness.</p> + +<p>But he did not mean to keep his promise. He did not tell King Philip +about the man who had saved his life. He only said that there was a +fine<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> farm by the seashore, and that he would like very much to have +it for his own. Would the king give it to him?</p> + +<p>"Who owns the farm now?" asked Philip.</p> + +<p>"Only a churlish farmer, who has never done anything for his country," +said the soldier.</p> + +<p>"Very well, then," said Philip. "You have served me for a long time, +and you shall have your wish. Go and take the farm for yourself."</p> + +<p>And so the soldier made haste to drive the farmer from his house and +home. He took the farm for his own.</p> + +<p>The poor farmer was stung to the heart by such treat-ment. He went +boldly to the king, and told the whole story from beginning to end. +King Philip was very angry when he learned that the man whom he had +trusted had done so base a deed. He sent for the soldier in great +haste; and when he had come, he caused these words to be burned in his +forehead:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST."</p></div> + +<p>Thus all the world was made to know of the mean act by which the +soldier had tried to enrich himself; and from that day until he died +all men shunned and hated him.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="ALEXANDER_AND_BUCEPHALUS" id="ALEXANDER_AND_BUCEPHALUS"></a>ALEXANDER AND BUCEPHALUS.</h2> + + +<p>One day King Philip bought a fine horse called Bu-ceph´a-lus. He was a +noble an-i-mal, and the king paid a very high price for him. But he +was wild and savage, and no man could mount him, or do anything at all +with him.</p> + +<p>They tried to whip him, but that only made him worse. At last the king +bade his servants take him away.</p> + +<p>"It is a pity to ruin so fine a horse as that," said Al-ex-an´der, the +king's young son. "Those men do not know how to treat him."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you can do better than they," said his father scorn-ful-ly.</p> + +<p>"I know," said Al-ex-an-der, "that, if you would only give me leave to +try, I could manage this horse better than any one else."</p> + +<p>"And if you fail to do so, what then?" asked Philip.</p> + +<p>"I will pay you the price of the horse," said the lad.</p> + +<p>While everybody was laughing, Alexander ran up to Bu-ceph-a-lus, and +turned his head toward the sun. He had noticed that the horse was +afraid of his own shadow.</p> + +<p>He then spoke gently to the horse, and patted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> him with his hand. When +he had qui-et-ed him a little, he made a quick spring, and leaped upon +the horse's back.</p> + +<p>Everybody expected to see the boy killed outright. But he kept his +place, and let the horse run as fast as he would. By and by, when +Bucephalus had become tired, Alexander reined him in, and rode back to +the place where his father was standing.</p> + +<p>All the men who were there shouted when they saw that the boy had +proved himself to be the master of the horse.</p> + +<p>He leaped to the ground, and his father ran and kissed him.</p> + +<p>"My son," said the king, "Macedon is too small a place for you. You +must seek a larger kingdom that will be worthy of you."</p> + +<p>After that, Alexander and Bucephalus were the best of friends. They +were said to be always together, for when one of them was seen, the +other was sure to be not far away. But the horse would never allow any +one to mount him but his master.</p> + +<p>Alexander became the most famous king and warrior that was ever known; +and for that reason he is always called Alexander the Great. +Bucephalus carried him through many countries and in many fierce +battles, and more than once did he save his master's life.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="DIOGENES_THE_WISE_MAN" id="DIOGENES_THE_WISE_MAN"></a>DIOGENES THE WISE MAN.</h2> + + +<p>At Cor-inth, in Greece, there lived a very wise man whose name was +Di-og´e-nes. Men came from all parts of the land to see him and hear +him talk.</p> + +<p>But wise as he was, he had some very queer ways. He did not believe +that any man ought to have more things than he re-al-ly needed; and he +said that no man needed much. And so he did not live in a house, but +slept in a tub or barrel, which he rolled about from place to place. +He spent his days sitting in the sun, and saying wise things to those +who were around him.</p> + +<p>At noon one day, Di-og-e-nes was seen walking through the streets with +a lighted lantern, and looking all around as if in search of +something.</p> + +<p>"Why do you carry a lantern when the sun is shining?" some one said.</p> + +<p>"I am looking for an honest man," answered Diogenes.</p> + +<p>When Alexander the Great went to Cor-inth, all the fore-most men in +the city came out to see him and to praise him. But Diogenes did not +come; and he was the only man for whose o-pin-ions Alexander cared.</p> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_109.jpg" width="650" height="489" alt="Diogenes and Alexander." /><br /> +<span class="caption">Diogenes and Alexander.</span></div> + +<p>And so, since the wise man would not come to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span>see the king, the king +went to see the wise man. He found Diogenes in an out-of-the-way +place, lying on the ground by his tub. He was en-joy-ing the heat and +the light of the sun.</p> + +<p>When he saw the king and a great many people coming, he sat up and +looked at Alexander. Alexander greeted him and said,—</p> + +<p>"Diogenes, I have heard a great deal about your wisdom. Is there +anything that I can do for you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Diogenes. "You can stand a little on one side, so as not +to keep the sunshine from me."</p> + +<p>This answer was so dif-fer-ent from what he expected, that the king +was much sur-prised. But it did not make him angry; it only made him +admire the strange man all the more. When he turned to ride back, he +said to his officers,—</p> + +<p>"Say what you will; if I were not Alexander, I would like to be +Diogenes."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_BRAVE_THREE_HUNDRED" id="THE_BRAVE_THREE_HUNDRED"></a>THE BRAVE THREE HUNDRED.</h2> + + +<p>All Greece was in danger. A mighty army, led by the great King of +Persia, had come from the east. It was marching along the seashore, +and in a few days would be in Greece. The great king<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> had sent +mes-sen-gers into every city and state, bidding them give him water +and earth in token that the land and the sea were his. But they +said,—</p> + +<p>"No: we will be free."</p> + +<p>And so there was a great stir through-out all the land. The men armed +themselves, and made haste to go out and drive back their foe; and the +women staid at home, weeping and waiting, and trembling with fear.</p> + +<p>There was only one way by which the Per-sian army could go into Greece +on that side, and that was by a narrow pass between the mountains and +the sea. This pass was guarded by Le-on´i-das, the King of the +Spartans, with three hundred Spartan soldiers.</p> + +<p>Soon the Persian soldiers were seen coming. There were so many of them +that no man could count them. How could a handful of men hope to stand +against so great a host?</p> + +<p>And yet Le-on-i-das and his Spartans held their ground. They had made +up their minds to die at their post. Some one brought them word that +there were so many Persians that their arrows dark-ened the sun.</p> + +<p>"So much the better," said the Spartans; "we shall fight in the +shade."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> + +<p>Bravely they stood in the narrow pass. Bravely they faced their foes. +To Spartans there was no such thing as fear. The Persians came +forward, only to meet death at the points of their spears.</p> + +<p>But one by one the Spartans fell. At last their spears were broken; +yet still they stood side by side, fighting to the last. Some fought +with swords, some with daggers, and some with only their fists and +teeth.</p> + +<p>All day long the army of the Persians was kept at bay. But when the +sun went down, there was not one Spartan left alive. Where they had +stood there was only a heap of the slain, all bristled over with +spears and arrows.</p> + +<p>Twenty thousand Persian soldiers had fallen before that handful of +men. And Greece was saved.</p> + +<p>Thousands of years have passed since then; but men still like to tell +the story of Leonidas and the brave three hundred who died for their +country's sake.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="SOCRATES_AND_HIS_HOUSE" id="SOCRATES_AND_HIS_HOUSE"></a>SOCRATES AND HIS HOUSE.</h2> + + +<p>There once lived in Greece a very wise man whose name was Soc´ra-tes. +Young men from all parts of the land went to him to learn wisdom from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +him; and he said so many pleasant things, and said them in so +delightful a way, that no one ever grew tired of listening to him.</p> + +<p>One summer he built himself a house, but it was so small that his +neighbors wondered how he could be content with it.</p> + +<p>"What is the reason," said they, "that you, who are so great a man, +should build such a little box as this for your dwelling house?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed, there may be little reason," said he; "but, small as the +place is, I shall think myself happy if I can fill even it with true +friends."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_KING_AND_HIS_HAWK" id="THE_KING_AND_HIS_HAWK"></a>THE KING AND HIS HAWK.</h2> + + +<p>Gen´ghis Khan was a great king and war-rior.</p> + +<p>He led his army into China and Persia, and he con-quered many lands. +In every country, men told about his daring deeds; and they said that +since Alexander the Great there had been no king like him.</p> + +<p>One morning when he was home from the wars, he rode out into the woods +to have a day's sport. Many of his friends were with him. They rode +out gayly, carrying their bows and arrows. Behind them came the +servants with the hounds.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was a merry hunting party. The woods rang with their shouts and +laughter. They expected to carry much game home in the evening.</p> + +<p>On the king's wrist sat his favorite hawk; for in those days hawks +were trained to hunt. At a word from their masters they would fly high +up into the air, and look around for prey. If they chanced to see a +deer or a rabbit, they would swoop down upon it swift as any arrow.</p> + +<p>All day long Gen-ghis Khan and his huntsmen rode through the woods. +But they did not find as much game as they expected.</p> + +<p>Toward evening they started for home. The king had often ridden +through the woods, and he knew all the paths. So while the rest of the +party took the nearest way, he went by a longer road through a valley +between two mountains.</p> + +<p>The day had been warm, and the king was very thirsty. His pet hawk had +left his wrist and flown away. It would be sure to find its way home.</p> + +<p>The king rode slowly along. He had once seen a spring of clear water +near this path-way. If he could only find it now! But the hot days of +summer had dried up all the moun-tain brooks.</p> + +<p>At last, to his joy, he saw some water tric-kling down over the edge +of a rock. He knew that there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> was a spring farther up. In the wet +season, a swift stream of water always poured down here; but now it +came only one drop at a time.</p> + +<p>The king leaped from his horse. He took a little silver cup from his +hunting bag. He held it so as to catch the slowly falling drops.</p> + +<p>It took a long time to fill the cup; and the king was so thirsty that +he could hardly wait. At last it was nearly full. He put the cup to +his lips, and was about to drink.</p> + +<p>All at once there was a whir-ring sound in the air, and the cup was +knocked from his hands. The water was all spilled upon the ground.</p> + +<p>The king looked up to see who had done this thing. It was his pet +hawk.</p> + +<p>The hawk flew back and forth a few times, and then alighted among the +rocks by the spring.</p> + +<p>The king picked up the cup, and again held it to catch the tric-kling +drops.</p> + +<p>This time he did not wait so long. When the cup was half full, he +lifted it toward his mouth. But before it had touched his lips, the +hawk swooped down again, and knocked it from his hands.</p> + +<p>And now the king began to grow angry. He tried again; and for the +third time the hawk kept him from drinking.</p> + +<p>The king was now very angry indeed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> + +<p>"How do you dare to act so?" he cried. "If I had you in my hands, I +would wring your neck!"</p> + +<p>Then he filled the cup again. But before he tried to drink, he drew +his sword.</p> + +<p>"Now, Sir Hawk," he said, "this is the last time."</p> + +<p>He had hardly spoken, before the hawk swooped down and knocked the cup +from his hand. But the king was looking for this. With a quick sweep +of the sword he struck the bird as it passed.</p> + +<p>The next moment the poor hawk lay bleeding and dying at its master's +feet.</p> + +<p>"That is what you get for your pains," said Genghis Khan.</p> + +<p>But when he looked for his cup, he found that it had fallen between +two rocks, where he could not reach it.</p> + +<p>"At any rate, I will have a drink from that spring," he said to +himself.</p> + +<p>With that he began to climb the steep bank to the place from which the +water trickled. It was hard work, and the higher he climbed, the +thirst-i-er he became.</p> + +<p>At last he reached the place. There indeed was a pool of water; but +what was that lying in the pool, and almost filling it? It was a huge, +dead snake of the most poi-son-ous kind.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> + +<p>The king stopped. He forgot his thirst. He thought only of the poor +dead bird lying on the ground below him.</p> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_117.jpg" width="650" height="725" alt="THE KING AND HIS HAWK." /></div> + +<p>"The hawk saved my life!" he cried; "and how did I repay him? He was +my best friend, and I have killed him."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span></p> + +<p>He clam-bered down the bank. He took the bird up gently, and laid it +in his hunting bag. Then he mounted his horse and rode swiftly home. +He said to himself,—</p> + +<p>"I have learned a sad lesson to-day; and that is, never to do +any-thing in anger."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="DOCTOR_GOLDSMITH" id="DOCTOR_GOLDSMITH"></a>DOCTOR GOLDSMITH.</h2> + + +<p>There was once a kind man whose name was Oliver Gold-smith. He wrote +many de-light-ful books, some of which you will read when you are +older.</p> + +<p>He had a gentle heart. He was always ready to help others and to share +with them anything that he had. He gave away so much to the poor that +he was always poor himself.</p> + +<p>He was some-times called Doctor Goldsmith; for he had studied to be a +phy-si-cian.</p> + +<p>One day a poor woman asked Doctor Goldsmith to go and see her husband, +who was sick and could not eat.</p> + +<p>Goldsmith did so. He found that the family was in great need. The man +had not had work for a long time. He was not sick, but in distress; +and, as for eating, there was no food in the house.</p> + +<p>"Call at my room this evening," said Goldsmith<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> to the woman, "and I +will give you some med-i-cine for your husband."</p> + +<p>In the evening the woman called. Goldsmith gave her a little paper box +that was very heavy.</p> + +<p>"Here is the med-i-cine," he said. "Use it faith-ful-ly, and I think +it will do your husband a great deal of good. But don't open the box +until you reach home."</p> + +<p>"What are the di-rec-tions for taking it?" asked the woman.</p> + +<p>"You will find them inside of the box," he answered.</p> + +<p>When the woman reached her home, she sat down by her husband's side, +and they opened the box; What do you think they found in it?</p> + +<p>It was full of pieces of money. And on the top were the +di-rec-tions:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"TO BE TAKEN AS OFTEN AS NE-CES-SI-TY REQUIRES."</p></div> + +<p>Goldsmith had given them all the ready money that he had.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_KINGDOMS" id="THE_KINGDOMS"></a>THE KINGDOMS.</h2> + + +<p>There was once a king of Prussia whose name was Frederick William.</p> + +<p>On a fine morning in June he went out alone to walk in the green +woods. He was tired of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> noise of the city, and he was glad to get +away from it.</p> + +<p>So, as he walked among the trees, he often stopped to listen to the +singing birds, or to look at the wild flowers that grew on every side. +Now and then he stooped to pluck a violet, or a primrose, or a yellow +but-ter-cup. Soon his hands were full of pretty blossoms.</p> + +<p>After a while he came to a little meadow in the midst of the wood. +Some children were playing there. They were running here and there, +and gathering the cow-slips that were blooming among the grass.</p> + +<p>It made the king glad to see the happy children, and hear their merry +voices. He stood still for some time, and watched them as they played.</p> + +<p>Then he called them around him, and all sat down to-geth-er in the +pleasant shade. The children did not know who the strange gentleman +was; but they liked his kind face and gentle manners.</p> + +<p>"Now, my little folks," said the king, "I want to ask you some +ques-tions, and the child who gives the best answer shall have a +prize."</p> + +<p>Then he held up an orange so that all the children could see.</p> + +<p>"You know that we all live in the king-dom of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> Prussia," he said; "but +tell me, to what king-dom does this orange belong?"</p> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/image_121.jpg" width="500" height="660" alt="THE KINGDOMS." /></div> + +<p>The children were puz-zled. They looked at one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> another, and sat very +still for a little while. Then a brave, bright boy spoke up and +said,—</p> + +<p>"It belongs to the veg-e-ta-ble kingdom, sir."</p> + +<p>"Why so, my lad?" asked the king.</p> + +<p>"It is the fruit of a plant, and all plants belong to that kingdom," +said the boy.</p> + +<p>The king was pleased. "You are quite right," he said; "and you shall +have the orange for your prize."</p> + +<p>He tossed it gayly to the boy. "Catch it if you can!" he said.</p> + +<p>Then he took a yellow gold piece from his pocket, and held it up so +that it glit-tered in the sunlight.</p> + +<p>"Now to what kingdom does this belong?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Another bright boy answered quick-ly, "To the min-er-al kingdom, sir! +All metals belong to that kingdom."</p> + +<p>"That is a good answer," said the king. "The gold piece is your +prize."</p> + +<p>The children were de-light-ed. With eager faces they waited to hear +what the stranger would say next.</p> + +<p>"I will ask you only one more question," said the king, "and it is an +easy one." Then he stood up, and said, "Tell me, my little folks, to +what kingdom do I belong?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> + +<p>The bright boys were puz-zled now. Some thought of saying, "To the +kingdom of Prussia." Some wanted to say, "To the animal kingdom." But +they were a little afraid, and all kept still.</p> + +<p>At last a tiny blue-eyed child looked up into the king's smiling face, +and said in her simple way,—</p> + +<p>"I think to the kingdom of heaven."</p> + +<p>King Frederick William stooped down and lifted the little maiden in +his arms. Tears were in his eyes as he kissed her, and said, "So be +it, my child! So be it."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_BARMECIDE_FEAST" id="THE_BARMECIDE_FEAST"></a>THE BARMECIDE FEAST.</h2> + + +<p>There was once a rich old man who was called the Bar-me-cide. He lived +in a beautiful palace in the midst of flowery gardens. He had +every-thing that heart could wish.</p> + +<p>In the same land there was a poor man whose name was Schac-a-bac. His +clothing was rags, and his food was the scraps which other people had +thrown away. But he had a light heart, and was as happy as a king.</p> + +<p>Once when Schac-a-bac had not had anything to eat for a long time, he +thought that he would go and ask the Bar-me-cide to help him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span></p> + +<p>The servant at the door said, "Come in and talk with our master. He +will not send you away hungry."</p> + +<p>Schacabac went in, and passed through many beautiful rooms, looking +for the Barmecide. At last he came to a grand hall where there were +soft carpets on the floor, and fine pictures on the walls, and +pleasant couches to lie down upon.</p> + +<p>At the upper end of the room he saw a noble man with a long white +beard. It was the Barmecide; and poor Schacabac bowed low before him, +as was the custom in that country.</p> + +<p>The Barmecide spoke very kindly, and asked what was wanted.</p> + +<p>Schacabac told him about all his troubles, and said that it was now +two days since he had tasted bread.</p> + +<p>"Is it possible?" said the Barmecide. "You must be almost dead with +hunger; and here I have plenty and to spare!"</p> + +<p>Then he turned and called, "Ho, boy! Bring in the water to wash our +hands, and then order the cook to hurry the supper."</p> + +<p>Schacabac had not expected to be treated so kindly. He began to thank +the rich man.</p> + +<p>"Say not a word," said the Barmecide, "but let us get ready for the +feast."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then the rich man began to rub his hands as though some one was +pouring water on them. "Come and wash with me," he said.</p> + +<p>Schacabac saw no boy, nor basin, nor water. But he thought that he +ought to do as he was bidden; and so, like the Barmecide, he made a +pretense of washing.</p> + +<p>"Come now," said the Barmecide, "let us have supper."</p> + +<p>He sat down, as if to a table, and pre-tend-ed to be carving a roast. +Then he said, "Help yourself, my good friend. You said you were +hungry: so, now, don't be afraid of the food."</p> + +<p>Schacabac thought that he un-der-stood the joke, and he made pretense +of taking food, and passing it to his mouth. Then he began to chew, +and said, "You see, sir, I lose no time."</p> + +<p>"Boy," said the old man, "bring on the roast goose.—Now, my good +friend, try this choice piece from the breast. And here are sweet +sauce, honey, raisins, green peas, and dry figs. Help yourself, and +remember that other good things are coming."</p> + +<p>Schacabac was almost dead with hunger, but he was too polite not to do +as he was bidden.</p> + +<p>"Come," said the Barmecide, "have another piece of the roast lamb. Did +you ever eat anything so de-li-cious?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Never in my life," said Schacabac. "Your table is full of good +things."</p> + +<p>"Then eat heartily," said the Barmecide. "You cannot please me +better."</p> + +<p>After this came the des-sert. The Barmecide spoke of sweet-meats and +fruits; and Schacabac made believe that he was eating them.</p> + +<p>"Now is there anything else that you would like?" asked the host.</p> + +<p>"Ah, no!" said poor Schacabac. "I have indeed had great plenty."</p> + +<p>"Let us drink, then," said the Barmecide. "Boy, bring on the wine!"</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, my lord," said Schacabac, "I will drink no wine, for it is +for-bid-den."</p> + +<p>The Barmecide seized him by the hand. "I have long wished to find a +man like you," he said. "But come, now we will sup in earnest."</p> + +<p>He clapped his hands. Servants came, and he ordered supper. Soon they +sat down to a table loaded with the very dishes of which they had +pre-tend-ed to eat.</p> + +<p>Poor Schacabac had never had so good a meal in all his life. When they +had fin-ished, and the table had been cleared away, the Barmecide +said,—</p> + +<p>"I have found you to be a man of good un-der-stand-ing. Your wits are +quick, and you are ready<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> always to make the best of everything. Come +and live with me, and manage my house."</p> + +<p>And so Schacabac lived with the Barmecide many years, and never again +knew what it was to be hungry.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_ENDLESS_TALE" id="THE_ENDLESS_TALE"></a>THE ENDLESS TALE.</h2> + + +<p>In the Far East there was a great king who had no work to do. Every +day, and all day long, he sat on soft cush-ions and lis-tened to +stories. And no matter what the story was about, he never grew tired +of hearing it, even though it was very long.</p> + +<p>"There is only one fault that I find with your story," he often said: +"it is too short."</p> + +<p>All the story-tellers in the world were in-vit-ed to his palace; and +some of them told tales that were very long indeed. But the king was +always sad when a story was ended.</p> + +<p>At last he sent word into every city and town and country place, +offering a prize to any one who should tell him an endless tale. He +said,—</p> + +<p>"To the man that will tell me a story which shall last forever, I will +give my fairest daugh-ter for his wife; and I will make him my heir, +and he shall be king after me."</p> + +<p>But this was not all. He added a very hard con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span>-di-tion. "If any man +shall try to tell such a story and then fail, he shall have his head +cut off."</p> + +<p>The king's daughter was very pretty, and there were many young men in +that country who were willing to do anything to win her. But none of +them wanted to lose their heads, and so only a few tried for the +prize.</p> + +<p>One young man invented a story that lasted three months; but at the +end of that time, he could think of nothing more. His fate was a +warning to others, and it was a long time before another story-teller +was so rash as to try the king's patience.</p> + +<p>But one day a stran-ger from the South came into the palace.</p> + +<p>"Great king," he said, "is it true that you offer a prize to the man +who can tell a story that has no end?"</p> + +<p>"It is true," said the king.</p> + +<p>"And shall this man have your fairest daughter for his wife, and shall +he be your heir?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, if he suc-ceeds," said the king. "But if he fails, he shall lose +his head."</p> + +<p>"Very well, then," said the stran-ger. "I have a pleasant story about +locusts which I would like to relate."</p> + +<p>"Tell it," said the king. "I will listen to you."</p> + +<p>The story-teller began his tale.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Once upon a time a certain king seized upon all the corn in his +country, and stored it away in a strong gran-a-ry. But a swarm of +locusts came over the land and saw where the grain had been put. After +search-ing for many days they found on the east side of the gran-a-ry +a crev-ice that was just large enough for one locust to pass through +at a time. So one locust went in and carried away a grain of corn; +then another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn; then +another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn."</p> + +<p>Day after day, week after week, the man kept on saying, "Then another +locust went in and carried away a grain of corn."</p> + +<p>A month passed; a year passed. At the end of two years, the king +said,—</p> + +<p>"How much longer will the locusts be going in and carrying away corn?"</p> + +<p>"O king!" said the story-teller, "they have as yet cleared only one +cubit; and there are many thousand cubits in the granary."</p> + +<p>"Man, man!" cried the king, "you will drive me mad. I can listen to it +no longer. Take my daughter; be my heir; rule my kingdom. But do not +let me hear another word about those horrible locusts!"</p> + +<p>And so the strange story-teller married the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> king's daughter. And he +lived happily in the land for many years. But his father-in-law, the +king, did not care to listen to any more stories.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_BLIND_MEN_AND_THE_ELEPHANT" id="THE_BLIND_MEN_AND_THE_ELEPHANT"></a>THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT.</h2> + + +<p>There were once six blind men who stood by the road-side every day, +and begged from the people who passed. They had often heard of +el-e-phants, but they had never seen one; for, being blind, how could +they?</p> + +<p>It so happened one morning that an el-e-phant was driven down the road +where they stood. When they were told that the great beast was before +them, they asked the driver to let him stop so that they might see +him.</p> + +<p>Of course they could not see him with their eyes; but they thought +that by touching him they could learn just what kind of animal he was.</p> + +<p>The first one happened to put his hand on the elephant's side. "Well, +well!" he said, "now I know all about this beast. He is ex-act-ly like +a wall."</p> + +<p>The second felt only of the elephant's tusk. "My brother," he said, +"you are mistaken. He is not at all like a wall. He is round and +smooth and sharp. He is more like a spear than anything else."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> + +<p>The third happened to take hold of the elephant's trunk. "Both of you +are wrong," he said. "Anybody who knows anything can see that this +elephant is like a snake."</p> + +<p>The fourth reached out his arms, and grasped one of the elephant's +legs. "Oh, how blind you are!" he said. "It is very plain to me that +he is round and tall like a tree."</p> + +<p>The fifth was a very tall man, and he chanced to take hold of the +elephant's ear. "The blind-est man ought to know that this beast is +not like any of the things that you name," he said. "He is ex-act-ly +like a huge fan."</p> + +<p>The sixth was very blind indeed, and it was some time before he could +find the elephant at all. At last he seized the animal's tail. "O +foolish fellows!" he cried. "You surely have lost your senses. This +elephant is not like a wall, or a spear, or a snake, or a tree; +neither is he like a fan. But any man with a par-ti-cle of sense can +see that he is exactly like a rope."</p> + +<p>Then the elephant moved on, and the six blind men sat by the roadside +all day, and quar-reled about him. Each believed that he knew just how +the animal looked; and each called the others hard names because they +did not agree with him. People who have eyes sometimes act as +foolishly.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="MAXIMILIAN_AND_THE_GOOSE_BOY" id="MAXIMILIAN_AND_THE_GOOSE_BOY"></a>MAXIMILIAN AND THE GOOSE BOY.