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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/26039-h.zip b/26039-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4d4dd96 --- /dev/null +++ b/26039-h.zip diff --git a/26039-h/26039-h.htm b/26039-h/26039-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d00bf9a --- /dev/null +++ b/26039-h/26039-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1696 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Gold Thread, by Norman MacLeod. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */; + clear: both; + +} + + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .center {text-align: center;} + + .figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .style1 { + text-align: right; +} + .style4 { + text-align: left; +} + + +.ciii {background-image: url('images/fig-05.jpg'); background-position: top center; background-repeat: no-repeat;} +.civ {background-image: url('images/fig-07.jpg'); background-position: top center; background-repeat: no-repeat;} +.cv {background-image: url('images/fig-10.jpg'); background-position: top center; background-repeat: no-repeat;} + +.block {text-align: center; margin: auto; width: 250px;} +.block2 {text-align: center; margin: auto; width: 350px;} +.mt {padding-top: 150px;} +.mt2 {padding-top: 3em;} +.mb {padding-bottom: 250px;} +.mb2 {padding-bottom: 180px;} +.mb3 {padding-bottom: 4em;} +.pl {padding-left: 160px;} +.verse {margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-left: 5em;} + /* XML end ]]>*/ + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gold Thread, by Norman MacLeod + +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: The Gold Thread + A Story for the Young + +Author: Norman MacLeod + +Release Date: July 12, 2008 [EBook #26039] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THREAD *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Viv and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div class="figcenter mt2 mb3"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Front Cover" src="images/front_cover.jpg" width="450" height="537" /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter mb3"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Frontispiece" src="images/frontispiece.jpg" width="400" height="576" /> +</div> + +<h1>THE GOLD THREAD</h1> + +<h2>A Story for the Young</h2> + +<p class="center">By the Rev. NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D.</p> +<p class="center"> ONE OF HER MAJESTY'S CHAPLAINS</p> +<p class="center"> </p> + +<p class="center">ALEXANDER STRAHAN, PUBLISHER 56 LUDGATE HILL, LONDON 1867</p> + +<p> </p><p class="center">[<em>Eighth Edition</em>]</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> +<table style="width: 35em" id="table1" summary="Contents"> + <tr> + <td class="center" colspan="2"><a href="#TO_MY_CHILDREN"><b>TO MY CHILDREN.</b></a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_I"><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="style4">THE WANDERER—WOLF THE SWINEHERD</td> + <td class="style1">1</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_II"><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="style4">THE ROBBER'S TOWER</td> + <td class="style1">12</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_III"><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="style4">THE JOURNEY HOME—THE BIRD WITH THE GOLD EGGS—TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES</td> + <td class="style1">23</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><b>CHAPTER IV</b></a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="style4">THE GREAT LION—THE LITTLE SQUIRREL—AN OLD FRIEND—THE BLOODHOUND—THE LAST TEMPTATION</td> + <td class="style1">35</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="center" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_V"><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="style4">THE GREEN ISLAND OF THE LAKE, AND THE RETURN</td> + <td class="style1">51</td> + </tr> +</table> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="TO_MY_CHILDREN" id="TO_MY_CHILDREN"></a>TO MY CHILDREN.</h2> + + +<p>I dedicate this story to you, because it was for you I first wrote it, and to +you I first read it among the green hills of Moffat. It was afterwards printed +in <em>Good Words</em>, and now you see it again appears as a little book for other +children, who, I hope, will like it as much as you do.</p> + +<p>I wish to help and encourage you, and all who read this story, to learn the +great lesson which it is intended to teach; that lesson is, that we should +always trust God and do what is right, and thus hold fast our +gold thread +in spite of every temptation and danger, being certain that in this way only +will God lead us in safety and peace to His home.</p> + +<p>Now, God gives each of you this gold thread to hold fast in your own house or +in school, in the nursery or in the play-ground, on every day and in every +place. His voice in your heart, and in His Word, will also tell you always what +is right, if you only listen to it. You, too, will be constantly tempted in some +way or other to give up your gold thread, and to be selfish, disobedient, lazy, +or untruthful. Many things, in short, will tempt you to do your own will rather +than God's will.</p> + +<p>You already know, and I hope you will always love and remember, those true +stories in the Bible about the good men of the olden time, whose lives are there +written. Now, what shewed that they were good? It was this, that <em>they trusted +God, and did what was right</em>. If they ever let this their +gold thread go, they lost their way and became unhappy; but when they held it +fast, it led them in a way of peace and safety. To see how true this is, you +have only to recall such stories as those of Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Job, +Caleb and Joshua, Samuel, David and Jonathan, Elijah and Elisha, Hezekiah, +Jeremiah, Daniel and his three companions, &c., &c., with those told you in the +Book of Acts, not to mention the history of Jesus Christ, the perfect example +for us all.</p> + +<p>That you, my dear children, may be "followers of those who through faith and +patience now inherit the promises," and thus be "followers of God as dear +children," is the constant prayer of your mother, and of your father,</p> + +<p class="style1">NORMAN MACLEOD.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>THE WANDERER—WOLF THE SWINEHERD.</h3> + + +<p> +<img class="figleft" alt="Illustration 1" src="images/fig-01.jpg" width="253" height="600" /></p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p>NCE upon a time, a boy lost his way in a vast forest that filled many a +valley, and passed over many a hill, a rolling sea of leaves for miles and +miles, further than the eye could reach. His name was Eric, son of the good King +Magnus. He was dressed in a blue velvet dress, with a gold band round his waist, +and his fair locks in silken curls waved from his beautiful head. But his hands and face were scratched, and his clothes torn +with the briars, as he ran here and there like one much perplexed. Sometimes he +made his way through tangled brushwood, or crossed the little grassy plains in +the forest, now losing himself in dark ravines, then climbing up their steep +sides, or crossing with difficulty the streams that hurried through them. For a +long time he kept his heart up, and always said to himself, "I shall find it, I +shall find it;" until, as the day advanced, he was wearied and hungry; and every +now and then he cried, "Oh, my father! where is my father! I'm lost! I'm lost!" +Or, "Where, oh, where is my gold thread!" All day the forest seemed to him to be +very sad. He had never seen it so gloomy. There was a strange sadness in the +rustle of the leaves, and a sadness in the noise of the streams. He did not hear +the birds sing as they used to do. But he heard the ravens croak with their +hoarse voice, as their black forms swept along the precipices which here and +there rose above the trees. The large hawks, too, always appeared to be wheeling over his head, pausing, and fluttering as +if about to dart down upon him. Why was he so sad? Why was he so afraid?</p> + +<