</h2> + + +<p>One summer day King Max-i-mil´ian of Ba-va´ri-a was walking in the +country. The sun shone hot, and he stopped under a tree to rest.</p> + +<p>It was very pleasant in the cool shade. The king lay down on the soft +grass, and looked up at the white clouds sailing across the sky. Then +he took a little book from his pocket and tried to read.</p> + +<p>But the king could not keep his mind on his book. Soon his eyes +closed, and he was fast asleep.</p> + +<p>It was past noon when he awoke. He got up from his grassy bed, and +looked around. Then he took his cane in his hand, and started for +home.</p> + +<p>When he had walked a mile or more, he happened to think of his book. +He felt for it in his pocket. It was not there. He had left it under +the tree.</p> + +<p>The king was already quite tired, and he did not like to walk back so +far. But he did not wish to lose the book. What should he do?</p> + +<p>If there was only some one to send for it!</p> + +<p>While he was thinking, he happened to see a little bare-foot-ed boy in +the open field near the road. He was tending a large flock of geese +that were picking the short grass, and wading in a shallow brook.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> + +<p>The king went toward the boy. He held a gold piece in his hand.</p> + +<p>"My boy," he said, "how would you like to have this piece of money?"</p> + +<p>"I would like it," said the boy; "but I never hope to have so much."</p> + +<p>"You shall have it if you will run back to the oak tree at the second +turning of the road, and fetch me the book that I left there."</p> + +<p>The king thought that the boy would be pleased. But not so. He turned +away, and said, "I am not so silly as you think."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" said the king. "Who says that you are silly?"</p> + +<p>"Well," said the boy, "you think that I am silly enough to believe +that you will give me that gold piece for running a mile, and +fetch-ing you a book. You can't catch me."</p> + +<p>"But if I give it to you now, perhaps you will believe me," said the +king; and he put the gold piece into the little fellow's hand.</p> + +<p>The boy's eyes spar-kled; but he did not move.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter now?" said the king. "Won't you go?"</p> + +<p>The boy said, "I would like to go; but I can't leave the geese. They +will stray away, and then I shall be blamed for it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_134.jpg" width="500" height="756" alt=""Crack the whip!"" /><br /> +<span class="caption">"Crack the whip!"</span></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, I will tend them while you are away," said the king.</p> + +<p>The boy laughed. "I should like to see you tending them!" he said. +"Why, they would run away from you in a minute."</p> + +<p>"Only let me try," said the king.</p> + +<p>At last the boy gave the king his whip, and started off. He had gone +but a little way, when he turned and came back.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter now?" said Max-i-mil-ian.</p> + +<p>"Crack the whip!"</p> + +<p>The king tried to do as he was bidden, but he could not make a sound.</p> + +<p>"I thought as much," said the boy. "You don't know how to do +anything."</p> + +<p>Then he took the whip, and gave the king lessons in whip cracking. +"Now you see how it is done," he said, as he handed it back. "If the +geese try to run away, crack it loud."</p> + +<p>The king laughed. He did his best to learn his lesson; and soon the +boy again started off on his errand.</p> + +<p>Maximilian sat down on a stone, and laughed at the thought of being a +goose-herd. But the geese missed their master at once. With a great +cac-kling and hissing they went, half flying, half running, across the +meadow.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> + +<p>The king ran after them, but he could not run fast. He tried to crack +the whip, but it was of no use. The geese were soon far away. What was +worse, they had gotten into a garden, and were feeding on the tender +veg-e-ta-bles.</p> + +<p>A few minutes after-ward, the goose boy came back with the book.</p> + +<p>"Just as I thought," he said. "I have found the book, and you have +lost the geese."</p> + +<p>"Never mind," said the king, "I will help you get them again."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, run around that way, and stand by the brook while I drive +them out of the garden."</p> + +<p>The king did as he was told. The boy ran forward with his whip, and +after a great deal of shouting and scolding, the geese were driven +back into the meadow.</p> + +<p>"I hope you will pardon me for not being a better goose-herd," said +Maximilian; "but, as I am a king, I am not used to such work."</p> + +<p>"A king, indeed!" said the boy. "I was very silly to leave the geese +with you. But I am not so silly as to believe that you are a king."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Maximilian, with a smile; "here is another gold +piece, and now let us be friends."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> + +<p>The boy took the gold, and thanked the giver. He looked up into the +king's face and said,—</p> + +<p>"You are a very kind man, and I think you might be a good king; but if +you were to try all your life, you would never be a good gooseherd."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_INCHCAPE_ROCK" id="THE_INCHCAPE_ROCK"></a>THE INCHCAPE ROCK.</h2> + + +<p>In the North Sea there is a great rock called the Inch-cape Rock. It +is twelve miles from any land, and is covered most of the time with +water.</p> + +<p>Many boats and ships have been wrecked on that rock; for it is so near +the top of the water that no vessel can sail over it without striking +it.</p> + +<p>More than a hundred years ago there lived not far away a kind-heart-ed +man who was called the Abbot of Ab-er-broth-ock.</p> + +<p>"It is a pity," he said, "that so many brave sailors should lose their +lives on that hidden rock."</p> + +<p>So the abbot caused a buoy to be fastened to the rock. The buoy +floated back and forth in the shallow water. A strong chain kept it +from floating away.</p> + +<p>On the top of the buoy the abbot placed a bell; and when the waves +dashed against it, the bell would ring out loud and clear.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span></p> + +<p>Sailors, now, were no longer afraid to cross the sea at that place. +When they heard the bell ringing, they knew just where the rock was, +and they steered their vessels around it.</p> + +<p>"God bless the good Abbot of Ab-er-broth-ock!" they all said.</p> + +<p>One calm summer day, a ship with a black flag happened to sail not far +from the Inch-cape Rock. The ship belonged to a sea robber called +Ralph the Rover; and she was a terror to all honest people both on sea +and shore.</p> + +<p>There was but little wind that day, and the sea was as smooth as +glass. The ship stood almost still; there was hardly a breath of air +to fill her sails.</p> + +<p>Ralph the Rover was walking on the deck. He looked out upon the glassy +sea. He saw the buoy floating above the Inchcape Rock. It looked like +a big black speck upon the water. But the bell was not ringing that +day. There were no waves to set it in motion.</p> + +<p>"Boys!" cried Ralph the Rover; "put out the boat, and row me to the +Inchcape Rock. We will play a trick on the old abbot."</p> + +<p>The boat was low-ered. Strong arms soon rowed it to the Inchcape Rock. +Then the robber, with a heavy ax, broke the chain that held the buoy.</p> + +<p>He cut the fas-ten-ings of the bell. It fell into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> water. There +was a gur-gling sound as it sank out of sight.</p> + +<p>"The next one that comes this way will not bless the abbot," said +Ralph the Rover.</p> + +<p>Soon a breeze sprang up, and the black ship sailed away. The sea +robber laughed as he looked back and saw that there was nothing to +mark the place of the hidden rock.</p> + +<p>For many days, Ralph the Rover scoured the seas, and many were the +ships that he plun-dered. At last he chanced to sail back toward the +place from which he had started.</p> + +<p>The wind had blown hard all day. The waves rolled high. The ship was +moving swiftly. But in the evening the wind died away, and a thick fog +came on.</p> + +<p>Ralph the Rover walked the deck. He could not see where the ship was +going. "If the fog would only clear away!" he said.</p> + +<p>"I thought I heard the roar of breakers," said the pilot. "We must be +near the shore."</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell," said Ralph the Rover; "but I think we are not far +from the Inchcape Rock. I wish we could hear the good abbot's bell."</p> + +<p>The next moment there was a great crash. "It is the Inchcape Rock!" +the sailors cried, as the ship gave a lurch to one side, and began to +sink.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, what a wretch am I!" cried Ralph the Rover. "This is what comes +of the joke that I played on the good abbot!"</p> + +<p>What was it that he heard as the waves rushed over him? Was it the +abbot's bell, ringing for him far down at the bottom of the sea?</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="WHITTINGTON_AND_HIS_CAT" id="WHITTINGTON_AND_HIS_CAT"></a>WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT.</h2> + +<h3>I. THE CITY.</h3> +<p>There was once a little boy whose name was Richard Whit´ting-ton; but +everybody called him Dick. His father and mother had died when he was +only a babe, and the people who had the care of him were very poor. +Dick was not old enough to work, and so he had a hard time of it +indeed. Sometimes he had no break-fast, and sometimes he had no +dinner; and he was glad at any time to get a crust of bread or a drop +of milk.</p> + +<p>Now, in the town where Dick lived, the people liked to talk about +London. None of them had ever been to the great city, but they seemed +to know all about the wonderful things which were to be seen there. +They said that all the folks who lived in London were fine gen-tle-men +and ladies; that there was singing and music there all day<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> long; that +nobody was ever hungry there, and nobody had to work; and that the +streets were all paved with gold.</p> + +<p>Dick listened to these stories, and wished that he could go to London.</p> + +<p>One day a big wagon drawn by eight horses, all with bells on their +heads, drove into the little town. Dick saw the wagon standing by the +inn, and he thought that it must be going to the fine city of London.</p> + +<p>When the driver came out and was ready to start, the lad ran up and +asked him if he might walk by the side of the wagon. The driver asked +him some questions; and when he learned how poor Dick was, and that he +had neither father nor mother, he told him that he might do as he +liked.</p> + +<p>It was a long walk for the little lad; but by and by he came to the +city of London. He was in such a hurry to see the wonderful sights, +that he forgot to thank the driver of the wagon. He ran as fast as he +could, from one street to another, trying to find those that were +paved with gold. He had once seen a piece of money that was gold, and +he knew that it would buy a great, great many things; and now he +thought that if he could get only a little bit of the pave-ment, he +would have everything that he wanted.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> + +<p>Poor Dick ran till he was so tired that he could run no farther. It +was growing dark, and in every street there was only dirt instead of +gold. He sat down in a dark corner, and cried himself to sleep.</p> + +<p>When he woke up the next morning, he was very hungry; but there was +not even a crust of bread for him to eat. He forgot all about the +golden pavements, and thought only of food. He walked about from one +street to another, and at last grew so hungry that he began to ask +those whom he met to give him a penny to buy something to eat.</p> + +<p>"Go to work, you idle fellow," said some of them; and the rest passed +him by without even looking at him.</p> + +<p>"I wish I could go to work!" said Dick.</p> + +<h3>II. THE KITCHEN.</h3> +<p>By and by Dick grew so faint and tired that he could go no farther. He +sat down by the door of a fine house, and wished that he was back +again in the little town where he was born. The cook-maid, who was +just getting dinner, saw him, and called out,—</p> + +<p>"What are you doing there, you little beggar? If you don't get away +quick, I'll throw a panful of hot dish-water over you. Then I guess +you will jump."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> + +<p>Just at that time the master of the house, whose name was Mr. +Fitz-war´ren, came home to dinner. When he saw the ragged little +fellow at his door, he said,—</p> + +<p>"My lad, what are you doing here? I am afraid you are a lazy fellow, +and that you want to live without work."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed!" said Dick. "I would like to work, if I could find +anything to do. But I do not know anybody in this town, and I have not +had anything to eat for a long time."</p> + +<p>"Poor little fellow!" said Mr. Fitz-war-ren. "Come in, and I will see +what I can do for you." And he ordered the cook to give the lad a good +dinner, and then to find some light work for him to do.</p> + +<p>Little Dick would have been very happy in the new home which he had +thus found, if it had not been for the cross cook. She would often +say,—</p> + +<p>"You are my boy now, and so you must do as I tell you. Look sharp +there! Make the fires, carry out the ashes, wash these dishes, sweep +the floor, bring in the wood! Oh, what a lazy fellow you are!" And +then she would box his ears, or beat him with the broom-stick.</p> + +<p>At last, little Alice, his master's daughter, saw how he was treated, +and she told the cook she would be turned off if she was not kinder to +the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> lad. After that, Dick had an eas-i-er time of it; but his +troubles were not over yet, by any means.</p> + +<p>His bed was in a garret at the top of the house, far away from the +rooms where the other people slept. There were many holes in the floor +and walls, and every night a great number of rats and mice came in. +They tor-ment-ed Dick so much, that he did not know what to do.</p> + +<p>One day a gentleman gave him a penny for cleaning his shoes, and he +made up his mind that he would buy a cat with it. The very next +morning he met a girl who was car-ry-ing a cat in her arms.</p> + +<p>"I will give you a penny for that cat," he said.</p> + +<p>"All right," the girl said. "You may have her, and you will find that +she is a good mouser too."</p> + +<p>Dick hid his cat in the garret, and every day he carried a part of his +dinner to her. It was not long before she had driven all the rats and +mice away; and then Dick could sleep soundly every night.</p> + +<h3>III. THE VENTURE.</h3> +<p>Some time after that, a ship that belonged to Mr. Fitzwarren was about +to start on a voyage across the sea. It was loaded with goods which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +were to be sold in lands far away. Mr. Fitzwarren wanted to give his +servants a chance for good fortune too, and so he called all of them +into the parlor, and asked if they had anything they would like to +send out in the ship for trade.</p> + +<p>Every one had something to send,—every one but Dick; and as he had +neither money nor goods, he staid in the kitchen, and did not come in +with the rest. Little Alice guessed why he did not come, and so she +said to her papa,—</p> + +<p>"Poor Dick ought to have a chance too. Here is some money out of my +own purse that you may put in for him."</p> + +<p>"No, no, my child!" said Mr. Fitzwarren. "He must risk something of +his own." And then he called very loud, "Here, Dick! What are you +going to send out on the ship?"</p> + +<p>Dick heard him, and came into the room.</p> + +<p>"I have nothing in the world," he said, "but a cat which I bought some +time ago for a penny."</p> + +<p>"Fetch your cat, then, my lad," said Mr. Fitzwarren, "and let her go +out. Who knows but that she will bring you some profit?"</p> + +<p>Dick, with tears in his eyes, carried poor puss down to the ship, and +gave her to the captain. Everybody laughed at his queer venture;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> but +little Alice felt sorry for him, and gave him money to buy another +cat.</p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_146.jpg" width="650" height="689" alt="WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT." /></div> + +<p>After that, the cook was worse than before. She made fun of him for +sending his cat to sea. "Do you think," she would say, "that puss will +sell for enough money to buy a stick to beat you?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> + +<p>At last Dick could not stand her abuse any longer, and he made up his +mind to go back to his old home in the little country town. So, very +early in the morning on All-hal-lows Day, he started. He walked as far +as the place called Hol-lo-way, and there he sat down on a stone, +which to this day is called "Whit-ting-ton's Stone."</p> + +<p>As he sat there very sad, and wondering which way he should go, he +heard the bells on Bow Church, far away, ringing out a merry chime. He +listened. They seemed to say to him,—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Turn again, Whittington, Thrice Lord Mayor of London."</p></div> + +<p>"Well, well!" he said to himself. "I would put up with almost +anything, to be Lord Mayor of London when I am a man, and to ride in a +fine coach! I think I will go back and let the old cook cuff and scold +as much as she pleases."</p> + +<p>Dick did go back, and he was lucky enough to get into the kitchen, and +set about his work, before the cook came down-stairs to get +break-fast.</p> + +<h3>IV. THE CAT.</h3> +<p>Mr. Fitzwarren's ship made a long voyage, and at last reached a +strange land on the other side of the sea. The people had never seen +any white men<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> before, and they came in great crowds to buy the fine +things with which the ship was loaded. The captain wanted very much to +trade with the king of the country; and it was not long before the +king sent word for him to come to the palace and see him.</p> + +<p>The captain did so. He was shown into a beautiful room, and given a +seat on a rich carpet all flow-ered with silver and gold. The king and +queen were seated not far away; and soon a number of dishes were +brought in for dinner.</p> + +<p>They had hardly begun to eat when an army of rats and mice rushed in, +and de-voured all the meat before any one could hinder them. The +captain wondered at this, and asked if it was not very un-pleas-ant to +have so many rats and mice about.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes!" was the answer. "It is indeed un-pleas-ant; and the king +would give half his treas-ure if he could get rid of them."</p> + +<p>The captain jumped for joy. He remembered the cat which little +Whittington had sent out; and he told the king that he had a little +creature on board his ship which would make short work of the pests.</p> + +<p>Then it was the king's turn to jump for joy; and he jumped so high, +that his yellow cap, or turban, dropped off his head.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Bring the creature to me," he said. "If she will do what you say, I +will load your ship with gold."</p> + +<p>The captain made believe that he would be very sorry to part with the +cat; but at last he went down to the ship to get her, while the king +and queen made haste to have another dinner made ready.</p> + +<p>The captain, with puss under his arm, reached the palace just in time +to see the table crowded with rats. The cat leaped out upon them, and +oh! what havoc she did make among the trou-ble-some creatures! Most of +them were soon stretched dead upon the floor, while the rest +scam-pered away to their holes, and did not dare to come out again.</p> + +<p>The king had never been so glad in his life; and the queen asked that +the creature which had done such wonders should be brought to her. The +captain called, "Pussy, pussy, pussy!" and the cat came up and rubbed +against his legs. He picked her up, and offered her to the queen; but +at first the queen was afraid to touch her.</p> + +<p>However, the captain stroked the cat, and called, "Pussy, pussy, +pussy!" and then the queen ventured to touch her. She could only say, +"Putty, putty, putty!" for she had not learned to talk English. The +captain then put the cat down on the queen's lap, where she purred and +purred until she went to sleep.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> + +<p>The king would not have missed getting the cat now for the world. He +at once made a bargain with the captain for all the goods on board the +ship; and then he gave him ten times as much for the cat as all the +rest came to.</p> + +<p>The captain was very glad. He bade the king and queen good-by, and the +very next day set sail for England.</p> + +<h3>V. THE FORTUNE.</h3> +<p>One morning Mr. Fitzwarren was sitting at his desk in his office. He +heard some one tap softly at his door, and he said,—</p> + +<p>"Who's there?"</p> + +<p>"A friend," was the answer. "I have come to bring you news of your +ship 'U-ni-corn.'"</p> + +<p>Mr. Fitzwarren jumped up quickly, and opened the door. Whom should he +see waiting there but the captain, with a bill of lading in one hand +and a box of jewels in the other? He was so full of joy that he lifted +up his eyes, and thanked Heaven for sending him such good fortune.</p> + +<p>The captain soon told the story of the cat; and then he showed the +rich present which the king and queen had sent to poor Dick in payment +for her. As soon as the good gentleman heard this, he called out to +his servants,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span>—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Go send him in, and tell him of his fame; Pray call him Mr. +Whittington by name."</p></div> + +<p>Some of the men who stood by said that so great a present ought not to +be given to a mere boy; but Mr. Fitzwarren frowned upon them.</p> + +<p>"It is his own," he said, "and I will not hold back one penny from +him."</p> + +<p>Dick was scouring the pots when word was brought to him that he should +go to the office.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I am so dirty!" he said, "and my shoes are full of hob-nails." +But he was told to make haste.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fitzwarren ordered a chair to be set for him, and then the lad +began to think that they were making fun of him.</p> + +<p>"I beg that you won't play tricks with a poor boy like me," he said. +"Please let me go back to my work."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Whittington," said Mr. Fitzwarren, "this is no joke at all. The +captain has sold your cat, and has brought you, in return for her, +more riches than I have in the whole world."</p> + +<p>Then he opened the box of jewels, and showed Dick his treasures.</p> + +<p>The poor boy did not know what to do. He begged his master to take a +part of it; but Mr. Fitzwarren said, "No, it is all your own; and I +feel sure that you will make good use of it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> + +<p>Dick then offered some of his jewels to his mistress and little Alice. +They thanked him, and told him that they felt great joy at his good +luck, but wished him to keep his riches for himself.</p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_152.jpg" width="650" height="596" alt="Then he opened the box of jewels, and showed Dick his treasures." /></div> + +<p>But he was too kind-heart-ed to keep everything for himself. He gave +nice presents to the cap-tain and the sailors, and to the servants in +Mr. Fitz-warren's house. He even remembered the cross old cook.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> + +<p>After that, Whittington's face was washed, and his hair curled, and he +was dressed in a nice suit of clothes; and then he was as handsome a +young man as ever walked the streets of London.</p> + +<p>Some time after that, there was a fine wedding at the finest church in +London; and Miss Alice became the wife of Mr. Richard Whittington. And +the lord mayor was there, and the great judges, and the sher-iffs, and +many rich mer-chants; and everybody was very happy.</p> + +<p>And Richard Whittington became a great merchant, and was one of the +foremost men in London. He was sheriff of the city, and thrice lord +mayor; and King Henry V. made him a knight.</p> + +<p>He built the famous prison of New-gate in London. On the arch-way in +front of the prison was a figure, cut in stone, of Sir Richard +Whittington and his cat; and for three hundred years this figure was +shown to all who visited London.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CASABIANCA" id="CASABIANCA"></a>CASABIANCA.</h2> + + +<p>There was a great battle at sea. One could hear nothing but the roar +of the big guns. The air was filled with black smoke. The water was +strewn with broken masts and pieces of timber<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> which the cannon balls +had knocked from the ships. Many men had been killed, and many more +had been wounded.</p> + +<p>The flag-ship had taken fire. The flames were breaking out from below. +The deck was all ablaze. The men who were left alive made haste to +launch a small boat. They leaped into it, and rowed swiftly away. Any +other place was safer now than on board of that burning ship. There +was powder in the hold.</p> + +<p>But the captain's son, young Ca-sa-bi-an´ca, still stood upon the +deck. The flames were almost all around him now; but he would not stir +from his post. His father had bidden him stand there, and he had been +taught always to obey. He trusted in his father's word, and be-lieved +that when the right time came he would tell him to go.</p> + +<p>He saw the men leap into the boat. He heard them call to him to come. +He shook his head.</p> + +<p>"When father bids me, I will go," he said.</p> + +<p>And now the flames were leaping up the masts. The sails were all +ablaze. The fire blew hot upon his cheek. It scorched his hair. It was +before him, behind him, all around him.</p> + +<p>"O father!" he cried, "may I not go now? The men have all left the +ship. Is it not time that we too should leave it?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> + +<p>He did not know that his father was lying in the burning cabin below, +that a cannon ball had struck him dead at the very be-gin-ning of the +fight. He listened to hear his answer.</p> + +<p>"Speak louder, father!" he cried. "I cannot hear what you say."</p> + +<p>Above the roaring of the flames, above the crashing of the falling +spars, above the booming of the guns, he fancied that his father's +voice came faintly to him through the scorching air.</p> + +<p>"I am here, father! Speak once again!" he gasped.</p> + +<p>But what is that?</p> + +<p>A great flash of light fills the air; clouds of smoke shoot quickly +upward to the sky; and—</p> + +<p>"Boom!"</p> + +<p>Oh, what a ter-rif-ic sound! Louder than thunder, louder than the roar +of all the guns! The air quivers; the sea itself trembles; the sky is +black.</p> + +<p>The blazing ship is seen no more.</p> + +<p>There was powder in the hold!</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A long time ago a lady, whose name was Mrs. Hemans, wrote a poem about +this brave boy Ca-sa-bi-an-ca. It is not a very well written poem, and +yet everybody has read it, and thousands of people have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> learned it by +heart. I doubt not but that some day you too will read it. It begins +in this way:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The boy stood on the burning deck<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Whence all but him had fled;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The flame that lit the battle's wreck<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Shone round him o'er the dead.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Yet beautiful and bright he stood,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">As born to rule the storm—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A creature of heroic blood,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">A proud though childlike form."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="ANTONIO_CANOVA" id="ANTONIO_CANOVA"></a>ANTONIO CANOVA.</h2> + + +<p>A good many years ago there lived in Italy a little boy whose name was +An-to´ni-o Ca-no´va. He lived with his grand-fa-ther, for his own +father was dead. His grand-fa-ther was a stone-cut-ter, and he was +very poor.</p> + +<p>An-to-ni-o was a puny lad, and not strong enough to work. He did not +care to play with the other boys of the town. But he liked to go with +his grandfather to the stone-yard. While the old man was busy, cutting +and trimming the great blocks of stone, the lad would play among the +chips. Sometimes he would make a little statue of soft clay; sometimes +he would take hammer and chisel, and try to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> cut a statue from a piece +of rock. He showed so much skill that his grandfather was de-light-ed.</p> + +<p>"The boy will be a sculp-tor some day," he said.</p> + +<p>Then when they went home in the evening, the grand-moth-er would say, +"What have you been doing to-day, my little sculp-tor?"</p> + +<p>And she would take him upon her lap and sing to him, or tell him +stories that filled his mind with pictures of wonderful and beautiful +things. And the next day, when he went back to the stone-yard, he +would try to make some of those pictures in stone or clay.</p> + +<p>There lived in the same town a rich man who was called the Count. +Sometimes the Count would have a grand dinner, and his rich friends +from other towns would come to visit him. Then Antonio's grandfather +would go up to the Count's house to help with the work in the kitchen; +for he was a fine cook as well as a good stone-cut-ter.</p> + +<p>It happened one day that Antonio went with his grandfather to the +Count's great house. Some people from the city were coming, and there +was to be a grand feast. The boy could not cook, and he was not old +enough to wait on the table; but he could wash the pans and kettles, +and as he was smart and quick, he could help in many other ways.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span></p> + +<p>All went well until it was time to spread the table for dinner. Then +there was a crash in the dining room, and a man rushed into the +kitchen with some pieces of marble in his hands. He was pale, and +trembling with fright.</p> + +<p>"What shall I do? What shall I do?" he cried. "I have broken the +statue that was to stand at the center of the table. I cannot make the +table look pretty without the statue. What will the Count say?"</p> + +<p>And now all the other servants were in trouble. Was the dinner to be a +failure after all? For everything de-pend-ed on having the table +nicely arranged. The Count would be very angry.</p> + +<p>"Ah, what shall we do?" they all asked.</p> + +<p>Then little Antonio Ca-no-va left his pans and kettles, and went up to +the man who had caused the trouble.</p> + +<p>"If you had another statue, could you arrange the table?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Cer-tain-ly," said the man; "that is, if the statue were of the right +length and height."</p> + +<p>"Will you let me try to make one?" asked Anto-nio "Perhaps I can make +something that will do."</p> + +<p>The man laughed.</p> + +<p>"Non-sense!" he cried. "Who are you, that you talk of making statues +on an hour's notice?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am Antonio Canova," said the lad.</p> + +<p>"Let the boy try what he can do," said the servants, who knew him.</p> + +<p>And so, since nothing else could be done, the man allowed him to try.</p> + +<p>On the kitchen table there was a large square lump of yellow butter. +Two hundred pounds the lump weighed, and it had just come in, fresh +and clean, from the dairy on the mountain. With a kitchen knife in his +hand, Antonio began to cut and carve this butter. In a few minutes he +had molded it into the shape of a crouching lion; and all the servants +crowded around to see it.</p> + +<p>"How beautiful!" they cried. "It is a great deal pret-ti-er than the +statue that was broken."</p> + +<p>When it was finished, the man carried it to its place.</p> + +<p>"The table will be hand-som-er by half than I ever hoped to make it," +he said.</p> + +<p>When the Count and his friends came in to dinner, the first thing they +saw was the yellow lion.</p> + +<p>"What a beautiful work of art!" they cried. "None but a very great +artist could ever carve such a figure; and how odd that he should +choose to make it of butter!" And then they asked the Count to tell +them the name of the artist.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center" ><img src="images/image_160.jpg" width="500" height="685" alt=""The servants crowded around to see it."" /><br /> +<span class="caption">"The servants crowded around to see it."</span></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Truly, my friends," he said, "this is as much of a surprise to me as +to you." And then he called to his head servant, and asked him where +he had found so wonderful a statue.</p> + +<p>"It was carved only an hour ago by a little boy in the kitchen," said +the servant.</p> + +<p>This made the Count's friends wonder still more; and the Count bade +the servant call the boy into the room.</p> + +<p>"My lad," he said, "you have done a piece of work of which the +greatest artists would be proud. What is your name, and who is your +teacher?"</p> + +<p>"My name is Antonio Canova," said the boy, "and I have had no teacher +but my grandfather the stonecutter."</p> + +<p>By this time all the guests had crowded around Antonio. There were +famous artists among them, and they knew that the lad was a genius. +They could not say enough in praise of his work; and when at last they +sat down at the table, nothing would please them but that Antonio +should have a seat with them; and the dinner was made a feast in his +honor.</p> + +<p>The very next day the Count sent for Antonio to come and live with +him. The best artists in the land were em-ployed to teach him the art +in which he had shown so much skill; but now, instead<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> of carving +butter, he chis-eled marble. In a few years, Antonio Canova became +known as one of the greatest sculptors in the world.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PICCIOLA" id="PICCIOLA"></a>PICCIOLA.</h2> + + +<p>Many years ago there was a poor gentleman shut up in one of the great +prisons of France. His name was Char-ney, and he was very sad and +un-hap-py. He had been put into prison wrong-ful-ly, and it seemed to +him as though there was no one in the world who cared for him.</p> + +<p>He could not read, for there were no books in the prison. He was not +allowed to have pens or paper, and so he could not write. The time +dragged slowly by. There was nothing that he could do to make the days +seem shorter. His only pastime was walking back and forth in the paved +prison yard. There was no work to be done, no one to talk with.</p> + +<p>One fine morning in spring, Char-ney was taking his walk in the yard. +He was counting the paving stones, as he had done a thousand times +before. All at once he stopped. What had made that little mound of +earth between two of the stones?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> + +<p>He stooped down to see. A seed of some kind had fallen between the +stones. It had sprouted; and now a tiny green leaf was pushing its way +up out of the ground. Charney was about to crush it with his foot, +when he saw that there was a kind of soft coating over the leaf.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said he. "This coating is to keep it safe. I must not harm it." +And he went on with his walk.</p> + +<p>The next day he almost stepped upon the plant before he thought of it. +He stooped to look at it. There were two leaves now, and the plant was +much stronger and greener than it was the day before. He staid by it a +long time, looking at all its parts.</p> + +<p>Every morning after that, Charney went at once to his little plant. He +wanted to see if it had been chilled by the cold, or scorched by the +sun. He wanted to see how much it had grown.</p> + +<p>One day as he was looking from his window, he saw the jailer go across +the yard. The man brushed so close to the little plant, that it seemed +as though he would crush it. Charney trembled from head to foot.</p> + +<p>"O my Pic-cio-la!" he cried.</p> + +<p>When the jailer came to bring his food, he begged the grim fellow to +spare his little plant.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> He expected that the man would laugh at him; +but al-though a jailer, he had a kind heart.</p> + +<p>"Do you think that I would hurt your little plant?" he said. "No, +indeed! It would have been dead long ago, if I had not seen that you +thought so much of it."</p> + +<p>"That is very good of you, indeed," said Char-ney. He felt half +ashamed at having thought the jailer unkind.</p> + +<p>Every day he watched Pic-cio-la, as he had named the plant. Every day +it grew larger and more beautiful. But once it was almost broken by +the huge feet of the jailer's dog. Charney's heart sank within him.</p> + +<p>"Picciola must have a house," he said. "I will see if I can make one."</p> + +<p>So, though the nights were chilly, he took, day by day, some part of +the firewood that was allowed him, and with this he built a little +house around the plant.</p> + +<p>The plant had a thousand pretty ways which he noticed. He saw how it +always bent a little toward the sun; he saw how the flowers folded +their petals before a storm.</p> + +<p>He had never thought of such things before, and yet he had often seen +whole gardens of flowers in bloom.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span></p> + +<p>One day, with soot and water he made some ink; he spread out his +hand-ker-chief for paper; he used a sharp-ened stick for a pen—and +all for what? He felt that he must write down the doings of his little +pet. He spent all his time with the plant.</p> + +<p>"See my lord and my lady!" the jailer would say when he saw them.</p> + +<p>As the summer passed by, Picciola grew more lovely every day. There +were no fewer than thirty blossoms on its stem.</p> + +<p>But one sad morning it began to droop. Charney did not know what to +do. He gave it water, but still it drooped. The leaves were +with-er-ing. The stones of the prison yard would not let the plant +live.</p> + +<p>Charney knew that there was but one way to save his treasure. Alas! +how could he hope that it might be done? The stones must be taken up +at once.</p> + +<p>But this was a thing which the jailer dared not do. The rules of the +prison were strict, and no stone must be moved. Only the highest +officers in the land could have such a thing done.</p> + +<p>Poor Charney could not sleep. Picciola must die. Already the flowers +had with-ered; the leaves would soon fall from the stem.</p> + +<p>Then a new thought came to Charney. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> would ask the great Napoleon, +the em-per-or himself, to save his plant.</p> + +<p>It was a hard thing for Charney to do,—to ask a favor of the man whom +he hated, the man who had shut him up in this very prison. But for the +sake of Picciola he would do it.</p> + +<p>He wrote his little story on his hand-ker-chief. Then he gave it into +the care of a young girl, who promised to carry it to Napoleon. Ah! if +the poor plant would only live a few days longer!</p> + +<p>What a long journey that was for the young girl! What a long, dreary +waiting it was for Charney and Picciola!</p> + +<p>But at last news came to the prison. The stones were to be taken up. +Picciola was saved!</p> + +<p>The em-per-or's kind wife had heard the story of Charney's care for +the plant. She saw the handkerchief on which he had written of its +pretty ways.</p> + +<p>"Surely," she said, "it can do us no good to keep such a man in +prison."</p> + +<p>And so, at last, Charney was set free. Of course he was no longer sad +and un-lov-ing. He saw how God had cared for him and the little plant, +and how kind and true are the hearts of even rough men. And he +cher-ished Picciola as a dear, loved friend whom he could never +forget.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="MIGNON" id="MIGNON"></a>MIGNON.</h2> + + +<p>Here is the story of Mignon as I remember having read it in a famous +old book.</p> + +<p>A young man named Wil-helm was staying at an inn in the city. One day +as he was going up-stairs he met a little girl coming down. He would +have taken her for a boy, if it had not been for the long curls of +black hair wound about her head. As she ran by, he caught her in his +arms and asked her to whom she belonged. He felt sure that she must be +one of the rope-dan-cers who had just come to the inn. She gave him a +sharp, dark look, slipped out of his arms, and ran away without +speaking.</p> + +<p>The next time he saw her, Wil-helm spoke to her again.</p> + +<p>"Do not be afraid of me, little one," he said kindly. "What is your +name?"</p> + +<p>"They call me Mignon," said the child.</p> + +<p>"How old are you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No one has counted," the child an-swered.</p> + +<p>Wilhelm went on; but he could not help wondering about the child, and +thinking of her dark eyes and strange ways.</p> + +<p>One day not long after that, there was a great outcry among the crowd +that was watching the rope-dan-cers. Wilhelm went down to find out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +what was the matter. He saw that the master of the dancers was beating +little Mignon with a stick. He ran and held the man by the collar.</p> + +<p>"Let the child alone!" he cried. "If you touch her again, one of us +shall never leave this spot."</p> + +<p>The man tried to get loose; but Wilhelm held him fast. The child crept +away, and hid herself in the crowd.</p> + +<p>"Pay me what her clothes cost," cried the ropedancer at last, "and you +may take her."</p> + +<p>As soon as all was quiet, Wilhelm went to look for Mignon; for she now +belonged to him. But he could not find her, and it was not until the +ropedancers had left the town that she came to him.</p> + +<p>"Where have you been?" asked Wilhelm in his kindest tones; but the +child did not speak.</p> + +<p>"You are to live with me now, and you must be a good child," he said.</p> + +<p>"I will try," said Mignon gently.</p> + +<p>From that time she tried to do all that she could for Wilhelm and his +friends. She would let no one wait on him but herself. She was often +seen going to a basin of water to wash from her face the paint with +which the ropedancers had red-dened her cheeks: indeed, she nearly +rubbed off the skin in trying to wash away its fine brown tint, which +she thought was some deep dye.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mignon grew more lovely every day. She never walked up and down the +stairs, but jumped. She would spring along by the railing, and before +you knew it, would be sitting quietly above on the landing.</p> + +<p>To each one she would speak in a different way. To Wilhelm it was with +her arms crossed upon her breast. Often for a whole day she would not +say one word, and yet in waiting upon Wilhelm she never tired.</p> + +<p>One night he came home very weary and sad. Mignon was waiting for him. +She carried the light before him up-stairs. She set the light down +upon the table, and in a little while she asked him if she might +dance.</p> + +<p>"It might ease your heart a little," she said.</p> + +<p>Wilhelm, to please her, told her that she might.</p> + +<p>Then she brought a little carpet, and spread it upon the floor. At +each corner she placed a candle, and on the carpet she put a number of +eggs. She arranged the eggs in the form of certain figures. When this +was done, she called to a man who was waiting with a violin. She tied +a band about her eyes, and then the dancing began.</p> + +<div class="center" > +<img src="images/image_170.jpg" width="600" height="882" alt=""And then the dancing began."" /><br /> + +<span class="caption">"And then the dancing began."</span> +</div> + +<p>How lightly, quickly, nimbly, wonderfully, she moved! She skipped so +fast among the eggs, she trod so closely beside them, that you would +have <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span>thought she must crush them all. But not one of them did she +touch. With all kinds of steps she passed among them. Not one of them +was moved from its place.</p> + +<p>Wilhelm forgot all his cares. He watched every motion of the child. He +almost forgot who and where he was.</p> + +<p>When the dance was ended, Mignon rolled the eggs together with her +foot into a little heap. Not one was left behind, not one was harmed. +Then she took the band from her eyes, and made a little bow.</p> + +<p>Wilhelm thanked her for showing him a dance that was so wonderful and +pretty. He praised her, petted her, and hoped that she had not tired +herself too much.</p> + +<p>When she had gone from the room, the man with the violin told Wilhelm +of the care she had taken to teach him the music of the dance. He told +how she had sung it to him over and over again. He told how she had +even wished to pay him with her own money for learning to play it for +her.</p> + +<p>There was yet another way in which Mignon tried to please Wilhelm, and +make him forget his cares. She sang to him.</p> + +<p>The song which he liked best was one whose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> words he had never heard +before. Its music, too, was strange to him, and yet it pleased him +very much. He asked her to speak the words over and over again. He +wrote them down; but the sweetness of the tune was more delightful +than the words. The song began in this way:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Do you know the land where citrons, lemons, grow, <br /> +And oranges under the green leaves glow?"</p></div> + +<p>Once, when she had ended the song, she said again, "Do you know the +land?"</p> + +<p>"It must be Italy," said Wilhelm. "Have you ever been there?"</p> + +<p>The child did not answer.</p> +<hr style="width:65%" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD *** + +***** This file should be named 18442-h.htm or 18442-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/4/4/18442/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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diff --git a/18442-h/images/image_170.jpg b/18442-h/images/image_170.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7b54ba3 --- /dev/null +++ b/18442-h/images/image_170.jpg diff --git a/18442.txt b/18442.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..144fb2c --- /dev/null +++ b/18442.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4745 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fifty Famous Stories Retold + +Author: James Baldwin + +Release Date: May 23, 2006 [EBook #18442] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES + RETOLD + + + BY + + JAMES BALDWIN + + + + + + AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY + + NEW YORK CINCINNATI CHICAGO + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY + + AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +King Alfred and the Cakes + +King Alfred and the Beggar + +King Canute on the Seashore + +The Sons of William the Conqueror + +The White Ship + +King John and the Abbot + +A Story of Robin Hood + +Bruce and the Spider + +The Black Douglas + +Three Men of Gotham + +Other Wise Men of Gotham + +The Miller of the Dee + +Sir Philip Sidney + +The Ungrateful Soldier + +Sir Humphrey Gilbert + +Sir Walter Raleigh + +Pocahontas + +George Washington and his Hatchet + +Grace Darling + +The Story of William Tell + +Arnold Winkelried + +The Bell of Atri + +How Napoleon crossed the Alps + +The Story of Cincinnatus + +The Story of Regulus + +Cornelia's Jewels + +Androclus and the Lion + +Horatius at the Bridge + +Julius Caesar + +The Sword of Damocles + +Damon and Pythias + +A Laconic Answer + +The Ungrateful Guest + +Alexander and Bucephalus + +Diogenes the Wise Man + +The Brave Three Hundred + +Socrates and his House + +The King and his Hawk + +Doctor Goldsmith + +The Kingdoms + +The Barmecide Feast + +The Endless Tale + +The Blind Men and the Elephant + +Maximilian and the Goose Boy + +The Inchcape Rock + +Whittington and his Cat + +Casabianca + +Antonio Canova + +Picciola + +Mignon + + + + +CONCERNING THESE STORIES. + + +There are numerous time-honored stories which have become so +incorporated into the literature and thought of our race that a +knowledge of them is an indispensable part of one's education. These +stories are of several different classes. To one class belong the +popular fairy tales which have delighted untold generations of +children, and will continue to delight them to the end of time. To +another class belong the limited number of fables that have come down +to us through many channels from hoar antiquity. To a third belong the +charming stories of olden times that are derived from the literatures +of ancient peoples, such as the Greeks and the Hebrews. A fourth class +includes the half-legendary tales of a distinctly later origin, which +have for their subjects certain romantic episodes in the lives of +well-known heroes and famous men, or in the history of a people. + +It is to this last class that most of the fifty stories contained in +the present volume belong. As a matter of course, some of these +stories are better known, and therefore more _famous_, than others. +Some have a slight historical value; some are useful as giving point +to certain great moral truths; others are products solely of the +fancy, and are intended only to amuse. Some are derived from very +ancient sources, and are current in the literature of many lands; some +have come to us through the ballads and folk tales of the English +people; a few are of quite recent origin; nearly all are the subjects +of frequent allusions in poetry and prose and in the conversation of +educated people. Care has been taken to exclude everything that is not +strictly within the limits of probability; hence there is here no +trespassing upon the domain of the fairy tale, the fable, or the myth. + +That children naturally take a deep interest in such stories, no +person can deny; that the reading of them will not only give pleasure, +but will help to lay the foundation for broader literary studies, can +scarcely be doubted. It is believed, therefore, that the present +collection will be found to possess an educative value which will +commend it as a supplementary reader in the middle primary grades at +school. It is also hoped that the book will prove so attractive that +it will be in demand out of school as well as in. + +Acknowledgments are due to Mrs. Charles A. Lane, by whom eight or ten +of the stories were suggested. + + + + +FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD. + +KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES. + +[Illustration:] + + +Many years ago there lived in Eng-land a wise and good king whose name +was Al-fred. No other man ever did so much for his country as he; and +people now, all over the world, speak of him as Alfred the Great. + +In those days a king did not have a very easy life. There was war +almost all the time, and no one else could lead his army into battle +so well as he. And so, between ruling and fighting, he had a busy time +of it indeed. + +A fierce, rude people, called the Danes, had come from over the sea, +and were fighting the Eng-lish. There were so many of them, and they +were so bold and strong, that for a long time they gained every +battle. If they kept on, they would soon be the masters of the whole +country. + +At last, after a great battle, the English army was broken up and +scat-tered. Every man had to save himself in the best way he could. +King Alfred fled alone, in great haste, through the woods and swamps. + +Late in the day the king came to the hut of a wood-cut-ter. He was +very tired and hungry, and he begged the wood-cut-ter's wife to give +him something to eat and a place to sleep in her hut. + +The wom-an was baking some cakes upon the hearth, and she looked with +pity upon the poor, ragged fellow who seemed so hungry. She had no +thought that he was the king. + +"Yes," she said, "I will give you some supper if you will watch these +cakes. I want to go out and milk the cow; and you must see that they +do not burn while I am gone." + +King Alfred was very willing to watch the cakes, but he had far +greater things to think about. How was he going to get his army +to-geth-er again? And how was he going to drive the fierce Danes out +of the land? He forgot his hunger; he forgot the cakes; he forgot that +he was in the woodcutter's hut. His mind was busy making plans for +to-mor-row. + +In a little while the wom-an came back. The cakes were smoking on the +hearth. They were burned to a crisp. Ah, how angry she was! + +"You lazy fellow!" she cried. "See what you have done! You want +some-thing to eat, but you do not want to work!" + +I have been told that she even struck the king with a stick; but I can +hardly be-lieve that she was so ill-na-tured. + +The king must have laughed to himself at the thought of being scolded +in this way; and he was so hungry that he did not mind the woman's +angry words half so much as the loss of the cakes. + +I do not know whether he had any-thing to eat that night, or whether +he had to go to bed without his supper. But it was not many days +until he had gath-ered his men to-geth-er again, and had beaten the +Danes in a great battle. + + + + +KING ALFRED AND THE BEGGAR. + + +At one time the Danes drove King Alfred from his kingdom, and he had +to lie hidden for a long time on a little is-land in a river. + +One day, all who were on the is-land, except the king and queen and +one servant, went out to fish. It was a very lonely place, and no one +could get to it except by a boat. About noon a ragged beggar came to +the king's door, and asked for food. + +The king called the servant, and asked, "How much food have we in the +house?" + +"My lord," said the servant, "we have only one loaf and a little +wine." + +Then the king gave thanks to God, and said, "Give half of the loaf and +half of the wine to this poor man." + +The servant did as he was bidden. The beggar thanked the king for his +kindness, and went on his way. + +In the after-noon the men who had gone out to fish came back. They had +three boats full of fish, and they said, "We have caught more fish +to-day than in all the other days that we have been on this island." + +The king was glad, and he and his people were more hopeful than they +had ever been before. + +When night came, the king lay awake for a long time, and thought about +the things that had happened that day. At last he fancied that he saw +a great light like the sun; and in the midst of the light there stood +an old man with black hair, holding an open book in his hand. + +It may all have been a dream, and yet to the king it seemed very real +indeed. He looked and wondered, but was not afraid. + +"Who are you?" he asked of the old man. + +"Alfred, my son, be brave," said the man; "for I am the one to whom +you gave this day the half of all the food that you had. Be strong and +joyful of heart, and listen to what I say. Rise up early in the +morning and blow your horn three times, so loudly that the Danes may +hear it. By nine o'clock, five hundred men will be around you ready to +be led into battle. Go forth bravely, and within seven days your +en-e-mies shall be beaten, and you shall go back to your kingdom to +reign in peace." + +Then the light went out, and the man was seen no more. + +In the morning the king arose early, and crossed over to the mainland. +Then he blew his horn three times very loudly; and when his friends +heard it they were glad, but the Danes were filled with fear. + +At nine o'clock, five hundred of his bravest soldiers stood around him +ready for battle. He spoke, and told them what he had seen and heard +in his dream; and when he had fin-ished, they all cheered loudly, and +said that they would follow him and fight for him so long as they had +strength. + +So they went out bravely to battle; and they beat the Danes, and drove +them back into their own place. And King Alfred ruled wisely and well +over all his people for the rest of his days. + + + + +KING CANUTE ON THE SEASHORE. + + +A hundred years or more after the time of Alfred the Great there was a +king of England named Ca-nute. King Canute was a Dane; but the Danes +were not so fierce and cruel then as they had been when they were at +war with King Alfred. + +The great men and of-fi-cers who were around King Canute were always +praising him. + +"You are the greatest man that ever lived," one would say. + +Then an-oth-er would say, "O king! there can never be an-oth-er man so +mighty as you." + +And another would say, "Great Canute, there is nothing in the world +that dares to dis-o-bey you." + +The king was a man of sense, and he grew very tired of hearing such +foolish speeches. + +One day he was by the sea-shore, and his of-fi-cers were with him. +They were praising him, as they were in the habit of doing. He thought +that now he would teach them a lesson, and so he bade them set his +chair on the beach close by the edge of the water. + +"Am I the greatest man in the world?" he asked. + +"O king!" they cried, "there is no one so mighty as you." + +"Do all things obey me?" he asked. + +"There is nothing that dares to dis-o-bey you, O king!" they said. +"The world bows before you, and gives you honor." + +"Will the sea obey me?" he asked; and he looked down at the little +waves which were lapping the sand at his feet. + +The foolish officers were puzzled, but they did not dare to say "No." + +"Command it, O king! and it will obey," said one. + +"Sea," cried Canute, "I command you to come no farther! Waves, stop +your rolling, and do not dare to touch my feet!" + +But the tide came in, just as it always did. The water rose higher and +higher. It came up around the king's chair, and wet not only his feet, +but also his robe. His officers stood about him, alarmed, and +won-der-ing whether he was not mad. + +Then Canute took off his crown, and threw it down upon the sand. + +"I shall never wear it again," he said. "And do you, my men, learn a +lesson from what you have seen. There is only one King who is +all-powerful; and it is he who rules the sea, and holds the ocean in +the hollow of his hand. It is he whom you ought to praise and serve +above all others." + + + + +THE SONS OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. + + +There was once a great king of England who was called Wil-liam the +Con-quer-or, and he had three sons. + +[Illustration: "Sea, I command you to come no farther!"] + +One day King Wil-liam seemed to be thinking of something that made him +feel very sad; and the wise men who were about him asked him what +was the matter. + +"I am thinking," he said, "of what my sons may do after I am dead. +For, unless they are wise and strong, they cannot keep the kingdom +which I have won for them. Indeed, I am at a loss to know which one of +the three ought to be the king when I am gone." + +"O king!" said the wise men, "if we only knew what things your sons +admire the most, we might then be able to tell what kind of men they +will be. Perhaps, by asking each one of them a few ques-tions, we can +find out which one of them will be best fitted to rule in your place." + +"The plan is well worth trying, at least," said the king. "Have the +boys come before you, and then ask them what you please." + +The wise men talked with one another for a little while, and then +agreed that the young princes should be brought in, one at a time, and +that the same ques-tions should be put to each. + +The first who came into the room was Robert. He was a tall, willful +lad, and was nick-named Short Stocking. + +"Fair sir," said one of the men, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?" + +"A hawk," answered Robert. "I would rather be a hawk, for no other +bird reminds one so much of a bold and gallant knight." + +The next who came was young William, his father's name-sake and pet. +His face was jolly and round, and because he had red hair he was +nicknamed Rufus, or the Red. + +"Fair sir," said the wise man, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?" + +"An eagle," answered William. "I would rather be an eagle, because it +is strong and brave. It is feared by all other birds, and is +there-fore the king of them all." + +Lastly came the youngest brother, Henry, with quiet steps and a sober, +thought-ful look. He had been taught to read and write, and for that +reason he was nick-named Beau-clerc, or the Hand-some Schol-ar. + +"Fair sir," said the wise man, "answer me this question: If, instead +of being a boy, it had pleased God that you should be a bird, what +kind of a bird would you rather be?" + +"A star-ling," said Henry. "I would rather be a star-ling, because it +is good-mannered and kind and a joy to every one who sees it, and it +never tries to rob or abuse its neigh-bor." + +Then the wise men talked with one another for a little while, and when +they had agreed among themselves, they spoke to the king. + +"We find," said they, "that your eldest son, Robert, will be bold and +gallant. He will do some great deeds, and make a name for himself; but +in the end he will be over-come by his foes, and will die in prison. + +"The second son, William, will be as brave and strong as the eagle; +but he will be feared and hated for his cruel deeds. He will lead a +wicked life, and will die a shameful death. + +"The youngest son, Henry, will be wise and prudent and peaceful. He +will go to war only when he is forced to do so by his enemies. He will +be loved at home, and re-spect-ed abroad; and he will die in peace +after having gained great pos-ses-sions." + +Years passed by, and the three boys had grown up to be men. King +William lay upon his death-bed, and again he thought of what would +become of his sons when he was gone. Then he re-mem-bered what the +wise men had told him; and so he de-clared that Robert should have the +lands which he held in France, that William should be the King of +England, and that Henry should have no land at all, but only a chest +of gold. + +So it hap-pened in the end very much as the wise men had fore-told. +Robert, the Short Stocking, was bold and reckless, like the hawk which +he so much admired. He lost all the lands that his father had left +him, and was at last shut up in prison, where he was kept until he +died. + +William Rufus was so over-bear-ing and cruel that he was feared and +hated by all his people. He led a wicked life, and was killed by one +of his own men while hunting in the forest. + +And Henry, the Handsome Scholar, had not only the chest of gold for +his own, but he became by and by the King of England and the ruler of +all the lands that his father had had in France. + + + + +THE WHITE SHIP. + + +King Henry, the Handsome Scholar, had one son, named William, whom he +dearly loved. The young man was noble and brave, and every-body hoped +that he would some day be the King of England. + +One summer Prince William went with his father across the sea to look +after their lands in France. They were wel-comed with joy by all +their people there, and the young prince was so gallant and kind, that +he won the love of all who saw him. + +But at last the time came for them to go back to England. The king, +with his wise men and brave knights, set sail early in the day; but +Prince William with his younger friends waited a little while. They +had had so joyous a time in France that they were in no great haste to +tear them-selves away. + +Then they went on board of the ship which was waiting to carry them +home. It was a beau-ti-ful ship with white sails and white masts, and +it had been fitted up on purpose for this voyage. + +The sea was smooth, the winds were fair, and no one thought of danger. +On the ship, every-thing had been ar-ranged to make the trip a +pleasant one. There was music and dancing, and everybody was merry and +glad. + +The sun had gone down before the white-winged vessel was fairly out of +the bay. But what of that? The moon was at its full, and it would give +light enough; and before the dawn of the morrow, the narrow sea would +be crossed. And so the prince, and the young people who were with him, +gave themselves up to mer-ri-ment and feasting and joy. + +The ear-li-er hours of the night passed by; and then there was a cry +of alarm on deck. A moment after-ward there was a great crash. The +ship had struck upon a rock. The water rushed in. She was sinking. Ah, +where now were those who had lately been so heart-free and glad? + +Every heart was full of fear. No one knew what to do. A small boat was +quickly launched, and the prince with a few of his bravest friends +leaped into it. They pushed off just as the ship was be-gin-ning to +settle beneath the waves. Would they be saved? + +They had rowed hardly ten yards from the ship, when there was a cry +from among those that were left behind. + +"Row back!" cried the prince. "It is my little sister. She must be +saved!" + +The men did not dare to disobey. The boat was again brought along-side +of the sinking vessel. The prince stood up, and held out his arms for +his sister. At that moment the ship gave a great lurch forward into +the waves. One shriek of terror was heard, and then all was still save +the sound of the moaning waters. + +Ship and boat, prince and prin-cess, and all the gay com-pa-ny that +had set sail from France, went down to the bottom together. One man +clung to a floating plank, and was saved the next day. He was the only +person left alive to tell the sad story. + +When King Henry heard of the death of his son his grief was more than +he could bear. His heart was broken. He had no more joy in life; and +men say that no one ever saw him smile again. + +Here is a poem about him that your teacher may read to you, and +perhaps, after a while, you may learn it by heart. + +HE NEVER SMILED AGAIN. + + The bark that held the prince went down, + The sweeping waves rolled on; + And what was England's glorious crown + To him that wept a son? + He lived, for life may long be borne + Ere sorrow breaks its chain: + Why comes not death to those who mourn? + He never smiled again. + + There stood proud forms before his throne, + The stately and the brave; + But who could fill the place of one,-- + That one beneath the wave? + Before him passed the young and fair, + In pleasure's reckless train; + But seas dashed o'er his son's bright hair-- + He never smiled again. + + He sat where festal bowls went round; + He heard the minstrel sing; + He saw the tour-ney's victor crowned + Amid the knightly ring. + A murmur of the restless deep + Was blent with every strain, + A voice of winds that would not sleep-- + He never smiled again. + + Hearts, in that time, closed o'er the trace + Of vows once fondly poured, + And strangers took the kins-man's place + At many a joyous board; + Graves which true love had bathed with tears + Were left to heaven's bright rain; + Fresh hopes were born for other years-- + _He_ never smiled again! + + MRS. HEMANS. + + + + +KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT. + +I. THE THREE QUESTIONS. + + +There was once a king of England whose name was John. He was a bad +king; for he was harsh and cruel to his people, and so long as he +could have his own way, he did not care what became of other folks. He +was the worst king that England ever had. + +Now, there was in the town of Can'ter-bur-y a rich old abbot who lived +in grand style in a great house called the Abbey. Every day a hundred +noble men sat down with him to dine; and fifty brave knights, in fine +velvet coats and gold chains, waited upon him at his table. + +When King John heard of the way in which the abbot lived, he made up +his mind to put a stop to it. So he sent for the old man to come and +see him. + +"How now, my good abbot?" he said. "I hear that you keep a far better +house than I. How dare you do such a thing? Don't you know that no man +in the land ought to live better than the king? And I tell you that no +man shall." + +"O king!" said the abbot, "I beg to say that I am spending nothing but +what is my own. I hope that you will not think ill of me for making +things pleasant for my friends and the brave knights who are with me." + +"Think ill of you?" said the king. "How can I help but think ill of +you? All that there is in this broad land is mine by right; and how do +you dare to put me to shame by living in grander style than I? One +would think that you were trying to be king in my place." + +"Oh, do not say so!" said the abbot "For I"-- + +"Not another word!" cried the king. "Your fault is plain, and unless +you can answer me three questions, your head shall be cut off, and all +your riches shall be mine." + +"I will try to answer them, O king!" said the abbot. + +"Well, then," said King John, "as I sit here with my crown of gold on +my head, you must tell me to within a day just how long I shall live. +Sec-ond-ly, you must tell me how soon I shall ride round the whole +world; and lastly, you shall tell me what I think." + +"O king!" said the abbot, "these are deep, hard questions, and I +cannot answer them just now. But if you will give me two weeks to +think about them, I will do the best that I can." + +"Two weeks you shall have," said the king; "but if then you fail to +answer me, you shall lose your head, and all your lands shall be +mine." + +The abbot went away very sad and in great fear. He first rode to +Oxford. Here was a great school, called a u-ni-ver'si-ty, and he +wanted to see if any of the wise pro-fess-ors could help him. But they +shook their heads, and said that there was nothing about King John in +any of their books. + +Then the abbot rode down to Cam-bridge, where there was another +u-ni-ver-si-ty. But not one of the teachers in that great school could +help him. + +At last, sad and sor-row-ful, he rode toward home to bid his friends +and his brave knights good-by. For now he had not a week to live. + +II. THE THREE ANSWERS. + +As the abbot was riding up the lane which led to his grand house, he +met his shep-herd going to the fields. + +"Welcome home, good master!" cried the shepherd. "What news do you +bring us from great King John?" + +"Sad news, sad news," said the abbot; and then he told him all that +had happened. + +"Cheer up, cheer up, good master," said the shepherd. "Have you never +yet heard that a fool may teach a wise man wit? I think I can help you +out of your trouble." + +"You help me!" cried the abbot "How? how?" + +"Well," answered the shepherd, "you know that everybody says that I +look just like you, and that I have some-times been mis-tak-en for +you. So, lend me your servants and your horse and your gown, and I +will go up to London and see the king. If nothing else can be done, I +can at least die in your place." + +"My good shepherd," said the abbot, "you are very, very kind; and I +have a mind to let you try your plan. But if the worst comes to the +worst, you shall not die for me. I will die for myself." + +So the shepherd got ready to go at once. He dressed himself with +great care. Over his shepherd's coat he threw the abbot's long gown, +and he bor-rowed the abbot's cap and golden staff. When all was ready, +no one in the world would have thought that he was not the great man +himself. Then he mounted his horse, and with a great train of servants +set out for London. + +Of course the king did not know him. + +"Welcome, Sir Abbot!" he said. "It is a good thing that you have come +back. But, prompt as you are, if you fail to answer my three +questions, you shall lose your head." + +"I am ready to answer them, O king!" said the shepherd. + +"Indeed, indeed!" said the king, and he laughed to himself. "Well, +then, answer my first question: How long shall I live? Come, you must +tell me to the very day." + +"You shall live," said the shepherd, "until the day that you die, and +not one day longer. And you shall die when you take your last breath, +and not one moment before." + +The king laughed. + +"You are witty, I see," he said. "But we will let that pass, and say +that your answer is right. And now tell me how soon I may ride round +the world." + +[Illustration: "You shall live until the day that you die."] + +"You must rise with the sun," said the shepherd, "and you must ride +with the sun until it rises again the next morning. As soon as you do +that, you will find that you have ridden round the world in +twenty-four hours." + +The king laughed again. "Indeed," he said, "I did not think that it +could be done so soon. You are not only witty, but you are wise, and +we will let this answer pass. And now comes my third and last +question: What do I think?" + +"That is an easy question," said the shepherd. "You think that I am +the Abbot of Can-ter-bur-y. But, to tell you the truth, I am only his +poor shepherd, and I have come to beg your pardon for him and for me." +And with that, he threw off his long gown. + +The king laughed loud and long. + +"A merry fellow you are," said he, "and you shall be the Abbot of +Canterbury in your master's place." + +"O king! that cannot be," said the shepherd; "for I can neither read +nor write." + +"Very well, then," said the king, "I will give you something else to +pay you for this merry joke. I will give you four pieces of silver +every week as long as you live. And when you get home, you may tell +the old abbot that you have brought him a free pardon from King +John." + + + + +A STORY OF ROBIN HOOD. + + +In the rude days of King Rich-ard and King John there were many great +woods in England. The most famous of these was Sher-wood forest, where +the king often went to hunt deer. In this forest there lived a band of +daring men called out-laws. + +They had done something that was against the laws of the land, and had +been forced to hide themselves in the woods to save their lives. There +they spent their time in roaming about among the trees, in hunting the +king's deer, and in robbing rich trav-el-ers that came that way. + +There were nearly a hundred of these outlaws, and their leader was a +bold fellow called Robin Hood. They were dressed in suits of green, +and armed with bows and arrows; and sometimes they carried long wooden +lances and broad-swords, which they knew how to handle well. When-ever +they had taken anything, it was brought and laid at the feet of Robin +Hood, whom they called their king. He then di-vid-ed it fairly among +them, giving to each man his just share. + +Robin never allowed his men to harm any-body but the rich men who +lived in great houses and did no work. He was always kind to the poor, +and he often sent help to them; and for that reason the common people +looked upon him as their friend. + +Long after he was dead, men liked to talk about his deeds. Some +praised him, and some blamed him. He was, indeed, a rude, lawless +fellow; but at that time, people did not think of right and wrong as +they do now. + +A great many songs were made up about Robin Hood, and these songs were +sung in the cot-ta-ges and huts all over the land for hundreds of +years after-ward. + +Here is a little story that is told in one of those songs:-- + +Robin Hood was standing one day under a green tree by the road-side. +While he was lis-ten-ing to the birds among the leaves, he saw a young +man passing by. This young man was dressed in a fine suit of bright +red cloth; and, as he tripped gayly along the road, he seemed to be as +happy as the day. + +"I will not trou-ble him," said Robin Hood, "for I think he is on his +way to his wedding." + +The next day Robin stood in the same place. He had not been there long +when he saw the same young man coming down the road. But he did not +seem to be so happy this time. He had left his scarlet coat at home, +and at every step he sighed and groaned. + +"Ah the sad day! the sad day!" he kept saying to himself. + +Then Robin Hood stepped out from under the tree, and said,-- + +"I say, young man! Have you any money to spare for my merry men and +me?" + +"I have nothing at all," said the young man, "but five shil-lings and +a ring." + +"A gold ring?" asked Robin. + +"Yes?" said the young man, "it is a gold ring. Here it is." + +"Ah, I see!" said Robin: "it is a wedding ring." + +"I have kept it these seven years," said the young man; "I have kept +it to give to my bride on our wedding day. We were going to be married +yes-ter-day. But her father has prom-ised her to a rich old man whom +she never saw. And now my heart is broken." + +"What is your name?" asked Robin. + +"My name is Allin-a-Dale," said the young man. + +"What will you give me, in gold or fee," said Robin, "if I will help +you win your bride again in spite of the rich old man to whom she has +been promised?" + +[Illustration] + +"I have no money," said Allin, "but I will promise to be your +servant." + +"How many miles is it to the place where the maiden lives?" asked +Robin. + +"It is not far," said Allin. "But she is to be married this very day, +and the church is five miles away." + +Then Robin made haste to dress himself as a harper; and in the +after-noon he stood in the door of the church. + +"Who are you?" said the bishop, "and what are you doing here?" + +"I am a bold harper," said Robin, "the best in the north country." + +"I am glad you have come," said the bishop kindly. "There is no music +that I like so well as that of the harp. Come in, and play for us." + +"I will go in," said Robin Hood; "but I will not give you any music +until I see the bride and bridegroom." + +Just then an old man came in. He was dressed in rich clothing, but was +bent with age, and was feeble and gray. By his side walked a fair +young girl. Her cheeks were very pale, and her eyes were full of +tears. + +"This is no match," said Robin. "Let the bride choose for herself." + +Then he put his horn to his lips, and blew three times. The very next +minute, four and twenty men, all dressed in green, and car-ry-ing long +bows in their hands, came running across the fields. And as they +marched into the church, all in a row, the fore-most among them was +Allin-a-Dale. + +"Now whom do you choose?" said Robin to the maiden. + +"I choose Allin-a-Dale," she said, blushing. + +"And Allin-a-Dale you shall have," said Robin; "and he that takes you +from Allin-a-Dale shall find that he has Robin Hood to deal with." + +And so the fair maiden and Allin-a-Dale were married then and there, +and the rich old man went home in a great rage. + + "And thus having ended this merry wedding, + The bride looked like a queen: + And so they re-turned to the merry green wood, + Amongst the leaves so green." + + + + +BRUCE AND THE SPIDER. + + +There was once a king of Scot-land whose name was Robert Bruce. He had +need to be both brave and wise, for the times in which he lived were +wild and rude. The King of England was at war with him, and had led a +great army into Scotland to drive him out of the land. + +Battle after battle had been fought. Six times had Bruce led his brave +little army against his foes; and six times had his men been beaten, +and driven into flight. At last his army was scat-tered, and he was +forced to hide himself in the woods and in lonely places among the +moun-tains. + +One rainy day, Bruce lay on the ground under a rude shed, lis-ten-ing +to the patter of the drops on the roof above him. He was tired and +sick at heart, and ready to give up all hope. It seemed to him that +there was no use for him to try to do anything more. + +As he lay thinking, he saw a spider over his head, making ready to +weave her web. He watched her as she toiled slowly and with great +care. Six times she tried to throw her frail thread from one beam to +another, and six times it fell short. + +"Poor thing!" said Bruce: "you, too, know what it is to fail." + +But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure. With still +more care, she made ready to try for the seventh time. Bruce almost +forgot his own troubles as he watched her swing herself out upon the +slender line. Would she fail again? No! The thread was carried safely +to the beam, and fas-tened there. + +"I, too, will try a seventh time!" cried Bruce. + +He arose and called his men together. He told them of his plans, and +sent them out with mes-sa-ges of cheer to his dis-heart-ened people. +Soon there was an army of brave Scotch-men around him. Another battle +was fought, and the King of England was glad to go back into his own +country. + +I have heard it said, that, after that day, no one by the name of +Bruce would ever hurt a spider. The lesson which the little crea-ture +had taught the king was never for-got-ten. + + + + +THE BLACK DOUGLAS. + + +In Scotland, in the time of King Robert Bruce, there lived a brave man +whose name was Doug-las. His hair and beard were black and long, and +his face was tanned and dark; and for this reason people nicknamed him +the Black Douglas. He was a good friend of the king, and one of his +strongest helpers. + +In the war with the English, who were trying to drive Bruce from +Scotland, the Black Douglas did many brave deeds; and the English +people became very much afraid of him. By and by the fear of him +spread all through the land. Nothing could frighten an English lad +more than to tell him that the Black Douglas was not far away. Women +would tell their chil-dren, when they were naughty, that the Black +Douglas would get them; and this would make them very quiet and good. + +There was a large cas-tle in Scotland which the English had taken +early in the war. The Scot-tish soldiers wanted very much to take it +again, and the Black Douglas and his men went one day to see what they +could do. It happened to be a hol-i-day, and most of the English +soldiers in the cas-tle were eating and drinking and having a merry +time. But they had left watch-men on the wall to see that the Scottish +soldiers did not come upon them un-a-wares; and so they felt quite +safe. + +In the e-ven-ing, when it was growing dark, the wife of one of the +soldiers went up on the wall with her child in her arms. As she looked +over into the fields below the castle, she saw some dark objects +moving toward the foot of the wall. In the dusk she could not make out +what they were, and so she pointed them out to one of the watch-men. + +"Pooh, pooh!" said the watchman. "Those are nothing to frighten us. +They are the farmer's cattle, trying to find their way home. The +farmer himself is en-joy-ing the hol-i-day, and he has forgotten to +bring them in. If the Douglas should happen this way before morning, +he will be sorry for his care-less-ness." + +But the dark objects were not cattle. They were the Black Douglas and +his men, creeping on hands and feet toward the foot of the castle +wall. Some of them were dragging ladders behind them through the +grass. They would soon be climbing to the top of the wall. None of the +English soldiers dreamed that they were within many miles of the +place. + +The woman watched them until the last one had passed around a corner +out of sight. She was not afraid, for in the dark-en-ing twi-light +they looked indeed like cattle. After a little while she began to sing +to her child:-- + + "Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye, + Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye, + The Black Douglas shall not get ye." + +All at once a gruff voice was heard behind her, saying, "Don't be so +sure about that!" + +She looked around, and there stood the Black Douglas himself. At the +same moment a Scottish soldier climbed off a ladder and leaped upon +the wall; and then there came another and another and another, until +the wall was covered with them. Soon there was hot fighting in every +part of the castle. But the English were so taken by surprise that +they could not do much. Many of them were killed, and in a little +while the Black Douglas and his men were the masters of the castle, +which by right be-longed to them. + +[Illustration: "Don't be so sure about that!"] + +As for the woman and her child, the Black Douglas would not suffer any +one to harm them. After a while they went back to England; and whether +the mother made up any more songs about the Black Douglas I cannot +tell. + + + + +THREE MEN OF GOTHAM. + + +There is a town in England called Go-tham, and many merry stories are +told of the queer people who used to live there. + +One day two men of Go-tham met on a bridge. Hodge was coming from the +market, and Peter was going to the market. + +"Where are you going?" said Hodge. + +"I am going to the market to buy sheep," said Peter. + +"Buy sheep?" said Hodge. "And which way will you bring them home?" + +"I shall bring them over this bridge," said Peter. + +"No, you shall not," said Hodge. + +"Yes, but I will," said Peter. + +"You shall not," said Hodge. + +"I will," said Peter. + +Then they beat with their sticks on the ground as though there had +been a hundred sheep between them. + +"Take care!" cried Peter. "Look out that my sheep don't jump on the +bridge." + +"I care not where they jump," said Hodge; "but they shall not go over +it." + +"But they shall," said Peter. + +"Have a care," said Hodge; "for if you say too much, I will put my +fingers in your mouth." + +"Will you?" said Peter. + +Just then another man of Gotham came from the market with a sack of +meal on his horse. He heard his neigh-bors quar-rel-ing about sheep; +but he could see no sheep between them, and so he stopped and spoke to +them. + +"Ah, you foolish fellows!" he cried. "It is strange that you will +never learn wisdom.--Come here, Peter, and help me lay my sack on my +shoul-der." + +Peter did so, and the man carried his meal to the side of the bridge. + +"Now look at me," he said, "and learn a lesson." And he opened the +mouth of the sack, and poured all the meal into the river. + +"Now, neighbors," he said, "can you tell how much meal is in my +sack?" + +[Illustration: "How much meal is in my sack?"] + +"There is none at all!" cried Hodge and Peter together. + +"You are right," said the man; "and you that stand here and quarrel +about nothing, have no more sense in your heads than I have meal in my +sack!" + + + + +OTHER WISE MEN OF GOTHAM. + + +One day, news was brought to Gotham that the king was coming that way, +and that he would pass through the town. This did not please the men +of Gotham at all. They hated the king, for they knew that he was a +cruel, bad man. If he came to their town, they would have to find food +and lodg-ing for him and his men; and if he saw anything that pleased +him, he would be sure to take it for his own. What should they do? + +They met together to talk the matter over. + +"Let us chop down the big trees in the woods, so that they will block +up all the roads that lead into the town," said one of the wise men. + +"Good!" said all the rest. + +So they went out with their axes, and soon all the roads and paths to +the town were filled with logs and brush. The king's horse-men would +have a hard time of it getting into Gotham. They would either have to +make a new road, or give up the plan al-to-geth-er, and go on to some +other place. + +When the king came, and saw that the road had been blocked up, he was +very angry. + +"Who chopped those trees down in my way?" he asked of two country lads +that were passing by. + +"The men of Gotham," said the lads. + +"Well," said the king, "go and tell the men of Gotham that I shall +send my sher-iff into their town, and have all their noses cut off." + +The two lads ran to the town as fast as they could, and made known +what the king had said. + +Every-body was in great fright. The men ran from house to house, +carrying the news, and asking one another what they should do. + +"Our wits have kept the king out of the town," said one; "and so now +our wits must save our noses." + +"True, true!" said the others. "But what shall we do?" + +Then one, whose name was Dobbin, and who was thought to be the wisest +of them all, said, "Let me tell you something. Many a man has been +punished because he was wise, but I have never heard of any one being +harmed because he was a fool. So, when the king's sher-iff comes, let +us all act like fools." + +"Good, good!" cried the others. "We will all act like fools." + +It was no easy thing for the king's men to open the roads; and while +they were doing it, the king grew tired of waiting, and went back to +London. But very early one morning, the sheriff with a party of fierce +soldiers rode through the woods, and between the fields, toward +Gotham. Just before they reached the town, they saw a queer sight. The +old men were rolling big stones up the hill, and all the young men +were looking on, and grunting very loudly. + +The sheriff stopped his horses, and asked what they were doing. + +"We are rolling stones up-hill to make the sun rise," said one of the +old men. + +"You foolish fellow!" said the sheriff. "Don't you know that the sun +will rise without any help?" + +"Ah! will it?" said the old man. "Well, I never thought of that. How +wise you are!" + +"And what are _you_ doing?" said the sheriff to the young men. + +"Oh, we do the grunting while our fathers do the working," they +answered. + +"I see," said the sheriff. "Well, that is the way the world goes +every-where." And he rode on toward the town. + +He soon came to a field where a number of men were building a stone +wall. + +"What are you doing?" he asked. + +"Why, master," they answered, "there is a cuck-oo in this field, and +we are building a wall around it so as to keep the bird from straying +away." + +"You foolish fellows!" said the sheriff. "Don't you know that the bird +will fly over the top of your wall, no matter how high you build it?" + +"Why, no," they said. "We never thought of that. How very wise you +are!" + +The sheriff next met a man who was carrying a door on his back. + +"What are you doing?" he asked. + +"I have just started on a long jour-ney," said the man. + +"But why do you carry that door?" asked the sheriff. + +"I left my money at home." + +"Then why didn't you leave the door at home too?" + +"I was afraid of thieves; and you see, if I have the door with me, +they can't break it open and get in." + +"You foolish fellow!" said the sheriff. "It would be safer to leave +the door at home, and carry the money with you." + +"Ah, would it, though?" said the man. "Now, I never thought of that. +You are the wisest man that I ever saw." + +Then the sheriff rode on with his men; but every one that they met was +doing some silly thing. + +"Truly I believe that the people of Gotham are all fools," said one of +the horsemen. + +"That is true," said another. "It would be a shame to harm such simple +people." + +"Let us ride back to London, and tell the king all about them," said +the sheriff. + +"Yes, let us do so," said the horsemen. + +So they went back, and told the king that Gotham was a town of fools; +and the king laughed, and said that if that was the case, he would not +harm them, but would let them keep their noses. + + + + +THE MILLER OF THE DEE. + + +Once upon a time there lived on the banks of the River Dee a miller, +who was the hap-pi-est man in England. He was always busy from morning +till night, and he was always singing as merrily as any lark. He was +so cheerful that he made everybody else cheerful; and people all over +the land liked to talk about his pleasant ways. At last the king heard +about him. + +"I will go down and talk with this won-der-ful miller," he said. +"Perhaps he can tell me how to be happy." + +As soon as he stepped inside of the mill, he heard the miller +singing:-- + + "I envy no-body--no, not I!-- + For I am as happy as I can be; + And nobody envies me." + +"You're wrong, my friend," said the king. "You're wrong as wrong can +be. I envy you; and I would gladly change places with you, if I could +only be as light-hearted as you are." + +The miller smiled, and bowed to the king. + +"I am sure I could not think of changing places with you, sir," he +said. + +"Now tell me," said the king, "what makes you so cheerful and glad +here in your dusty mill, while I, who am king, am sad and in trouble +every day." + +The miller smiled again, and said, "I do not know why you are sad, but +I can eas-i-ly tell why I am glad. I earn my own bread; I love my wife +and my children; I love my friends, and they love me; and I owe not a +penny to any man. Why should I not be happy? For here is the River +Dee, and every day it turns my mill; and the mill grinds the corn that +feeds my wife, my babes, and me." + +[Illustration] + +"Say no more," said the king. "Stay where you are, and be happy still. +But I envy you. Your dusty cap is worth more than my golden crown. +Your mill does more for you than my kingdom can do for me. If there +were more such men as you, what a good place this world would be! +Good-by, my friend!" + +The king turned about, and walked sadly away; and the miller went back +to his work singing:-- + + "Oh, I'm as happy as happy can be, + For I live by the side of the River Dee!" + + + + +SIR PHILIP SIDNEY. + + +A cruel battle was being fought. The ground was covered with dead and +dying men. The air was hot and stifling. The sun shone down without +pity on the wounded soldiers lying in the blood and dust. + +One of these soldiers was a no-ble-man, whom everybody loved for his +gen-tle-ness and kindness. Yet now he was no better off than the +poorest man in the field. He had been wounded, and would die; and he +was suf-fer-ing much with pain and thirst. + +When the battle was over, his friends hurried to his aid. A soldier +came running with a cup in his hand. + +"Here, Sir Philip," he said, "I have brought you some clear, cool +water from the brook. I will raise your head so that you can drink." + +The cup was placed to Sir Philip's lips. How thank-ful-ly he looked at +the man who had brought it! Then his eyes met those of a dying soldier +who was lying on the ground close by. The wist-ful look in the poor +man's face spoke plainer than words. + +"Give the water to that man," said Sir Philip quickly; and then, +pushing the cup toward him, he said, "Here, my comrade, take this. Thy +need is greater than mine." + +What a brave, noble man he was! The name of Sir Philip Sidney will +never be for-got-ten; for it was the name of a Chris-tian gen-tle-man +who always had the good of others in his mind. Was it any wonder that +everybody wept when it was heard that he was dead? + +It is said, that, on the day when he was carried to the grave, every +eye in the land was filled with tears. Rich and poor, high and low, +all felt that they had lost a friend; all mourned the death of the +kindest, gentlest man that they had ever known. + + + + +THE UNGRATEFUL SOLDIER. + + +Here is another story of the bat-tle-field, and it is much like the +one which I have just told you. + +Not quite a hundred years after the time of Sir Philip Sidney there +was a war between the Swedes and the Danes. One day a great battle was +fought, and the Swedes were beaten, and driven from the field. A +soldier of the Danes who had been slightly wounded was sitting on the +ground. He was about to take a drink from a flask. All at once he +heard some one say,-- + +"O sir! give me a drink, for I am dying." + +It was a wounded Swede who spoke. He was lying on the ground only a +little way off. The Dane went to him at once. He knelt down by the +side of his fallen foe, and pressed the flask to his lips. + +"Drink," said he, "for thy need is greater than mine." + +Hardly had he spoken these words, when the Swede raised himself on his +elbow. He pulled a pistol from his pocket, and shot at the man who +would have be-friend-ed him. The bullet grazed the Dane's shoulder, +but did not do him much harm. + +"Ah, you rascal!" he cried. "I was going to befriend you, and you +repay me by trying to kill me. Now I will punish you. I would have +given you all the water, but now you shall have only half." And with +that he drank the half of it, and then gave the rest to the Swede. + +[Illustration] + +When the King of the Danes heard about this, he sent for the soldier +and had him tell the story just as it was. + +"Why did you spare the life of the Swede after he had tried to kill +you?" asked the king. + +"Because, sir," said the soldier, "I could never kill a wounded +enemy." + +"Then you deserve to be a no-ble-man," said the king. And he +re-ward-ed him by making him a knight, and giving him a noble title. + + + + +SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT. + + +More than three hundred years ago there lived in England a brave man +whose name was Sir Humphrey Gil-bert. At that time there were no white +people in this country of ours. The land was covered with forests; and +where there are now great cities and fine farms there were only trees +and swamps among which roamed wild In-di-ans and wild beasts. + +Sir Hum-phrey Gilbert was one of the first men who tried to make a +set-tle-ment in A-mer-i-ca. Twice did he bring men and ships over the +sea, and twice did he fail, and sail back for England. The second +time, he was on a little ship called the "Squirrel." Another ship, +called the "Golden Hind," was not far away. When they were three days +from land, the wind failed, and the ships lay floating on the waves. +Then at night the air grew very cold. A breeze sprang up from the +east. Great white ice-bergs came drifting around them. In the morning +the little ships were almost lost among the floating mountains of ice. +The men on the "Hind" saw Sir Humphrey sitting on the deck of the +"Squirrel" with an open book in his hand. He called to them and +said,-- + +"Be brave, my friends! We are as near heaven on the sea as on the +land." + +Night came again. It was a stormy night, with mist and rain. All at +once the men on the "Hind" saw the lights on board of the "Squirrel" +go out. The little vessel, with brave Sir Humphrey and all his brave +men, was swal-lowed up by the waves. + + + + +SIR WALTER RALEIGH. + + +There once lived in England a brave and noble man whose name was +Walter Ra-leigh. He was not only brave and noble, but he was also +handsome and polite; and for that reason the queen made him a knight, +and called him Sir Walter Ra-leigh. + +I will tell you about it. + +When Raleigh was a young man, he was one day walking along a street in +London. At that time the streets were not paved, and there were no +sidewalks. Raleigh was dressed in very fine style, and he wore a +beau-ti-ful scar-let cloak thrown over his shoulders. + +As he passed along, he found it hard work to keep from stepping in the +mud, and soiling his hand-some new shoes. Soon he came to a puddle of +muddy water which reached from one side of the street to the other. He +could not step across. Perhaps he could jump over it. + +As he was thinking what he should do, he happened to look up. Who was +it coming down the street, on the other side of the puddle? + +It was E-liz-a-beth, the Queen of England, with her train of +gen-tle-wom-en and waiting maids. She saw the dirty puddle in the +street. She saw the handsome young man with the scar-let cloak, +stand-ing by the side of it. How was she to get across? + +Young Raleigh, when he saw who was coming, forgot about himself. He +thought only of helping the queen. There was only one thing that he +could do, and no other man would have thought of that. + +He took off his scarlet cloak, and spread it across the puddle. The +queen could step on it now, as on a beautiful carpet. + +She walked across. She was safely over the ugly puddle, and her feet +had not touched the mud. She paused a moment, and thanked the young +man. + +As she walked onward with her train, she asked one of the +gen-tle-wom-en, "Who is that brave gen-tle-man who helped us so +handsomely?" + +"His name is Walter Raleigh," said the gentle-woman. + +"He shall have his reward," said the queen. + +Not long after that, she sent for Raleigh to come to her pal-ace. + +The young man went, but he had no scarlet cloak to wear. Then, while +all the great men and fine ladies of England stood around, the queen +made him a knight. And from that time he was known as Sir Walter +Raleigh, the queen's favorite. + +Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Humphrey Gilbert about whom I have already +told you, were half-broth-ers. + +When Sir Humphrey made his first voy-age to America, Sir Walter was +with him. After that, Sir Walter tried sev-er-al times to send men to +this country to make a set-tle-ment. + +But those whom he sent found only great forests, and wild beasts, and +sav-age In-di-ans. Some of them went back to England; some of them +died for want of food; and some of them were lost in the woods. At +last Sir Walter gave up trying to get people to come to America. + +But he found two things in this country which the people of England +knew very little about. One was the po-ta-to, the other was to-bac-co. + +If you should ever go to Ireland, you may be shown the place where Sir +Walter planted the few po-ta-toes which he carried over from America. +He told his friends how the Indians used them for food; and he proved +that they would grow in the Old World as well as in the New. + +Sir Walter had seen the Indians smoking the leaves of the to-bac-co +plant. He thought that he would do the same, and he carried some of +the leaves to England. Englishmen had never used tobacco before that +time; and all who saw Sir Walter puff-ing away at a roll of leaves +thought that it was a strange sight. + +One day as he was sitting in his chair and smoking, his servant came +into the room. The man saw the smoke curling over his master's head, +and he thought that he was on fire. + +He ran out for some water. He found a pail that was quite full. He +hurried back, and threw the water into Sir Walter's face. Of course +the fire was all put out. + +After that a great many men learned to smoke. And now tobacco is used +in all countries of the world. It would have been well if Sir Walter +Raleigh had let it alone. + + + + +POCAHONTAS. + + +There was once a very brave man whose name was John Smith. He came to +this country many years ago, when there were great woods everywhere, +and many wild beasts and Indians. Many tales are told of his +ad-ven-tures, some of them true and some of them untrue. The most +famous of all these is the fol-low-ing:-- + +One day when Smith was in the woods, some Indians came upon him, and +made him their pris-on-er. They led him to their king, and in a short +time they made ready to put him to death. + +A large stone was brought in, and Smith was made to lie down with his +head on it. Then two tall Indians with big clubs in their hands came +forward. The king and all his great men stood around to see. The +Indians raised their clubs. In another moment they would fall on +Smith's head. + +But just then a little Indian girl rushed in. She was the daugh-ter of +the king, and her name was Po-ca-hon'tas. She ran and threw herself +between Smith and the up-lift-ed clubs. She clasped Smith's head with +her arms. She laid her own head upon his. + +"O father!" she cried, "spare this man's life. I am sure he has done +you no harm, and we ought to be his friends." + +The men with the clubs could not strike, for they did not want to hurt +the child. The king at first did not know what to do. Then he spoke to +some of his war-riors, and they lifted Smith from the ground. They +untied the cords from his wrists and feet, and set him free. + +The next day the king sent Smith home; and several Indians went with +him to protect him from harm. + +After that, as long as she lived, Po-ca-hon-tas was the friend of the +white men, and she did a great many things to help them. + + + + +GEORGE WASHINGTON AND HIS HATCHET. + + +When George Wash-ing-ton was quite a little boy, his father gave him a +hatchet. It was bright and new, and George took great delight in going +about and chopping things with it. + +He ran into the garden, and there he saw a tree which seemed to say to +him, "Come and cut me down!" + +George had often seen his father's men chop down the great trees in +the forest, and he thought that it would be fine sport to see this +tree fall with a crash to the ground. So he set to work with his +little hatchet, and, as the tree was a very small one, it did not take +long to lay it low. + +[Illustration] + +Soon after that, his father came home. + +"Who has been cutting my fine young cherry tree?" he cried. "It was +the only tree of its kind in this country, and it cost me a great +deal of money." + +He was very angry when he came into the house. + +"If I only knew who killed that cherry tree," he cried, "I would--yes, +I would"-- + +"Father!" cried little George. "I will tell you the truth about it. I +chopped the tree down with my hatchet." + +His father forgot his anger. + +"George," he said, and he took the little fellow in his arms, "George, +I am glad that you told me about it. I would rather lose a dozen +cherry trees than that you should tell one false-hood." + + + + +GRACE DARLING. + + +It was a dark Sep-tem-ber morning. There was a storm at sea. A ship +had been driven on a low rock off the shores of the Farne Islands. It +had been broken in two by the waves, and half of it had been washed +away. The other half lay yet on the rock, and those of the crew who +were still alive were cling-ing to it. But the waves were dashing over +it, and in a little while it too would be carried to the bottom. + +Could any one save the poor, half-drowned men who were there? + +On one of the islands was a light-house; and there, all through that +stormy night, Grace Darling had listened to the storm. + +Grace was the daughter of the light-house keeper, and she had lived by +the sea as long as she could re-mem-ber. + +In the darkness of the night, above the noise of the winds and waves, +she heard screams and wild cries. When day-light came, she could see +the wreck, a mile away, with the angry waters all around it. She could +see the men clinging to the masts. + +"We must try to save them!" she cried. "Let us go out in the boat at +once!" + +"It is of no use, Grace," said her father. "We cannot reach them." + +He was an old man, and he knew the force of the mighty waves. + +"We cannot stay here and see them die," said Grace. "We must at least +try to save them." + +Her father could not say, "No." + +In a few minutes they were ready. They set off in the heavy lighthouse +boat. Grace pulled one oar, and her father the other, and they made +straight toward the wreck. But it was hard rowing against such a sea, +and it seemed as though they would never reach the place. + +At last they were close to the rock, and now they were in greater +danger than before. The fierce waves broke against the boat, and it +would have been dashed in pieces, had it not been for the strength and +skill of the brave girl. + +But after many trials, Grace's father climbed upon the wreck, while +Grace herself held the boat. Then one by one the worn-out crew were +helped on board. It was all that the girl could do to keep the frail +boat from being drifted away, or broken upon the sharp edges of the +rock. + +Then her father clam-bered back into his place. Strong hands grasped +the oars, and by and by all were safe in the lighthouse. There Grace +proved to be no less tender as a nurse than she had been brave as a +sailor. She cared most kindly for the ship-wrecked men until the storm +had died away and they were strong enough to go to their own homes. + +All this happened a long time ago, but the name of Grace Darling will +never be forgotten. She lies buried now in a little church-yard by the +sea, not far from her old home. Every year many people go there to see +her grave; and there a mon-u-ment has been placed in honor of the +brave girl. It is not a large mon-u-ment, but it is one that speaks of +the noble deed which made Grace Darling famous. It is a figure carved +in stone of a woman lying at rest, with a boat's oar held fast in her +right hand. + + + + +THE STORY OF WILLIAM TELL. + + +The people of Swit-zer-land were not always free and happy as they are +to-day. Many years ago a proud tyrant, whose name was Gessler, ruled +over them, and made their lot a bitter one indeed. + +One day this tyrant set up a tall pole in the public square, and put +his own cap on the top of it; and then he gave orders that every man +who came into the town should bow down before it. But there was one +man, named William Tell, who would not do this. He stood up straight +with folded arms, and laughed at the swinging cap. He would not bow +down to Gessler himself. + +When Gessler heard of this, he was very angry. He was afraid that +other men would disobey, and that soon the whole country would rebel +against him. So he made up his mind to punish the bold man. + +William Tell's home was among the mountains, and he was a famous +hunter. No one in all the land could shoot with bow and arrow so well +as he. Gessler knew this, and so he thought of a cruel plan to make +the hunter's own skill bring him to grief. He ordered that Tell's +little boy should be made to stand up in the public square with an +apple on his head; and then he bade Tell shoot the apple with one of +his arrows. + +Tell begged the tyrant not to have him make this test of his skill. +What if the boy should move? What if the bow-man's hand should +tremble? What if the arrow should not carry true? + +[Illustration] + +"Will you make me kill my boy?" he said. + +"Say no more," said Gessler. "You must hit the apple with your one +arrow. If you fail, my sol-diers shall kill the boy before your +eyes." + +Then, without another word, Tell fitted the arrow to his bow. He took +aim, and let it fly. The boy stood firm and still. He was not afraid, +for he had all faith in his father's skill. + +The arrow whistled through the air. It struck the apple fairly in the +center, and carried it away. The people who saw it shouted with joy. + +As Tell was turning away from the place, an arrow which he had hidden +under his coat dropped to the ground. + +"Fellow!" cried Gessler, "what mean you with this second arrow?" + +"Tyrant!" was Tell's proud answer, "this arrow was for your heart if I +had hurt my child." + +And there is an old story, that, not long after this, Tell did shoot +the tyrant with one of his arrows; and thus he set his country free. + + + + +ARNOLD WINKELRIED. + + +A great army was marching into Swit-zer-land. If it should go much +farther, there would be no driving it out again. The soldiers would +burn the towns, they would rob the farmers of their grain and sheep, +they would make slaves of the people. + +The men of Switzerland knew all this. They knew that they must fight +for their homes and their lives. And so they came from the mountains +and valleys to try what they could do to save their land. Some came +with bows and arrows, some with scythes and pitch-forks, and some with +only sticks and clubs. + +But their foes kept in line as they marched along the road. Every +soldier was fully armed. As they moved and kept close together, +nothing could be seen of them but their spears and shields and shining +armor. What could the poor country people do against such foes as +these? + +"We must break their lines," cried their leader; "for we cannot harm +them while they keep together." + +The bowmen shot their arrows, but they glanced off from the soldiers' +shields. Others tried clubs and stones, but with no better luck. The +lines were still un-bro-ken. The soldiers moved stead-i-ly onward; +their shields lapped over one another; their thousand spears looked +like so many long bris-tles in the sun-light. What cared they for +sticks and stones and hunts-men's arrows? + +"If we cannot break their ranks," said the Swiss, "we have no chance +for fight, and our country will be lost!" + +Then a poor man, whose name was Ar-nold Wink'el-ried, stepped out. + +"On the side of yonder moun-tain," said he, "I have a happy home. +There my wife and chil-dren wait for my return. But they will not see +me again, for this day I will give my life for my country. And do you, +my friends, do your duty, and Switzerland shall be free." + +With these words he ran forward. "Follow me!" he cried to his friends. +"I will break the lines, and then let every man fight as bravely as he +can." + +He had nothing in his hands, neither club nor stone nor other weapon. +But he ran straight on-ward to the place where the spears were +thickest. + +"Make way for lib-er-ty!" he cried, as he dashed right into the lines. + +A hundred spears were turned to catch him upon their points. The +soldiers forgot to stay in their places. The lines were broken. +Arnold's friends rushed bravely after him. They fought with whatever +they had in hand. They snatched spears and shields from their foes. +They had no thought of fear. They only thought of their homes and +their dear native land. And they won at last. + +Such a battle no one ever knew before. But Switzerland was saved, and +Arnold Wink-el-ried did not die in vain. + + + + +THE BELL OF ATRI. + + +A-tri is the name of a little town in It-a-ly. It is a very old town, +and is built half-way up the side of a steep hill. + +A long time ago, the King of Atri bought a fine large bell, and had it +hung up in a tower in the market place. A long rope that reached +almost to the ground was fas-tened to the bell. The smallest child +could ring the bell by pulling upon this rope. + +"It is the bell of justice," said the king. + +When at last everything was ready, the people of Atri had a great +holiday. All the men and women and children came down to the market +place to look at the bell of justice. It was a very pretty bell, and +was, pol-ished until it looked almost as bright and yellow as the sun. + +"How we should like to hear it ring!" they said. + +Then the king came down the street. + +"Perhaps he will ring it," said the people; and everybody stood very +still, and waited to see what he would do. + +But he did not ring the bell. He did not even take the rope in his +hands. When he came to the foot of the tower, he stopped, and raised +his hand. + +"My people," he said, "do you see this beautiful bell? It is your +bell; but it must never be rung except in case of need. If any one of +you is wronged at any time, he may come and ring the bell; and then +the judges shall come together at once, and hear his case, and give +him justice. Rich and poor, old and young, all alike may come; but no +one must touch the rope unless he knows that he has been wronged." + +Many years passed by after this. Many times did the bell in the market +place ring out to call the judges together. Many wrongs were righted, +many ill-doers were punished. At last the hempen rope was almost worn +out. The lower part of it was un-twist-ed; some of the strands were +broken; it became so short that only a tall man could reach it. + +"This will never do," said the judges one day. "What if a child should +be wronged? It could not ring the bell to let us know it." + +They gave orders that a new rope should be put upon the bell at +once,--a rope that should hang down to the ground, so that the +smallest child could reach it. But there was not a rope to be found in +all Atri. They would have to send across the mountains for one, and it +would be many days before it could be brought. What if some great +wrong should be done before it came? How could the judges know about +it, if the in-jured one could not reach the old rope? + +"Let me fix it for you," said a man who stood by. + +He ran into his garden, which was not far away, and soon came back +with a long grape-vine in his hands. + +"This will do for a rope," he said; and he climbed up, and fastened it +to the bell. The slender vine, with its leaves and ten-drils still +upon it, trailed to the ground. + +"Yes," said the judges, "it is a very good rope. Let it be as it is." + +Now, on the hill-side above the village, there lived a man who had +once been a brave knight. In his youth he had ridden through many +lands, and he had fought in many a battle. His best friend through all +that time had been his horse,--a strong, noble steed that had borne +him safe through many a danger. + +But the knight, when he grew older, cared no more to ride into battle; +he cared no more to do brave deeds; he thought of nothing but gold; he +became a miser. At last he sold all that he had, except his horse, and +went to live in a little hut on the hill-side. Day after day he sat +among his money bags, and planned how he might get more gold; and day +after day his horse stood in his bare stall, half-starved, and +shiv-er-ing with cold. + +"What is the use of keeping that lazy steed?" said the miser to +himself one morning. "Every week it costs me more to keep him than he +is worth. I might sell him; but there is not a man that wants him. I +cannot even give him away. I will turn him out to shift for himself, +and pick grass by the roadside. If he starves to death, so much the +better." + +So the brave old horse was turned out to find what he could among the +rocks on the barren hill-side. Lame and sick, he strolled along the +dusty roads, glad to find a blade of grass or a thistle. The boys +threw stones at him, the dogs barked at him, and in all the world +there was no one to pity him. + +One hot afternoon, when no one was upon the street, the horse chanced +to wander into the market place. Not a man nor child was there, for +the heat of the sun had driven them all indoors. The gates were wide +open; the poor beast could roam where he pleased. He saw the +grape-vine rope that hung from the bell of justice. The leaves and +tendrils upon it were still fresh and green, for it had not been there +long. What a fine dinner they would be for a starving horse! + +He stretched his thin neck, and took one of the tempting morsels in +his mouth. It was hard to break it from the vine. He pulled at it, and +the great bell above him began to ring. All the people in Atri heard +it. It seemed to say,-- + +"Some one has done me wrong! + Some one has done me wrong! + Oh! come and judge my case! + Oh! come and judge my case! + For I've been wronged!" + +The judges heard it. They put on their robes, and went out through the +hot streets to the market place. They wondered who it could be who +would ring the bell at such a time. When they passed through the gate, +they saw the old horse nibbling at the vine. + +"Ha!" cried one, "it is the miser's steed. He has come to call for +justice; for his master, as everybody knows, has treated him most +shame-ful-ly." + +"He pleads his cause as well as any dumb brute can," said another. + +"And he shall have justice!" said the third. + +Mean-while a crowd of men and women and children had come into the +market place, eager to learn what cause the judges were about to try. +When they saw the horse, all stood still in wonder. Then every one was +ready to tell how they had seen him wan-der-ing on the hills, unfed, +un-cared for, while his master sat at home counting his bags of gold. + +"Go bring the miser before us," said the judges. + +[Illustration: "Some one has done me wrong!"] + +And when he came, they bade him stand and hear their judg-ment. + +"This horse has served you well for many a year," they said. "He has +saved you from many a peril. He has helped you gain your wealth. +Therefore we order that one half of all your gold shall be set aside +to buy him shelter and food, a green pasture where he may graze, and a +warm stall to comfort him in his old age." + +The miser hung his head, and grieved to lose his gold; but the people +shouted with joy, and the horse was led away to his new stall and a +dinner such as he had not had in many a day. + + + + +HOW NAPOLEON CROSSED THE ALPS. + + +About a hundred years ago there lived a great gen-er-al whose name was +Na-po'le-on Bo'na-parte. He was the leader of the French army; and +France was at war with nearly all the countries around. He wanted very +much to take his soldiers into It-a-ly; but between France and Italy +there are high mountains called the Alps, the tops of which are +covered with snow. + +"Is it pos-si-ble to cross the Alps?" said Na-po-le-on. + +The men who had been sent to look at the passes over the mountains +shook their heads. Then one of them said, "It may be possible, but"-- + +"Let me hear no more," said Napoleon. "Forward to Italy!" + +People laughed at the thought of an army of sixty thousand men +crossing the Alps where there was no road. But Napoleon waited only to +see that everything was in good order, and then he gave the order to +march. + +The long line of soldiers and horses and cannon stretched for twenty +miles. When they came to a steep place where there seemed to be no way +to go farther, the trum-pets sounded "Charge!" Then every man did his +best, and the whole army moved right onward. + +Soon they were safe over the Alps. In four days they were marching on +the plains of Italy. + +"The man who has made up his mind to win," said Napoleon, "will never +say 'Im-pos-si-ble.'" + + + + +THE STORY OF CINCINNATUS. + + +There was a man named Cin-cin-na'tus who lived on a little farm not +far from the city of Rome. He had once been rich, and had held the +highest office in the land; but in one way or another he had lost all +his wealth. He was now so poor that he had to do all the work on his +farm with his own hands. But in those days it was thought to be a +noble thing to till the soil. + +Cin-cin-na-tus was so wise and just that every-body trusted him, and +asked his advice; and when any one was in trouble, and did not know +what to do, his neighbors would say,-- + +"Go and tell Cincinnatus. He will help you." + +Now there lived among the mountains, not far away, a tribe of fierce, +half-wild men, who were at war with the Roman people. They per-suad-ed +another tribe of bold war-riors to help them, and then marched toward +the city, plun-der-ing and robbing as they came. They boasted that +they would tear down the walls of Rome, and burn the houses, and kill +all the men, and make slaves of the women and children. + +At first the Romans, who were very proud and brave, did not think +there was much danger. Every man in Rome was a soldier, and the army +which went out to fight the robbers was the finest in the world. No +one staid at home with the women and children and boys but the +white-haired "Fathers," as they were called, who made the laws for the +city, and a small company of men who guarded the walls. Everybody +thought that it would be an easy thing to drive the men of the +mountains back to the place where they belonged. + +But one morning five horsemen came riding down the road from the +mountains. They rode with great speed; and both men and horses were +covered with dust and blood. The watchman at the gate knew them, and +shouted to them as they gal-loped in. Why did they ride thus? and what +had happened to the Roman army? + +They did not answer him, but rode into the city and along the quiet +streets; and everybody ran after them, eager to find out what was the +matter. Rome was not a large city at that time; and soon they reached +the market place where the white-haired Fathers were sitting. Then +they leaped from their horses, and told their story. + +"Only yes-ter-day," they said, "our army was marching through a narrow +valley between two steep mountains. All at once a thou-sand sav-age +men sprang out from among the rocks before us and above us. They had +blocked up the way; and the pass was so narrow that we could not +fight. We tried to come back; but they had blocked up the way on this +side of us too. The fierce men of the mountains were before us and +behind us, and they were throwing rocks down upon us from above. We +had been caught in a trap. Then ten of us set spurs to our horses; and +five of us forced our way through, but the other five fell before the +spears of the mountain men. And now, O Roman Fathers! send help to our +army at once, or every man will be slain, and our city will be taken." + +"What shall we do?" said the white-haired Fathers. "Whom can we send +but the guards and the boys? and who is wise enough to lead them, and +thus save Rome?" + +All shook their heads and were very grave; for it seemed as if there +was no hope. Then one said, "Send for Cincinnatus. He will help us." + +Cincinnatus was in the field plowing when the men who had been sent to +him came in great haste. He stopped and greeted them kindly, and +waited for them to speak. + +"Put on your cloak, Cincinnatus," they said, "and hear the words of +the Roman people." + +Then Cincinnatus wondered what they could mean. "Is all well with +Rome?" he asked; and he called to his wife to bring him his cloak. + +She brought the cloak; and Cincinnatus wiped the dust from his hands +and arms, and threw it over his shoulders. Then the men told their +errand. + +They told him how the army with all the noblest men of Rome had been +en-trapped in the mountain pass. They told him about the great danger +the city was in. Then they said, "The people of Rome make you their +ruler and the ruler of their city, to do with everything as you +choose; and the Fathers bid you come at once and go out against our +enemies, the fierce men of the mountains." + +[Illustration] + +So Cincinnatus left his plow standing where it was, and hurried to the +city. When he passed through the streets, and gave orders as to what +should be done, some of the people were afraid, for they knew that he +had all power in Rome to do what he pleased. But he armed the guards +and the boys, and went out at their head to fight the fierce mountain +men, and free the Roman army from the trap into which it had fallen. + +A few days afterward there was great joy in Rome. There was good news +from Cincinnatus. The men of the mountains had been beaten with great +loss. They had been driven back into their own place. + +And now the Roman army, with the boys and the guards, was coming home +with banners flying, and shouts of vic-to-ry; and at their head rode +Cincinnatus. He had saved Rome. + +Cincinnatus might then have made himself king; for his word was law, +and no man dared lift a finger against him. But, before the people +could thank him enough for what he had done, he gave back the power to +the white-haired Roman Fathers, and went again to his little farm and +his plow. + +He had been the ruler of Rome for sixteen days. + + + + +THE STORY OF REGULUS. + + +On the other side of the sea from Rome there was once a great city +named Car-thage. The Roman people were never very friendly to the +people of Car-thage, and at last a war began between them. For a long +time it was hard to tell which would prove the stronger. First the +Romans would gain a battle, and then the men of Car-thage would gain a +battle; and so the war went on for many years. + +Among the Romans there was a brave gen-er-al named Reg'u-lus,--a man +of whom it was said that he never broke his word. It so happened after +a while, that Reg-u-lus was taken pris-on-er and carried to Carthage. +Ill and very lonely, he dreamed of his wife and little children so far +away beyond the sea; and he had but little hope of ever seeing them +again. He loved his home dearly, but he believed that his first duty +was to his country; and so he had left all, to fight in this cruel +war. + +He had lost a battle, it is true, and had been taken prisoner. Yet he +knew that the Romans were gaining ground, and the people of Carthage +were afraid of being beaten in the end. They had sent into other +countries to hire soldiers to help them; but even with these they +would not be able to fight much longer against Rome. + +One day some of the rulers of Carthage came to the prison to talk with +Regulus. + +"We should like to make peace with the Roman people," they said, "and +we are sure, that, if your rulers at home knew how the war is going, +they would be glad to make peace with us. We will set you free and let +you go home, if you will agree to do as we say." + +"What is that?" asked Regulus. + +"In the first place," they said, "you must tell the Romans about the +battles which you have lost, and you must make it plain to them that +they have not gained any-thing by the war. In the second place, you +must promise us, that, if they will not make peace, you will come back +to your prison." + +"Very well," said Regulus, "I promise you, that, if they will not make +peace, I will come back to prison." + +And so they let him go; for they knew that a great Roman would keep +his word. + +When he came to Rome, all the people greeted him gladly. His wife and +children were very happy, for they thought that now they would not be +parted again. The white-haired Fathers who made the laws for the city +came to see him. They asked him about the war. + +"I was sent from Carthage to ask you to make peace," he said. "But it +will not be wise to make peace. True, we have been beaten in a few +battles, but our army is gaining ground every day. The people of +Carthage are afraid, and well they may be. Keep on with the war a +little while longer, and Carthage shall be yours. As for me, I have +come to bid my wife and children and Rome fare-well. To-morrow I will +start back to Carthage and to prison; for I have promised." + +Then the Fathers tried to persuade him to stay. + +"Let us send another man in your place," they said. + +"Shall a Roman not keep his word?" answered Regulus. "I am ill, and at +the best have not long to live. I will go back, as I promised." + +His wife and little children wept, and his sons begged him not to +leave them again. + +"I have given my word," said Regulus. "The rest will be taken care +of." + +Then he bade them good-by, and went bravely back to the prison and the +cruel death which he ex-pect-ed. + +This was the kind of courage that made Rome the greatest city in the +world. + + + + +CORNELIA'S JEWELS. + + +It was a bright morning in the old city of Rome many hundred years +ago. In a vine-covered summer-house in a beautiful garden, two boys +were standing. They were looking at their mother and her friend, who +were walking among the flowers and trees. + +"Did you ever see so handsome a lady as our mother's friend?" asked +the younger boy, holding his tall brother's hand. "She looks like a +queen." + +"Yet she is not so beautiful as our mother," said the elder boy. "She +has a fine dress, it is true; but her face is not noble and kind. It +is our mother who is like a queen." + +"That is true," said the other. "There is no woman in Rome so much +like a queen as our own dear mother." + +Soon Cor-ne'li-a, their mother, came down the walk to speak with them. +She was simply dressed in a plain white robe. Her arms and feet were +bare, as was the custom in those days; and no rings nor chains +glit-tered about her hands and neck. For her only crown, long braids +of soft brown hair were coiled about her head; and a tender smile lit +up her noble face as she looked into her sons' proud eyes. + +"Boys," she said, "I have something to tell you." + +They bowed before her, as Roman lads were taught to do, and said, +"What is it, mother?" + +"You are to dine with us to-day, here in the garden; and then our +friend is going to show us that wonderful casket of jewels of which +you have heard so much." + +The brothers looked shyly at their mother's friend. Was it possible +that she had still other rings besides those on her fingers? Could she +have other gems besides those which sparkled in the chains about her +neck? + +When the simple out-door meal was over, a servant brought the casket +from the house. The lady opened it. Ah, how those jewels dazzled the +eyes of the wondering boys! There were ropes of pearls, white as milk, +and smooth as satin; heaps of shining rubies, red as the glowing +coals; sap-phires as blue as the sky that summer day; and di-a-monds +that flashed and sparkled like the sunlight. + +The brothers looked long at the gems. + +"Ah!" whis-pered the younger; "if our mother could only have such +beautiful things!" + +At last, how-ever, the casket was closed and carried care-ful-ly away. + +"Is it true, Cor-ne-li-a, that you have no jewels?" asked her friend. +"Is it true, as I have heard it whis-pered, that you are poor?" + +"No, I am not poor," answered Cornelia, and as she spoke she drew her +two boys to her side; "for here are my jewels. They are worth more +than all your gems." + +I am sure that the boys never forgot their mother's pride and love and +care; and in after years, when they had become great men in Rome, they +often thought of this scene in the garden. And the world still likes +to hear the story of Cornelia's jewels. + + + + +ANDROCLUS AND THE LION. + + +In Rome there was once a poor slave whose name was An'dro-clus. His +master was a cruel man, and so unkind to him that at last An-dro-clus +ran away. + +He hid himself in a wild wood for many days; but there was no food to +be found, and he grew so weak and sick that he thought he should die. +So one day he crept into a cave and lay down, and soon he was fast +asleep. + +After a while a great noise woke him up. A lion had come into the +cave, and was roaring loudly. Androclus was very much afraid, for he +felt sure that the beast would kill him. Soon, however, he saw that +the lion was not angry, but that he limped as though his foot hurt +him. + +Then Androclus grew so bold that he took hold of the lion's lame paw +to see what was the matter. The lion stood quite still, and rubbed his +head against the man's shoulder. He seemed to say,-- + +"I know that you will help me." + +Androclus lifted the paw from the ground, and saw that it was a long, +sharp thorn which hurt the lion so much. He took the end of the thorn +in his fingers; then he gave a strong, quick pull, and out it came. +The lion was full of joy. He jumped about like a dog, and licked the +hands and feet of his new friend. + +Androclus was not at all afraid after this; and when night came, he +and the lion lay down and slept side by side. + +For a long time, the lion brought food to Androclus every day; and the +two became such good friends, that Androclus found his new life a very +happy one. + +One day some soldiers who were passing through the wood found +Androclus in the cave. They knew who he was, and so took him back to +Rome. + +It was the law at that time that every slave who ran away from his +master should be made to fight a hungry lion. So a fierce lion was +shut up for a while without food, and a time was set for the fight. + +When the day came, thousands of people crowded to see the sport. They +went to such places at that time very much as people now-a-days go to +see a circus show or a game of base-ball. + +The door opened, and poor Androclus was brought in. He was almost dead +with fear, for the roars of the lion could al-read-y be heard. He +looked up, and saw that there was no pity in the thou-sands of faces +around him. + +Then the hungry lion rushed in. With a single bound he reached the +poor slave. Androclus gave a great cry, not of fear, but of gladness. +It was his old friend, the lion of the cave. + +The people, who had ex-pect-ed to see the man killed by the lion, were +filled with wonder. They saw Androclus put his arms around the lion's +neck; they saw the lion lie down at his feet, and lick them +lov-ing-ly; they saw the great beast rub his head against the slave's +face as though he wanted to be petted. They could not un-der-stand +what it all meant. + +[Illustration: Androclus and the Lion.] + +After a while they asked Androclus to tell them about it. So he +stood up before them, and, with his arm around the lion's neck, told +how he and the beast had lived together in the cave. + +"I am a man," he said; "but no man has ever befriended me. This poor +lion alone has been kind to me; and we love each other as brothers." + +The people were not so bad that they could be cruel to the poor slave +now. "Live and be free!" they cried. "Live and be free!" + +Others cried, "Let the lion go free too! Give both of them their +liberty!" + +And so Androclus was set free, and the lion was given to him for his +own. And they lived together in Rome for many years. + + + + +HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE. + + +Once there was a war between the Roman people and the E-trus'cans who +lived in the towns on the other side of the Ti-ber River. Por'se-na, +the King of the E-trus-cans, raised a great army, and marched toward +Rome. The city had never been in so great danger. + +The Romans did not have very many fighting men at that time, and they +knew that they were not strong enough to meet the Etruscans in open +battle. So they kept themselves inside of their walls, and set guards +to watch the roads. + +One morning the army of Por-se-na was seen coming over the hills from +the north. There were thousands of horsemen and footmen, and they were +marching straight toward the wooden bridge which spanned the river at +Rome. + +"What shall we do?" said the white-haired Fathers who made the laws +for the Roman people. "If they once gain the bridge, we cannot hinder +them from crossing; and then what hope will there be for the town?" + +Now, among the guards at the bridge, there was a brave man named +Ho-ra'ti-us. He was on the farther side of the river, and when he saw +that the Etruscans were so near, he called out to the Romans who were +behind him. + +"Hew down the bridge with all the speed that you can!" he cried. "I, +with the two men who stand by me, will keep the foe at bay." + +Then, with their shields before them, and their long spears in their +hands, the three brave men stood in the road, and kept back the +horsemen whom Porsena had sent to take the bridge. + +On the bridge the Romans hewed away at the beams and posts. Their axes +rang, the chips flew fast; and soon it trembled, and was ready to +fall. + +"Come back! come back, and save your lives!" they cried to Ho-ra-ti-us +and the two who were with him. + +But just then Porsena's horsemen dashed toward them again. + +"Run for your lives!" said Horatius to his friends. "I will keep the +road." + +They turned, and ran back across the bridge. They had hardly reached +the other side when there was a crashing of beams and timbers. The +bridge toppled over to one side, and then fell with a great splash +into the water. + +When Horatius heard the sound, he knew that the city was safe. With +his face still toward Porsena's men, he moved slowly back-ward till he +stood on the river's bank. A dart thrown by one of Porsena's soldiers +put out his left eye; but he did not falter. He cast his spear at the +fore-most horseman, and then he turned quickly around. He saw the +white porch of his own home among the trees on the other side of the +stream; + + "And he spake to the noble river + That rolls by the walls of Rome: + 'O Tiber! father Tiber! + To whom the Romans pray, + A Roman's life, a Roman's arms, + Take thou in charge to-day.'" + +He leaped into the deep, swift stream. He still had his heavy armor +on; and when he sank out of sight, no one thought that he would ever +be seen again. But he was a strong man, and the best swimmer in Rome. +The next minute he rose. He was half-way across the river, and safe +from the spears and darts which Porsena's soldiers hurled after him. + +Soon he reached the farther side, where his friends stood ready to +help him. Shout after shout greeted him as he climbed upon the bank. +Then Porsena's men shouted also, for they had never seen a man so +brave and strong as Horatius. He had kept them out of Rome, but he had +done a deed which they could not help but praise. + +As for the Romans, they were very grateful to Horatius for having +saved their city. They called him Horatius Co'cles, which meant the +"one-eyed Horatius," because he had lost an eye in defending the +bridge; they caused a fine statue of brass to be made in his honor; +and they gave him as much land as he could plow around in a day. And +for hundreds of years afterwards-- + + "With weeping and with laugh-ter, + Still was the story told, + How well Horatius kept the bridge + In the brave days of old." + + + + +JULIUS CAESAR. + + +Nearly two thousand years ago there lived in Rome a man whose name was +Julius Cae'sar. He was the greatest of all the Romans. + +Why was he so great? + +He was a brave warrior, and had con-quered many countries for Rome. He +was wise in planning and in doing. He knew how to make men both love +and fear him. + +At last he made himself the ruler of Rome. Some said that he wished to +become its king. But the Romans at that time did not believe in kings. + +Once when Cae-sar was passing through a little country village, all the +men, women, and children of the place came out to see him. There were +not more than fifty of them, all together, and they were led by their +may-or, who told each one what to do. + +These simple people stood by the roadside and watched Caesar pass. The +may-or looked very proud and happy; for was he not the ruler of this +village? He felt that he was almost as great a man as Caesar himself. + +Some of the fine of-fi-cers who were with Caesar laughed. They said, +"See how that fellow struts at the head of his little flock!" + +"Laugh as you will," said Caesar, "he has reason to be proud. I would +rather be the head man of a village than the second man in Rome!" + +At an-oth-er time, Caesar was crossing a narrow sea in a boat. Before +he was halfway to the farther shore, a storm overtook him. The wind +blew hard; the waves dashed high; the lightning flashed; the thunder +rolled. + +It seemed every minute as though the boat would sink. The captain was +in great fright. He had crossed the sea many times, but never in such +a storm as this. He trembled with fear; he could not guide the boat; +he fell down upon his knees; he moaned, "All is lost! all is lost!" + +But Caesar was not afraid. He bade the man get up and take his oars +again. + +"Why should you be afraid?" he said. "The boat will not be lost; for +you have Caesar on board." + + + + +THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES. + + +There was once a king whose name was Di-o-nys'i-us. He was so unjust +and cruel that he won for himself the name of tyrant. He knew that +almost everybody hated him, and so he was always in dread lest some +one should take his life. + +But he was very rich, and he lived in a fine palace where there were +many beautiful and costly things, and he was waited upon by a host of +servants who were always ready to do his bidding. One day a friend of +his, whose name was Dam'o-cles, said to him,-- + +"How happy you must be! You have here everything that any man could +wish." + +"Perhaps you would like to change places with me," said the tyrant. + +"No, not that, O king!" said Dam-o-cles; "but I think, that, if I +could only have your riches and your pleas-ures for one day, I should +not want any greater hap-pi-ness." + +"Very well," said the tyrant. "You shall have them." + +And so, the next day, Damocles was led into the palace, and all the +servants were bidden to treat him as their master. He sat down at a +table in the banquet hall, and rich foods were placed before him. +Nothing was wanting that could give him pleasure. There were costly +wines, and beautiful flowers, and rare perfumes, and de-light-ful +music. He rested himself among soft cushions, and felt that he was the +happiest man in all the world. + +[Illustration: The Sword of Damocles.] + +Then he chanced to raise his eyes toward the ceiling. What was it that +was dangling above him, with its point almost touching his head? It +was a sharp sword, and it was hung by only a single horse-hair. What +if the hair should break? There was danger every moment that it would +do so. + +The smile faded from the lips of Damocles. His face became ashy pale. +His hands trembled. He wanted no more food; he could drink no more +wine; he took no more delight in the music. He longed to be out of the +palace, and away, he cared not where. + +"What is the matter?" said the tyrant. + +"That sword! that sword!" cried Damocles. He was so badly frightened +that he dared not move. + +"Yes," said Di-o-nys-i-us, "I know there is a sword above your head, +and that it may fall at any moment. But why should that trouble you? I +have a sword over my head all the time. I am every moment in dread +lest something may cause me to lose my life." + +"Let me go," said Damocles. "I now see that I was mis-tak-en, and that +the rich and pow-er-ful are not so happy as they seem. Let me go back +to my old home in the poor little cot-tage among the mountains." + +And so long as he lived, he never again wanted to be rich, or to +change places, even for a moment, with the king. + + + + +DAMON AND PYTHIAS. + + +A young man whose name was Pyth'i-as had done something which the +tyrant Dionysius did not like. For this offense he was dragged to +prison, and a day was set when he should be put to death. His home was +far away, and he wanted very much to see his father and mother and +friends before he died. + +"Only give me leave to go home and say good-by to those whom I love," +he said, "and then I will come back and give up my life." + +The tyrant laughed at him. + +"How can I know that you will keep your promise?" he said. "You only +want to cheat me, and save your-self." + +Then a young man whose name was Da-mon spoke and said,-- + +"O king! put me in prison in place of my friend Pyth-i-as, and let him +go to his own country to put his affairs in order, and to bid his +friends fare-well. I know that he will come back as he promised, for +he is a man who has never broken his word. But if he is not here on +the day which you have set, then I will die in his stead." + +The tyrant was sur-prised that anybody should make such an offer. He +at last agreed to let Pythias go, and gave orders that the young man +Da-mon should be shut up in prison. + +Time passed, and by and by the day drew near which had been set for +Pythias to die; and he had not come back. The tyrant ordered the +jailer to keep close watch upon Damon, and not let him escape. But +Damon did not try to escape. He still had faith in the truth and honor +of his friend. He said, "If Pythias does not come back in time, it +will not be his fault. It will be because he is hin-dered against his +will." + +At last the day came, and then the very hour. Damon was ready to die. +His trust in his friend was as firm as ever; and he said that he did +not grieve at having to suffer for one whom he loved so much. + +Then the jailer came to lead him to his death; but at the same moment +Pythias stood in the door. He had been de-layed by storms and +ship-wreck, and he had feared that he was too late. He greeted Damon +kindly, and then gave himself into the hands of the jailer. He was +happy because he thought that he had come in time, even though it was +at the last moment. + +The tyrant was not so bad but that he could see good in others. He +felt that men who loved and trusted each other, as did Damon and +Pythias, ought not to suffer un-just-ly. And so he set them both +free. + +"I would give all my wealth to have one such friend," he said. + + + + +A LACONIC ANSWER. + + +Many miles beyond Rome there was a famous country which we call +Greece. The people of Greece were not u-nit-ed like the Romans; but +instead there were sev-er-al states, each of which had its own rulers. + +Some of the people in the southern part of the country were called +Spar-tans, and they were noted for their simple habits and their +brav-er-y. The name of their land was La-co'ni-a, and so they were +sometimes called La-cons. + +One of the strange rules which the Spartans had, was that they should +speak briefly, and never use more words than were needed. And so a +short answer is often spoken of as being _la-con-ic_; that is, as +being such an answer as a Lacon would be likely to give. + +There was in the northern part of Greece a land called Mac'e-don; and +this land was at one time ruled over by a war-like king named Philip. + +Philip of Mac-e-don wanted to become the master of all Greece. So he +raised a great army, and made war upon the other states, until nearly +all of them were forced to call him their king. Then he sent a letter +to the Spartans in La-co-ni-a, and said, "If I go down into your +country, I will level your great city to the ground." + +In a few days, an answer was brought back to him. When he opened the +letter, he found only one word written there. + +That word was "IF." + +It was as much as to say, "We are not afraid of you so long as the +little word 'if' stands in your way." + + + + +THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST. + + +Among the soldiers of King Philip there was a poor man who had done +some brave deeds. He had pleased the king in more ways than one, and +so the king put a good deal of trust in him. + +One day this soldier was on board of a ship at sea when a great storm +came up. The winds drove the ship upon the rocks, and it was wrecked. +The soldier was cast half-drowned upon the shore; and he would have +died there, had it not been for the kind care of a farmer who lived +close by. + +[Illustration] + +When the soldier was well enough to go home, he thanked the farmer for +what he had done, and promised that he would repay him for his +kindness. + +But he did not mean to keep his promise. He did not tell King Philip +about the man who had saved his life. He only said that there was a +fine farm by the seashore, and that he would like very much to have +it for his own. Would the king give it to him? + +"Who owns the farm now?" asked Philip. + +"Only a churlish farmer, who has never done anything for his country," +said the soldier. + +"Very well, then," said Philip. "You have served me for a long time, +and you shall have your wish. Go and take the farm for yourself." + +And so the soldier made haste to drive the farmer from his house and +home. He took the farm for his own. + +The poor farmer was stung to the heart by such treat-ment. He went +boldly to the king, and told the whole story from beginning to end. +King Philip was very angry when he learned that the man whom he had +trusted had done so base a deed. He sent for the soldier in great +haste; and when he had come, he caused these words to be burned in his +forehead:-- + + "THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST." + +Thus all the world was made to know of the mean act by which the +soldier had tried to enrich himself; and from that day until he died +all men shunned and hated him. + + + + +ALEXANDER AND BUCEPHALUS. + + +One day King Philip bought a fine horse called Bu-ceph'a-lus. He was a +noble an-i-mal, and the king paid a very high price for him. But he +was wild and savage, and no man could mount him, or do anything at all +with him. + +They tried to whip him, but that only made him worse. At last the king +bade his servants take him away. + +"It is a pity to ruin so fine a horse as that," said Al-ex-an'der, the +king's young son. "Those men do not know how to treat him." + +"Perhaps you can do better than they," said his father scorn-ful-ly. + +"I know," said Al-ex-an-der, "that, if you would only give me leave to +try, I could manage this horse better than any one else." + +"And if you fail to do so, what then?" asked Philip. + +"I will pay you the price of the horse," said the lad. + +While everybody was laughing, Alexander ran up to Bu-ceph-a-lus, and +turned his head toward the sun. He had noticed that the horse was +afraid of his own shadow. + +He then spoke gently to the horse, and patted him with his hand. When +he had qui-et-ed him a little, he made a quick spring, and leaped upon +the horse's back. + +Everybody expected to see the boy killed outright. But he kept his +place, and let the horse run as fast as he would. By and by, when +Bucephalus had become tired, Alexander reined him in, and rode back to +the place where his father was standing. + +All the men who were there shouted when they saw that the boy had +proved himself to be the master of the horse. + +He leaped to the ground, and his father ran and kissed him. + +"My son," said the king, "Macedon is too small a place for you. You +must seek a larger kingdom that will be worthy of you." + +After that, Alexander and Bucephalus were the best of friends. They +were said to be always together, for when one of them was seen, the +other was sure to be not far away. But the horse would never allow any +one to mount him but his master. + +Alexander became the most famous king and warrior that was ever known; +and for that reason he is always called Alexander the Great. +Bucephalus carried him through many countries and in many fierce +battles, and more than once did he save his master's life. + + + + +DIOGENES THE WISE MAN. + + +At Cor-inth, in Greece, there lived a very wise man whose name was +Di-og'e-nes. Men came from all parts of the land to see him and hear +him talk. + +But wise as he was, he had some very queer ways. He did not believe +that any man ought to have more things than he re-al-ly needed; and he +said that no man needed much. And so he did not live in a house, but +slept in a tub or barrel, which he rolled about from place to place. +He spent his days sitting in the sun, and saying wise things to those +who were around him. + +At noon one day, Di-og-e-nes was seen walking through the streets with +a lighted lantern, and looking all around as if in search of +something. + +"Why do you carry a lantern when the sun is shining?" some one said. + +"I am looking for an honest man," answered Diogenes. + +When Alexander the Great went to Cor-inth, all the fore-most men in +the city came out to see him and to praise him. But Diogenes did not +come; and he was the only man for whose o-pin-ions Alexander cared. + +[Illustration: Diogenes and Alexander.] + +And so, since the wise man would not come to see the king, the king +went to see the wise man. He found Diogenes in an out-of-the-way +place, lying on the ground by his tub. He was en-joy-ing the heat and +the light of the sun. + +When he saw the king and a great many people coming, he sat up and +looked at Alexander. Alexander greeted him and said,-- + +"Diogenes, I have heard a great deal about your wisdom. Is there +anything that I can do for you?" + +"Yes," said Diogenes. "You can stand a little on one side, so as not +to keep the sunshine from me." + +This answer was so dif-fer-ent from what he expected, that the king +was much sur-prised. But it did not make him angry; it only made him +admire the strange man all the more. When he turned to ride back, he +said to his officers,-- + +"Say what you will; if I were not Alexander, I would like to be +Diogenes." + + + + +THE BRAVE THREE HUNDRED. + + +All Greece was in danger. A mighty army, led by the great King of +Persia, had come from the east. It was marching along the seashore, +and in a few days would be in Greece. The great king had sent +mes-sen-gers into every city and state, bidding them give him water +and earth in token that the land and the sea were his. But they +said,-- + +"No: we will be free." + +And so there was a great stir through-out all the land. The men armed +themselves, and made haste to go out and drive back their foe; and the +women staid at home, weeping and waiting, and trembling with fear. + +There was only one way by which the Per-sian army could go into Greece +on that side, and that was by a narrow pass between the mountains and +the sea. This pass was guarded by Le-on'i-das, the King of the +Spartans, with three hundred Spartan soldiers. + +Soon the Persian soldiers were seen coming. There were so many of them +that no man could count them. How could a handful of men hope to stand +against so great a host? + +And yet Le-on-i-das and his Spartans held their ground. They had made +up their minds to die at their post. Some one brought them word that +there were so many Persians that their arrows dark-ened the sun. + +"So much the better," said the Spartans; "we shall fight in the +shade." + +Bravely they stood in the narrow pass. Bravely they faced their foes. +To Spartans there was no such thing as fear. The Persians came +forward, only to meet death at the points of their spears. + +But one by one the Spartans fell. At last their spears were broken; +yet still they stood side by side, fighting to the last. Some fought +with swords, some with daggers, and some with only their fists and +teeth. + +All day long the army of the Persians was kept at bay. But when the +sun went down, there was not one Spartan left alive. Where they had +stood there was only a heap of the slain, all bristled over with +spears and arrows. + +Twenty thousand Persian soldiers had fallen before that handful of +men. And Greece was saved. + +Thousands of years have passed since then; but men still like to tell +the story of Leonidas and the brave three hundred who died for their +country's sake. + + + + +SOCRATES AND HIS HOUSE. + + +There once lived in Greece a very wise man whose name was Soc'ra-tes. +Young men from all parts of the land went to him to learn wisdom from +him; and he said so many pleasant things, and said them in so +delightful a way, that no one ever grew tired of listening to him. + +One summer he built himself a house, but it was so small that his +neighbors wondered how he could be content with it. + +"What is the reason," said they, "that you, who are so great a man, +should build such a little box as this for your dwelling house?" + +"Indeed, there may be little reason," said he; "but, small as the +place is, I shall think myself happy if I can fill even it with true +friends." + + + + +THE KING AND HIS HAWK. + + +Gen'ghis Khan was a great king and war-rior. + +He led his army into China and Persia, and he con-quered many lands. +In every country, men told about his daring deeds; and they said that +since Alexander the Great there had been no king like him. + +One morning when he was home from the wars, he rode out into the woods +to have a day's sport. Many of his friends were with him. They rode +out gayly, carrying their bows and arrows. Behind them came the +servants with the hounds. + +It was a merry hunting party. The woods rang with their shouts and +laughter. They expected to carry much game home in the evening. + +On the king's wrist sat his favorite hawk; for in those days hawks +were trained to hunt. At a word from their masters they would fly high +up into the air, and look around for prey. If they chanced to see a +deer or a rabbit, they would swoop down upon it swift as any arrow. + +All day long Gen-ghis Khan and his huntsmen rode through the woods. +But they did not find as much game as they expected. + +Toward evening they started for home. The king had often ridden +through the woods, and he knew all the paths. So while the rest of the +party took the nearest way, he went by a longer road through a valley +between two mountains. + +The day had been warm, and the king was very thirsty. His pet hawk had +left his wrist and flown away. It would be sure to find its way home. + +The king rode slowly along. He had once seen a spring of clear water +near this path-way. If he could only find it now! But the hot days of +summer had dried up all the moun-tain brooks. + +At last, to his joy, he saw some water tric-kling down over the edge +of a rock. He knew that there was a spring farther up. In the wet +season, a swift stream of water always poured down here; but now it +came only one drop at a time. + +The king leaped from his horse. He took a little silver cup from his +hunting bag. He held it so as to catch the slowly falling drops. + +It took a long time to fill the cup; and the king was so thirsty that +he could hardly wait. At last it was nearly full. He put the cup to +his lips, and was about to drink. + +All at once there was a whir-ring sound in the air, and the cup was +knocked from his hands. The water was all spilled upon the ground. + +The king looked up to see who had done this thing. It was his pet +hawk. + +The hawk flew back and forth a few times, and then alighted among the +rocks by the spring. + +The king picked up the cup, and again held it to catch the tric-kling +drops. + +This time he did not wait so long. When the cup was half full, he +lifted it toward his mouth. But before it had touched his lips, the +hawk swooped down again, and knocked it from his hands. + +And now the king began to grow angry. He tried again; and for the +third time the hawk kept him from drinking. + +The king was now very angry indeed. + +"How do you dare to act so?" he cried. "If I had you in my hands, I +would wring your neck!" + +Then he filled the cup again. But before he tried to drink, he drew +his sword. + +"Now, Sir Hawk," he said, "this is the last time." + +He had hardly spoken, before the hawk swooped down and knocked the cup +from his hand. But the king was looking for this. With a quick sweep +of the sword he struck the bird as it passed. + +The next moment the poor hawk lay bleeding and dying at its master's +feet. + +"That is what you get for your pains," said Genghis Khan. + +But when he looked for his cup, he found that it had fallen between +two rocks, where he could not reach it. + +"At any rate, I will have a drink from that spring," he said to +himself. + +With that he began to climb the steep bank to the place from which the +water trickled. It was hard work, and the higher he climbed, the +thirst-i-er he became. + +At last he reached the place. There indeed was a pool of water; but +what was that lying in the pool, and almost filling it? It was a huge, +dead snake of the most poi-son-ous kind. + +The king stopped. He forgot his thirst. He thought only of the poor +dead bird lying on the ground below him. + +[Illustration] + +"The hawk saved my life!" he cried; "and how did I repay him? He was +my best friend, and I have killed him." + +He clam-bered down the bank. He took the bird up gently, and laid it +in his hunting bag. Then he mounted his horse and rode swiftly home. +He said to himself,-- + +"I have learned a sad lesson to-day; and that is, never to do +any-thing in anger." + + + + +DOCTOR GOLDSMITH. + + +There was once a kind man whose name was Oliver Gold-smith. He wrote +many de-light-ful books, some of which you will read when you are +older. + +He had a gentle heart. He was always ready to help others and to share +with them anything that he had. He gave away so much to the poor that +he was always poor himself. + +He was some-times called Doctor Goldsmith; for he had studied to be a +phy-si-cian. + +One day a poor woman asked Doctor Goldsmith to go and see her husband, +who was sick and could not eat. + +Goldsmith did so. He found that the family was in great need. The man +had not had work for a long time. He was not sick, but in distress; +and, as for eating, there was no food in the house. + +"Call at my room this evening," said Goldsmith to the woman, "and I +will give you some med-i-cine for your husband." + +In the evening the woman called. Goldsmith gave her a little paper box +that was very heavy. + +"Here is the med-i-cine," he said. "Use it faith-ful-ly, and I think +it will do your husband a great deal of good. But don't open the box +until you reach home." + +"What are the di-rec-tions for taking it?" asked the woman. + +"You will find them inside of the box," he answered. + +When the woman reached her home, she sat down by her husband's side, +and they opened the box; What do you think they found in it? + +It was full of pieces of money. And on the top were the +di-rec-tions:-- + + "TO BE TAKEN AS OFTEN AS NE-CES-SI-TY REQUIRES." + +Goldsmith had given them all the ready money that he had. + + + + +THE KINGDOMS. + + +There was once a king of Prussia whose name was Frederick William. + +On a fine morning in June he went out alone to walk in the green +woods. He was tired of the noise of the city, and he was glad to get +away from it. + +So, as he walked among the trees, he often stopped to listen to the +singing birds, or to look at the wild flowers that grew on every side. +Now and then he stooped to pluck a violet, or a primrose, or a yellow +but-ter-cup. Soon his hands were full of pretty blossoms. + +After a while he came to a little meadow in the midst of the wood. +Some children were playing there. They were running here and there, +and gathering the cow-slips that were blooming among the grass. + +It made the king glad to see the happy children, and hear their merry +voices. He stood still for some time, and watched them as they played. + +Then he called them around him, and all sat down to-geth-er in the +pleasant shade. The children did not know who the strange gentleman +was; but they liked his kind face and gentle manners. + +"Now, my little folks," said the king, "I want to ask you some +ques-tions, and the child who gives the best answer shall have a +prize." + +Then he held up an orange so that all the children could see. + +"You know that we all live in the king-dom of Prussia," he said; "but +tell me, to what king-dom does this orange belong?" + +[Illustration] + +The children were puz-zled. They looked at one another, and sat very +still for a little while. Then a brave, bright boy spoke up and +said,-- + +"It belongs to the veg-e-ta-ble kingdom, sir." + +"Why so, my lad?" asked the king. + +"It is the fruit of a plant, and all plants belong to that kingdom," +said the boy. + +The king was pleased. "You are quite right," he said; "and you shall +have the orange for your prize." + +He tossed it gayly to the boy. "Catch it if you can!" he said. + +Then he took a yellow gold piece from his pocket, and held it up so +that it glit-tered in the sunlight. + +"Now to what kingdom does this belong?" he asked. + +Another bright boy answered quick-ly, "To the min-er-al kingdom, sir! +All metals belong to that kingdom." + +"That is a good answer," said the king. "The gold piece is your +prize." + +The children were de-light-ed. With eager faces they waited to hear +what the stranger would say next. + +"I will ask you only one more question," said the king, "and it is an +easy one." Then he stood up, and said, "Tell me, my little folks, to +what kingdom do I belong?" + +The bright boys were puz-zled now. Some thought of saying, "To the +kingdom of Prussia." Some wanted to say, "To the animal kingdom." But +they were a little afraid, and all kept still. + +At last a tiny blue-eyed child looked up into the king's smiling face, +and said in her simple way,-- + +"I think to the kingdom of heaven." + +King Frederick William stooped down and lifted the little maiden in +his arms. Tears were in his eyes as he kissed her, and said, "So be +it, my child! So be it." + + + + +THE BARMECIDE FEAST. + + +There was once a rich old man who was called the Bar-me-cide. He lived +in a beautiful palace in the midst of flowery gardens. He had +every-thing that heart could wish. + +In the same land there was a poor man whose name was Schac-a-bac. His +clothing was rags, and his food was the scraps which other people had +thrown away. But he had a light heart, and was as happy as a king. + +Once when Schac-a-bac had not had anything to eat for a long time, he +thought that he would go and ask the Bar-me-cide to help him. + +The servant at the door said, "Come in and talk with our master. He +will not send you away hungry." + +Schacabac went in, and passed through many beautiful rooms, looking +for the Barmecide. At last he came to a grand hall where there were +soft carpets on the floor, and fine pictures on the walls, and +pleasant couches to lie down upon. + +At the upper end of the room he saw a noble man with a long white +beard. It was the Barmecide; and poor Schacabac bowed low before him, +as was the custom in that country. + +The Barmecide spoke very kindly, and asked what was wanted. + +Schacabac told him about all his troubles, and said that it was now +two days since he had tasted bread. + +"Is it possible?" said the Barmecide. "You must be almost dead with +hunger; and here I have plenty and to spare!" + +Then he turned and called, "Ho, boy! Bring in the water to wash our +hands, and then order the cook to hurry the supper." + +Schacabac had not expected to be treated so kindly. He began to thank +the rich man. + +"Say not a word," said the Barmecide, "but let us get ready for the +feast." + +Then the rich man began to rub his hands as though some one was +pouring water on them. "Come and wash with me," he said. + +Schacabac saw no boy, nor basin, nor water. But he thought that he +ought to do as he was bidden; and so, like the Barmecide, he made a +pretense of washing. + +"Come now," said the Barmecide, "let us have supper." + +He sat down, as if to a table, and pre-tend-ed to be carving a roast. +Then he said, "Help yourself, my good friend. You said you were +hungry: so, now, don't be afraid of the food." + +Schacabac thought that he un-der-stood the joke, and he made pretense +of taking food, and passing it to his mouth. Then he began to chew, +and said, "You see, sir, I lose no time." + +"Boy," said the old man, "bring on the roast goose.--Now, my good +friend, try this choice piece from the breast. And here are sweet +sauce, honey, raisins, green peas, and dry figs. Help yourself, and +remember that other good things are coming." + +Schacabac was almost dead with hunger, but he was too polite not to do +as he was bidden. + +"Come," said the Barmecide, "have another piece of the roast lamb. Did +you ever eat anything so de-li-cious?" + +"Never in my life," said Schacabac. "Your table is full of good +things." + +"Then eat heartily," said the Barmecide. "You cannot please me +better." + +After this came the des-sert. The Barmecide spoke of sweet-meats and +fruits; and Schacabac made believe that he was eating them. + +"Now is there anything else that you would like?" asked the host. + +"Ah, no!" said poor Schacabac. "I have indeed had great plenty." + +"Let us drink, then," said the Barmecide. "Boy, bring on the wine!" + +"Excuse me, my lord," said Schacabac, "I will drink no wine, for it is +for-bid-den." + +The Barmecide seized him by the hand. "I have long wished to find a +man like you," he said. "But come, now we will sup in earnest." + +He clapped his hands. Servants came, and he ordered supper. Soon they +sat down to a table loaded with the very dishes of which they had +pre-tend-ed to eat. + +Poor Schacabac had never had so good a meal in all his life. When they +had fin-ished, and the table had been cleared away, the Barmecide +said,-- + +"I have found you to be a man of good un-der-stand-ing. Your wits are +quick, and you are ready always to make the best of everything. Come +and live with me, and manage my house." + +And so Schacabac lived with the Barmecide many years, and never again +knew what it was to be hungry. + + + + +THE ENDLESS TALE. + + +In the Far East there was a great king who had no work to do. Every +day, and all day long, he sat on soft cush-ions and lis-tened to +stories. And no matter what the story was about, he never grew tired +of hearing it, even though it was very long. + +"There is only one fault that I find with your story," he often said: +"it is too short." + +All the story-tellers in the world were in-vit-ed to his palace; and +some of them told tales that were very long indeed. But the king was +always sad when a story was ended. + +At last he sent word into every city and town and country place, +offering a prize to any one who should tell him an endless tale. He +said,-- + +"To the man that will tell me a story which shall last forever, I will +give my fairest daugh-ter for his wife; and I will make him my heir, +and he shall be king after me." + +But this was not all. He added a very hard con-di-tion. "If any man +shall try to tell such a story and then fail, he shall have his head +cut off." + +The king's daughter was very pretty, and there were many young men in +that country who were willing to do anything to win her. But none of +them wanted to lose their heads, and so only a few tried for the +prize. + +One young man invented a story that lasted three months; but at the +end of that time, he could think of nothing more. His fate was a +warning to others, and it was a long time before another story-teller +was so rash as to try the king's patience. + +But one day a stran-ger from the South came into the palace. + +"Great king," he said, "is it true that you offer a prize to the man +who can tell a story that has no end?" + +"It is true," said the king. + +"And shall this man have your fairest daughter for his wife, and shall +he be your heir?" + +"Yes, if he suc-ceeds," said the king. "But if he fails, he shall lose +his head." + +"Very well, then," said the stran-ger. "I have a pleasant story about +locusts which I would like to relate." + +"Tell it," said the king. "I will listen to you." + +The story-teller began his tale. + +"Once upon a time a certain king seized upon all the corn in his +country, and stored it away in a strong gran-a-ry. But a swarm of +locusts came over the land and saw where the grain had been put. After +search-ing for many days they found on the east side of the gran-a-ry +a crev-ice that was just large enough for one locust to pass through +at a time. So one locust went in and carried away a grain of corn; +then another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn; then +another locust went in and carried away a grain of corn." + +Day after day, week after week, the man kept on saying, "Then another +locust went in and carried away a grain of corn." + +A month passed; a year passed. At the end of two years, the king +said,-- + +"How much longer will the locusts be going in and carrying away corn?" + +"O king!" said the story-teller, "they have as yet cleared only one +cubit; and there are many thousand cubits in the granary." + +"Man, man!" cried the king, "you will drive me mad. I can listen to it +no longer. Take my daughter; be my heir; rule my kingdom. But do not +let me hear another word about those horrible locusts!" + +And so the strange story-teller married the king's daughter. And he +lived happily in the land for many years. But his father-in-law, the +king, did not care to listen to any more stories. + + + + +THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT. + + +There were once six blind men who stood by the road-side every day, +and begged from the people who passed. They had often heard of +el-e-phants, but they had never seen one; for, being blind, how could +they? + +It so happened one morning that an el-e-phant was driven down the road +where they stood. When they were told that the great beast was before +them, they asked the driver to let him stop so that they might see +him. + +Of course they could not see him with their eyes; but they thought +that by touching him they could learn just what kind of animal he was. + +The first one happened to put his hand on the elephant's side. "Well, +well!" he said, "now I know all about this beast. He is ex-act-ly like +a wall." + +The second felt only of the elephant's tusk. "My brother," he said, +"you are mistaken. He is not at all like a wall. He is round and +smooth and sharp. He is more like a spear than anything else." + +The third happened to take hold of the elephant's trunk. "Both of you +are wrong," he said. "Anybody who knows anything can see that this +elephant is like a snake." + +The fourth reached out his arms, and grasped one of the elephant's +legs. "Oh, how blind you are!" he said. "It is very plain to me that +he is round and tall like a tree." + +The fifth was a very tall man, and he chanced to take hold of the +elephant's ear. "The blind-est man ought to know that this beast is +not like any of the things that you name," he said. "He is ex-act-ly +like a huge fan." + +The sixth was very blind indeed, and it was some time before he could +find the elephant at all. At last he seized the animal's tail. "O +foolish fellows!" he cried. "You surely have lost your senses. This +elephant is not like a wall, or a spear, or a snake, or a tree; +neither is he like a fan. But any man with a par-ti-cle of sense can +see that he is exactly like a rope." + +Then the elephant moved on, and the six blind men sat by the roadside +all day, and quar-reled about him. Each believed that he knew just how +the animal looked; and each called the others hard names because they +did not agree with him. People who have eyes sometimes act as +foolishly. + + + + +MAXIMILIAN AND THE GOOSE BOY. + + +One summer day King Max-i-mil'ian of Ba-va'ri-a was walking in the +country. The sun shone hot, and he stopped under a tree to rest. + +It was very pleasant in the cool shade. The king lay down on the soft +grass, and looked up at the white clouds sailing across the sky. Then +he took a little book from his pocket and tried to read. + +But the king could not keep his mind on his book. Soon his eyes +closed, and he was fast asleep. + +It was past noon when he awoke. He got up from his grassy bed, and +looked around. Then he took his cane in his hand, and started for +home. + +When he had walked a mile or more, he happened to think of his book. +He felt for it in his pocket. It was not there. He had left it under +the tree. + +The king was already quite tired, and he did not like to walk back so +far. But he did not wish to lose the book. What should he do? + +If there was only some one to send for it! + +While he was thinking, he happened to see a little bare-foot-ed boy in +the open field near the road. He was tending a large flock of geese +that were picking the short grass, and wading in a shallow brook. + +The king went toward the boy. He held a gold piece in his hand. + +"My boy," he said, "how would you like to have this piece of money?" + +"I would like it," said the boy; "but I never hope to have so much." + +"You shall have it if you will run back to the oak tree at the second +turning of the road, and fetch me the book that I left there." + +The king thought that the boy would be pleased. But not so. He turned +away, and said, "I am not so silly as you think." + +"What do you mean?" said the king. "Who says that you are silly?" + +"Well," said the boy, "you think that I am silly enough to believe +that you will give me that gold piece for running a mile, and +fetch-ing you a book. You can't catch me." + +"But if I give it to you now, perhaps you will believe me," said the +king; and he put the gold piece into the little fellow's hand. + +The boy's eyes spar-kled; but he did not move. + +"What is the matter now?" said the king. "Won't you go?" + +The boy said, "I would like to go; but I can't leave the geese. They +will stray away, and then I shall be blamed for it." + +[Illustration: "Crack the whip!"] + +"Oh, I will tend them while you are away," said the king. + +The boy laughed. "I should like to see you tending them!" he said. +"Why, they would run away from you in a minute." + +"Only let me try," said the king. + +At last the boy gave the king his whip, and started off. He had gone +but a little way, when he turned and came back. + +"What is the matter now?" said Max-i-mil-ian. + +"Crack the whip!" + +The king tried to do as he was bidden, but he could not make a sound. + +"I thought as much," said the boy. "You don't know how to do +anything." + +Then he took the whip, and gave the king lessons in whip cracking. +"Now you see how it is done," he said, as he handed it back. "If the +geese try to run away, crack it loud." + +The king laughed. He did his best to learn his lesson; and soon the +boy again started off on his errand. + +Maximilian sat down on a stone, and laughed at the thought of being a +goose-herd. But the geese missed their master at once. With a great +cac-kling and hissing they went, half flying, half running, across the +meadow. + +The king ran after them, but he could not run fast. He tried to crack +the whip, but it was of no use. The geese were soon far away. What was +worse, they had gotten into a garden, and were feeding on the tender +veg-e-ta-bles. + +A few minutes after-ward, the goose boy came back with the book. + +"Just as I thought," he said. "I have found the book, and you have +lost the geese." + +"Never mind," said the king, "I will help you get them again." + +"Well, then, run around that way, and stand by the brook while I drive +them out of the garden." + +The king did as he was told. The boy ran forward with his whip, and +after a great deal of shouting and scolding, the geese were driven +back into the meadow. + +"I hope you will pardon me for not being a better goose-herd," said +Maximilian; "but, as I am a king, I am not used to such work." + +"A king, indeed!" said the boy. "I was very silly to leave the geese +with you. But I am not so silly as to believe that you are a king." + +"Very well," said Maximilian, with a smile; "here is another gold +piece, and now let us be friends." + +The boy took the gold, and thanked the giver. He looked up into the +king's face and said,-- + +"You are a very kind man, and I think you might be a good king; but if +you were to try all your life, you would never be a good gooseherd." + + + + +THE INCHCAPE ROCK. + + +In the North Sea there is a great rock called the Inch-cape Rock. It +is twelve miles from any land, and is covered most of the time with +water. + +Many boats and ships have been wrecked on that rock; for it is so near +the top of the water that no vessel can sail over it without striking +it. + +More than a hundred years ago there lived not far away a kind-heart-ed +man who was called the Abbot of Ab-er-broth-ock. + +"It is a pity," he said, "that so many brave sailors should lose their +lives on that hidden rock." + +So the abbot caused a buoy to be fastened to the rock. The buoy +floated back and forth in the shallow water. A strong chain kept it +from floating away. + +On the top of the buoy the abbot placed a bell; and when the waves +dashed against it, the bell would ring out loud and clear. + +Sailors, now, were no longer afraid to cross the sea at that place. +When they heard the bell ringing, they knew just where the rock was, +and they steered their vessels around it. + +"God bless the good Abbot of Ab-er-broth-ock!" they all said. + +One calm summer day, a ship with a black flag happened to sail not far +from the Inch-cape Rock. The ship belonged to a sea robber called +Ralph the Rover; and she was a terror to all honest people both on sea +and shore. + +There was but little wind that day, and the sea was as smooth as +glass. The ship stood almost still; there was hardly a breath of air +to fill her sails. + +Ralph the Rover was walking on the deck. He looked out upon the glassy +sea. He saw the buoy floating above the Inchcape Rock. It looked like +a big black speck upon the water. But the bell was not ringing that +day. There were no waves to set it in motion. + +"Boys!" cried Ralph the Rover; "put out the boat, and row me to the +Inchcape Rock. We will play a trick on the old abbot." + +The boat was low-ered. Strong arms soon rowed it to the Inchcape Rock. +Then the robber, with a heavy ax, broke the chain that held the buoy. + +He cut the fas-ten-ings of the bell. It fell into the water. There +was a gur-gling sound as it sank out of sight. + +"The next one that comes this way will not bless the abbot," said +Ralph the Rover. + +Soon a breeze sprang up, and the black ship sailed away. The sea +robber laughed as he looked back and saw that there was nothing to +mark the place of the hidden rock. + +For many days, Ralph the Rover scoured the seas, and many were the +ships that he plun-dered. At last he chanced to sail back toward the +place from which he had started. + +The wind had blown hard all day. The waves rolled high. The ship was +moving swiftly. But in the evening the wind died away, and a thick fog +came on. + +Ralph the Rover walked the deck. He could not see where the ship was +going. "If the fog would only clear away!" he said. + +"I thought I heard the roar of breakers," said the pilot. "We must be +near the shore." + +"I cannot tell," said Ralph the Rover; "but I think we are not far +from the Inchcape Rock. I wish we could hear the good abbot's bell." + +The next moment there was a great crash. "It is the Inchcape Rock!" +the sailors cried, as the ship gave a lurch to one side, and began to +sink. + +"Oh, what a wretch am I!" cried Ralph the Rover. "This is what comes +of the joke that I played on the good abbot!" + +What was it that he heard as the waves rushed over him? Was it the +abbot's bell, ringing for him far down at the bottom of the sea? + + + + +WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT. + +I. THE CITY. + + +There was once a little boy whose name was Richard Whit'ting-ton; but +everybody called him Dick. His father and mother had died when he was +only a babe, and the people who had the care of him were very poor. +Dick was not old enough to work, and so he had a hard time of it +indeed. Sometimes he had no break-fast, and sometimes he had no +dinner; and he was glad at any time to get a crust of bread or a drop +of milk. + +Now, in the town where Dick lived, the people liked to talk about +London. None of them had ever been to the great city, but they seemed +to know all about the wonderful things which were to be seen there. +They said that all the folks who lived in London were fine gen-tle-men +and ladies; that there was singing and music there all day long; that +nobody was ever hungry there, and nobody had to work; and that the +streets were all paved with gold. + +Dick listened to these stories, and wished that he could go to London. + +One day a big wagon drawn by eight horses, all with bells on their +heads, drove into the little town. Dick saw the wagon standing by the +inn, and he thought that it must be going to the fine city of London. + +When the driver came out and was ready to start, the lad ran up and +asked him if he might walk by the side of the wagon. The driver asked +him some questions; and when he learned how poor Dick was, and that he +had neither father nor mother, he told him that he might do as he +liked. + +It was a long walk for the little lad; but by and by he came to the +city of London. He was in such a hurry to see the wonderful sights, +that he forgot to thank the driver of the wagon. He ran as fast as he +could, from one street to another, trying to find those that were +paved with gold. He had once seen a piece of money that was gold, and +he knew that it would buy a great, great many things; and now he +thought that if he could get only a little bit of the pave-ment, he +would have everything that he wanted. + +Poor Dick ran till he was so tired that he could run no farther. It +was growing dark, and in every street there was only dirt instead of +gold. He sat down in a dark corner, and cried himself to sleep. + +When he woke up the next morning, he was very hungry; but there was +not even a crust of bread for him to eat. He forgot all about the +golden pavements, and thought only of food. He walked about from one +street to another, and at last grew so hungry that he began to ask +those whom he met to give him a penny to buy something to eat. + +"Go to work, you idle fellow," said some of them; and the rest passed +him by without even looking at him. + +"I wish I could go to work!" said Dick. + +II. THE KITCHEN. + +By and by Dick grew so faint and tired that he could go no farther. He +sat down by the door of a fine house, and wished that he was back +again in the little town where he was born. The cook-maid, who was +just getting dinner, saw him, and called out,-- + +"What are you doing there, you little beggar? If you don't get away +quick, I'll throw a panful of hot dish-water over you. Then I guess +you will jump." + +Just at that time the master of the house, whose name was Mr. +Fitz-war'ren, came home to dinner. When he saw the ragged little +fellow at his door, he said,-- + +"My lad, what are you doing here? I am afraid you are a lazy fellow, +and that you want to live without work." + +"No, indeed!" said Dick. "I would like to work, if I could find +anything to do. But I do not know anybody in this town, and I have not +had anything to eat for a long time." + +"Poor little fellow!" said Mr. Fitz-war-ren. "Come in, and I will see +what I can do for you." And he ordered the cook to give the lad a good +dinner, and then to find some light work for him to do. + +Little Dick would have been very happy in the new home which he had +thus found, if it had not been for the cross cook. She would often +say,-- + +"You are my boy now, and so you must do as I tell you. Look sharp +there! Make the fires, carry out the ashes, wash these dishes, sweep +the floor, bring in the wood! Oh, what a lazy fellow you are!" And +then she would box his ears, or beat him with the broom-stick. + +At last, little Alice, his master's daughter, saw how he was treated, +and she told the cook she would be turned off if she was not kinder to +the lad. After that, Dick had an eas-i-er time of it; but his +troubles were not over yet, by any means. + +His bed was in a garret at the top of the house, far away from the +rooms where the other people slept. There were many holes in the floor +and walls, and every night a great number of rats and mice came in. +They tor-ment-ed Dick so much, that he did not know what to do. + +One day a gentleman gave him a penny for cleaning his shoes, and he +made up his mind that he would buy a cat with it. The very next +morning he met a girl who was car-ry-ing a cat in her arms. + +"I will give you a penny for that cat," he said. + +"All right," the girl said. "You may have her, and you will find that +she is a good mouser too." + +Dick hid his cat in the garret, and every day he carried a part of his +dinner to her. It was not long before she had driven all the rats and +mice away; and then Dick could sleep soundly every night. + +III. THE VENTURE. + +Some time after that, a ship that belonged to Mr. Fitzwarren was about +to start on a voyage across the sea. It was loaded with goods which +were to be sold in lands far away. Mr. Fitzwarren wanted to give his +servants a chance for good fortune too, and so he called all of them +into the parlor, and asked if they had anything they would like to +send out in the ship for trade. + +Every one had something to send,--every one but Dick; and as he had +neither money nor goods, he staid in the kitchen, and did not come in +with the rest. Little Alice guessed why he did not come, and so she +said to her papa,-- + +"Poor Dick ought to have a chance too. Here is some money out of my +own purse that you may put in for him." + +"No, no, my child!" said Mr. Fitzwarren. "He must risk something of +his own." And then he called very loud, "Here, Dick! What are you +going to send out on the ship?" + +Dick heard him, and came into the room. + +"I have nothing in the world," he said, "but a cat which I bought some +time ago for a penny." + +"Fetch your cat, then, my lad," said Mr. Fitzwarren, "and let her go +out. Who knows but that she will bring you some profit?" + +Dick, with tears in his eyes, carried poor puss down to the ship, and +gave her to the captain. Everybody laughed at his queer venture; but +little Alice felt sorry for him, and gave him money to buy another +cat. + +[Illustration] + +After that, the cook was worse than before. She made fun of him for +sending his cat to sea. "Do you think," she would say, "that puss will +sell for enough money to buy a stick to beat you?" + +At last Dick could not stand her abuse any longer, and he made up his +mind to go back to his old home in the little country town. So, very +early in the morning on All-hal-lows Day, he started. He walked as far +as the place called Hol-lo-way, and there he sat down on a stone, +which to this day is called "Whit-ting-ton's Stone." + +As he sat there very sad, and wondering which way he should go, he +heard the bells on Bow Church, far away, ringing out a merry chime. He +listened. They seemed to say to him,-- + + "Turn again, Whittington, Thrice Lord Mayor of London." + +"Well, well!" he said to himself. "I would put up with almost +anything, to be Lord Mayor of London when I am a man, and to ride in a +fine coach! I think I will go back and let the old cook cuff and scold +as much as she pleases." + +Dick did go back, and he was lucky enough to get into the kitchen, and +set about his work, before the cook came down-stairs to get +break-fast. + +IV. THE CAT. + +Mr. Fitzwarren's ship made a long voyage, and at last reached a +strange land on the other side of the sea. The people had never seen +any white men before, and they came in great crowds to buy the fine +things with which the ship was loaded. The captain wanted very much to +trade with the king of the country; and it was not long before the +king sent word for him to come to the palace and see him. + +The captain did so. He was shown into a beautiful room, and given a +seat on a rich carpet all flow-ered with silver and gold. The king and +queen were seated not far away; and soon a number of dishes were +brought in for dinner. + +They had hardly begun to eat when an army of rats and mice rushed in, +and de-voured all the meat before any one could hinder them. The +captain wondered at this, and asked if it was not very un-pleas-ant to +have so many rats and mice about. + +"Oh, yes!" was the answer. "It is indeed un-pleas-ant; and the king +would give half his treas-ure if he could get rid of them." + +The captain jumped for joy. He remembered the cat which little +Whittington had sent out; and he told the king that he had a little +creature on board his ship which would make short work of the pests. + +Then it was the king's turn to jump for joy; and he jumped so high, +that his yellow cap, or turban, dropped off his head. + +"Bring the creature to me," he said. "If she will do what you say, I +will load your ship with gold." + +The captain made believe that he would be very sorry to part with the +cat; but at last he went down to the ship to get her, while the king +and queen made haste to have another dinner made ready. + +The captain, with puss under his arm, reached the palace just in time +to see the table crowded with rats. The cat leaped out upon them, and +oh! what havoc she did make among the trou-ble-some creatures! Most of +them were soon stretched dead upon the floor, while the rest +scam-pered away to their holes, and did not dare to come out again. + +The king had never been so glad in his life; and the queen asked that +the creature which had done such wonders should be brought to her. The +captain called, "Pussy, pussy, pussy!" and the cat came up and rubbed +against his legs. He picked her up, and offered her to the queen; but +at first the queen was afraid to touch her. + +However, the captain stroked the cat, and called, "Pussy, pussy, +pussy!" and then the queen ventured to touch her. She could only say, +"Putty, putty, putty!" for she had not learned to talk English. The +captain then put the cat down on the queen's lap, where she purred and +purred until she went to sleep. + +The king would not have missed getting the cat now for the world. He +at once made a bargain with the captain for all the goods on board the +ship; and then he gave him ten times as much for the cat as all the +rest came to. + +The captain was very glad. He bade the king and queen good-by, and the +very next day set sail for England. + +V. THE FORTUNE. + +One morning Mr. Fitzwarren was sitting at his desk in his office. He +heard some one tap softly at his door, and he said,-- + +"Who's there?" + +"A friend," was the answer. "I have come to bring you news of your +ship 'U-ni-corn.'" + +Mr. Fitzwarren jumped up quickly, and opened the door. Whom should he +see waiting there but the captain, with a bill of lading in one hand +and a box of jewels in the other? He was so full of joy that he lifted +up his eyes, and thanked Heaven for sending him such good fortune. + +The captain soon told the story of the cat; and then he showed the +rich present which the king and queen had sent to poor Dick in payment +for her. As soon as the good gentleman heard this, he called out to +his servants,-- + + "Go send him in, and tell him of his fame; Pray call him Mr. + Whittington by name." + +Some of the men who stood by said that so great a present ought not to +be given to a mere boy; but Mr. Fitzwarren frowned upon them. + +"It is his own," he said, "and I will not hold back one penny from +him." + +Dick was scouring the pots when word was brought to him that he should +go to the office. + +"Oh, I am so dirty!" he said, "and my shoes are full of hob-nails." +But he was told to make haste. + +Mr. Fitzwarren ordered a chair to be set for him, and then the lad +began to think that they were making fun of him. + +"I beg that you won't play tricks with a poor boy like me," he said. +"Please let me go back to my work." + +"Mr. Whittington," said Mr. Fitzwarren, "this is no joke at all. The +captain has sold your cat, and has brought you, in return for her, +more riches than I have in the whole world." + +Then he opened the box of jewels, and showed Dick his treasures. + +The poor boy did not know what to do. He begged his master to take a +part of it; but Mr. Fitzwarren said, "No, it is all your own; and I +feel sure that you will make good use of it." + +Dick then offered some of his jewels to his mistress and little Alice. +They thanked him, and told him that they felt great joy at his good +luck, but wished him to keep his riches for himself. + +[Illustration] + +But he was too kind-heart-ed to keep everything for himself. He gave +nice presents to the cap-tain and the sailors, and to the servants in +Mr. Fitz-warren's house. He even remembered the cross old cook. + +After that, Whittington's face was washed, and his hair curled, and he +was dressed in a nice suit of clothes; and then he was as handsome a +young man as ever walked the streets of London. + +Some time after that, there was a fine wedding at the finest church in +London; and Miss Alice became the wife of Mr. Richard Whittington. And +the lord mayor was there, and the great judges, and the sher-iffs, and +many rich mer-chants; and everybody was very happy. + +And Richard Whittington became a great merchant, and was one of the +foremost men in London. He was sheriff of the city, and thrice lord +mayor; and King Henry V. made him a knight. + +He built the famous prison of New-gate in London. On the arch-way in +front of the prison was a figure, cut in stone, of Sir Richard +Whittington and his cat; and for three hundred years this figure was +shown to all who visited London. + + + + +CASABIANCA. + + +There was a great battle at sea. One could hear nothing but the roar +of the big guns. The air was filled with black smoke. The water was +strewn with broken masts and pieces of timber which the cannon balls +had knocked from the ships. Many men had been killed, and many more +had been wounded. + +The flag-ship had taken fire. The flames were breaking out from below. +The deck was all ablaze. The men who were left alive made haste to +launch a small boat. They leaped into it, and rowed swiftly away. Any +other place was safer now than on board of that burning ship. There +was powder in the hold. + +But the captain's son, young Ca-sa-bi-an'ca, still stood upon the +deck. The flames were almost all around him now; but he would not stir +from his post. His father had bidden him stand there, and he had been +taught always to obey. He trusted in his father's word, and be-lieved +that when the right time came he would tell him to go. + +He saw the men leap into the boat. He heard them call to him to come. +He shook his head. + +"When father bids me, I will go," he said. + +And now the flames were leaping up the masts. The sails were all +ablaze. The fire blew hot upon his cheek. It scorched his hair. It was +before him, behind him, all around him. + +"O father!" he cried, "may I not go now? The men have all left the +ship. Is it not time that we too should leave it?" + +He did not know that his father was lying in the burning cabin below, +that a cannon ball had struck him dead at the very be-gin-ning of the +fight. He listened to hear his answer. + +"Speak louder, father!" he cried. "I cannot hear what you say." + +Above the roaring of the flames, above the crashing of the falling +spars, above the booming of the guns, he fancied that his father's +voice came faintly to him through the scorching air. + +"I am here, father! Speak once again!" he gasped. + +But what is that? + +A great flash of light fills the air; clouds of smoke shoot quickly +upward to the sky; and-- + +"Boom!" + +Oh, what a ter-rif-ic sound! Louder than thunder, louder than the roar +of all the guns! The air quivers; the sea itself trembles; the sky is +black. + +The blazing ship is seen no more. + +There was powder in the hold! + + * * * * * + +A long time ago a lady, whose name was Mrs. Hemans, wrote a poem about +this brave boy Ca-sa-bi-an-ca. It is not a very well written poem, and +yet everybody has read it, and thousands of people have learned it by +heart. I doubt not but that some day you too will read it. It begins +in this way:-- + + "The boy stood on the burning deck + Whence all but him had fled; + The flame that lit the battle's wreck + Shone round him o'er the dead. + + "Yet beautiful and bright he stood, + As born to rule the storm-- + A creature of heroic blood, + A proud though childlike form." + + + + +ANTONIO CANOVA. + + +A good many years ago there lived in Italy a little boy whose name was +An-to'ni-o Ca-no'va. He lived with his grand-fa-ther, for his own +father was dead. His grand-fa-ther was a stone-cut-ter, and he was +very poor. + +An-to-ni-o was a puny lad, and not strong enough to work. He did not +care to play with the other boys of the town. But he liked to go with +his grandfather to the stone-yard. While the old man was busy, cutting +and trimming the great blocks of stone, the lad would play among the +chips. Sometimes he would make a little statue of soft clay; sometimes +he would take hammer and chisel, and try to cut a statue from a piece +of rock. He showed so much skill that his grandfather was de-light-ed. + +"The boy will be a sculp-tor some day," he said. + +Then when they went home in the evening, the grand-moth-er would say, +"What have you been doing to-day, my little sculp-tor?" + +And she would take him upon her lap and sing to him, or tell him +stories that filled his mind with pictures of wonderful and beautiful +things. And the next day, when he went back to the stone-yard, he +would try to make some of those pictures in stone or clay. + +There lived in the same town a rich man who was called the Count. +Sometimes the Count would have a grand dinner, and his rich friends +from other towns would come to visit him. Then Antonio's grandfather +would go up to the Count's house to help with the work in the kitchen; +for he was a fine cook as well as a good stone-cut-ter. + +It happened one day that Antonio went with his grandfather to the +Count's great house. Some people from the city were coming, and there +was to be a grand feast. The boy could not cook, and he was not old +enough to wait on the table; but he could wash the pans and kettles, +and as he was smart and quick, he could help in many other ways. + +All went well until it was time to spread the table for dinner. Then +there was a crash in the dining room, and a man rushed into the +kitchen with some pieces of marble in his hands. He was pale, and +trembling with fright. + +"What shall I do? What shall I do?" he cried. "I have broken the +statue that was to stand at the center of the table. I cannot make the +table look pretty without the statue. What will the Count say?" + +And now all the other servants were in trouble. Was the dinner to be a +failure after all? For everything de-pend-ed on having the table +nicely arranged. The Count would be very angry. + +"Ah, what shall we do?" they all asked. + +Then little Antonio Ca-no-va left his pans and kettles, and went up to +the man who had caused the trouble. + +"If you had another statue, could you arrange the table?" he asked. + +"Cer-tain-ly," said the man; "that is, if the statue were of the right +length and height." + +"Will you let me try to make one?" asked Anto-nio "Perhaps I can make +something that will do." + +The man laughed. + +"Non-sense!" he cried. "Who are you, that you talk of making statues +on an hour's notice?" + +"I am Antonio Canova," said the lad. + +"Let the boy try what he can do," said the servants, who knew him. + +And so, since nothing else could be done, the man allowed him to try. + +On the kitchen table there was a large square lump of yellow butter. +Two hundred pounds the lump weighed, and it had just come in, fresh +and clean, from the dairy on the mountain. With a kitchen knife in his +hand, Antonio began to cut and carve this butter. In a few minutes he +had molded it into the shape of a crouching lion; and all the servants +crowded around to see it. + +"How beautiful!" they cried. "It is a great deal pret-ti-er than the +statue that was broken." + +When it was finished, the man carried it to its place. + +"The table will be hand-som-er by half than I ever hoped to make it," +he said. + +When the Count and his friends came in to dinner, the first thing they +saw was the yellow lion. + +"What a beautiful work of art!" they cried. "None but a very great +artist could ever carve such a figure; and how odd that he should +choose to make it of butter!" And then they asked the Count to tell +them the name of the artist. + +[Illustration: "The servants crowded around to see it."] + +"Truly, my friends," he said, "this is as much of a surprise to me as +to you." And then he called to his head servant, and asked him where +he had found so wonderful a statue. + +"It was carved only an hour ago by a little boy in the kitchen," said +the servant. + +This made the Count's friends wonder still more; and the Count bade +the servant call the boy into the room. + +"My lad," he said, "you have done a piece of work of which the +greatest artists would be proud. What is your name, and who is your +teacher?" + +"My name is Antonio Canova," said the boy, "and I have had no teacher +but my grandfather the stonecutter." + +By this time all the guests had crowded around Antonio. There were +famous artists among them, and they knew that the lad was a genius. +They could not say enough in praise of his work; and when at last they +sat down at the table, nothing would please them but that Antonio +should have a seat with them; and the dinner was made a feast in his +honor. + +The very next day the Count sent for Antonio to come and live with +him. The best artists in the land were em-ployed to teach him the art +in which he had shown so much skill; but now, instead of carving +butter, he chis-eled marble. In a few years, Antonio Canova became +known as one of the greatest sculptors in the world. + + + + +PICCIOLA. + + +Many years ago there was a poor gentleman shut up in one of the great +prisons of France. His name was Char-ney, and he was very sad and +un-hap-py. He had been put into prison wrong-ful-ly, and it seemed to +him as though there was no one in the world who cared for him. + +He could not read, for there were no books in the prison. He was not +allowed to have pens or paper, and so he could not write. The time +dragged slowly by. There was nothing that he could do to make the days +seem shorter. His only pastime was walking back and forth in the paved +prison yard. There was no work to be done, no one to talk with. + +One fine morning in spring, Char-ney was taking his walk in the yard. +He was counting the paving stones, as he had done a thousand times +before. All at once he stopped. What had made that little mound of +earth between two of the stones? + +He stooped down to see. A seed of some kind had fallen between the +stones. It had sprouted; and now a tiny green leaf was pushing its way +up out of the ground. Charney was about to crush it with his foot, +when he saw that there was a kind of soft coating over the leaf. + +"Ah!" said he. "This coating is to keep it safe. I must not harm it." +And he went on with his walk. + +The next day he almost stepped upon the plant before he thought of it. +He stooped to look at it. There were two leaves now, and the plant was +much stronger and greener than it was the day before. He staid by it a +long time, looking at all its parts. + +Every morning after that, Charney went at once to his little plant. He +wanted to see if it had been chilled by the cold, or scorched by the +sun. He wanted to see how much it had grown. + +One day as he was looking from his window, he saw the jailer go across +the yard. The man brushed so close to the little plant, that it seemed +as though he would crush it. Charney trembled from head to foot. + +"O my Pic-cio-la!" he cried. + +When the jailer came to bring his food, he begged the grim fellow to +spare his little plant. He expected that the man would laugh at him; +but al-though a jailer, he had a kind heart. + +"Do you think that I would hurt your little plant?" he said. "No, +indeed! It would have been dead long ago, if I had not seen that you +thought so much of it." + +"That is very good of you, indeed," said Char-ney. He felt half +ashamed at having thought the jailer unkind. + +Every day he watched Pic-cio-la, as he had named the plant. Every day +it grew larger and more beautiful. But once it was almost broken by +the huge feet of the jailer's dog. Charney's heart sank within him. + +"Picciola must have a house," he said. "I will see if I can make one." + +So, though the nights were chilly, he took, day by day, some part of +the firewood that was allowed him, and with this he built a little +house around the plant. + +The plant had a thousand pretty ways which he noticed. He saw how it +always bent a little toward the sun; he saw how the flowers folded +their petals before a storm. + +He had never thought of such things before, and yet he had often seen +whole gardens of flowers in bloom. + +One day, with soot and water he made some ink; he spread out his +hand-ker-chief for paper; he used a sharp-ened stick for a pen--and +all for what? He felt that he must write down the doings of his little +pet. He spent all his time with the plant. + +"See my lord and my lady!" the jailer would say when he saw them. + +As the summer passed by, Picciola grew more lovely every day. There +were no fewer than thirty blossoms on its stem. + +But one sad morning it began to droop. Charney did not know what to +do. He gave it water, but still it drooped. The leaves were +with-er-ing. The stones of the prison yard would not let the plant +live. + +Charney knew that there was but one way to save his treasure. Alas! +how could he hope that it might be done? The stones must be taken up +at once. + +But this was a thing which the jailer dared not do. The rules of the +prison were strict, and no stone must be moved. Only the highest +officers in the land could have such a thing done. + +Poor Charney could not sleep. Picciola must die. Already the flowers +had with-ered; the leaves would soon fall from the stem. + +Then a new thought came to Charney. He would ask the great Napoleon, +the em-per-or himself, to save his plant. + +It was a hard thing for Charney to do,--to ask a favor of the man whom +he hated, the man who had shut him up in this very prison. But for the +sake of Picciola he would do it. + +He wrote his little story on his hand-ker-chief. Then he gave it into +the care of a young girl, who promised to carry it to Napoleon. Ah! if +the poor plant would only live a few days longer! + +What a long journey that was for the young girl! What a long, dreary +waiting it was for Charney and Picciola! + +But at last news came to the prison. The stones were to be taken up. +Picciola was saved! + +The em-per-or's kind wife had heard the story of Charney's care for +the plant. She saw the handkerchief on which he had written of its +pretty ways. + +"Surely," she said, "it can do us no good to keep such a man in +prison." + +And so, at last, Charney was set free. Of course he was no longer sad +and un-lov-ing. He saw how God had cared for him and the little plant, +and how kind and true are the hearts of even rough men. And he +cher-ished Picciola as a dear, loved friend whom he could never +forget. + + + + +MIGNON. + + +Here is the story of Mignon as I remember having read it in a famous +old book. + +A young man named Wil-helm was staying at an inn in the city. One day +as he was going up-stairs he met a little girl coming down. He would +have taken her for a boy, if it had not been for the long curls of +black hair wound about her head. As she ran by, he caught her in his +arms and asked her to whom she belonged. He felt sure that she must be +one of the rope-dan-cers who had just come to the inn. She gave him a +sharp, dark look, slipped out of his arms, and ran away without +speaking. + +The next time he saw her, Wil-helm spoke to her again. + +"Do not be afraid of me, little one," he said kindly. "What is your +name?" + +"They call me Mignon," said the child. + +"How old are you?" he asked. + +"No one has counted," the child an-swered. + +Wilhelm went on; but he could not help wondering about the child, and +thinking of her dark eyes and strange ways. + +One day not long after that, there was a great outcry among the crowd +that was watching the rope-dan-cers. Wilhelm went down to find out +what was the matter. He saw that the master of the dancers was beating +little Mignon with a stick. He ran and held the man by the collar. + +"Let the child alone!" he cried. "If you touch her again, one of us +shall never leave this spot." + +The man tried to get loose; but Wilhelm held him fast. The child crept +away, and hid herself in the crowd. + +"Pay me what her clothes cost," cried the ropedancer at last, "and you +may take her." + +As soon as all was quiet, Wilhelm went to look for Mignon; for she now +belonged to him. But he could not find her, and it was not until the +ropedancers had left the town that she came to him. + +"Where have you been?" asked Wilhelm in his kindest tones; but the +child did not speak. + +"You are to live with me now, and you must be a good child," he said. + +"I will try," said Mignon gently. + +From that time she tried to do all that she could for Wilhelm and his +friends. She would let no one wait on him but herself. She was often +seen going to a basin of water to wash from her face the paint with +which the ropedancers had red-dened her cheeks: indeed, she nearly +rubbed off the skin in trying to wash away its fine brown tint, which +she thought was some deep dye. + +Mignon grew more lovely every day. She never walked up and down the +stairs, but jumped. She would spring along by the railing, and before +you knew it, would be sitting quietly above on the landing. + +To each one she would speak in a different way. To Wilhelm it was with +her arms crossed upon her breast. Often for a whole day she would not +say one word, and yet in waiting upon Wilhelm she never tired. + +One night he came home very weary and sad. Mignon was waiting for him. +She carried the light before him up-stairs. She set the light down +upon the table, and in a little while she asked him if she might +dance. + +"It might ease your heart a little," she said. + +Wilhelm, to please her, told her that she might. + +Then she brought a little carpet, and spread it upon the floor. At +each corner she placed a candle, and on the carpet she put a number of +eggs. She arranged the eggs in the form of certain figures. When this +was done, she called to a man who was waiting with a violin. She tied +a band about her eyes, and then the dancing began. + +[Illustration: "And then the dancing began."] + +How lightly, quickly, nimbly, wonderfully, she moved! She skipped so +fast among the eggs, she trod so closely beside them, that you would +have thought she must crush them all. But not one of them did she +touch. With all kinds of steps she passed among them. Not one of them +was moved from its place. + +Wilhelm forgot all his cares. He watched every motion of the child. He +almost forgot who and where he was. + +When the dance was ended, Mignon rolled the eggs together with her +foot into a little heap. Not one was left behind, not one was harmed. +Then she took the band from her eyes, and made a little bow. + +Wilhelm thanked her for showing him a dance that was so wonderful and +pretty. He praised her, petted her, and hoped that she had not tired +herself too much. + +When she had gone from the room, the man with the violin told Wilhelm +of the care she had taken to teach him the music of the dance. He told +how she had sung it to him over and over again. He told how she had +even wished to pay him with her own money for learning to play it for +her. + +There was yet another way in which Mignon tried to please Wilhelm, and +make him forget his cares. She sang to him. + +The song which he liked best was one whose words he had never heard +before. Its music, too, was strange to him, and yet it pleased him +very much. He asked her to speak the words over and over again. He +wrote them down; but the sweetness of the tune was more delightful +than the words. The song began in this way:-- + + "Do you know the land where citrons, lemons, grow, + And oranges under the green leaves glow?" + +Once, when she had ended the song, she said again, "Do you know the +land?" + +"It must be Italy," said Wilhelm. "Have you ever been there?" + +The child did not answer. + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIFTY FAMOUS STORIES RETOLD *** + +***** This file should be named 18442.txt or 18442.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/4/4/18442/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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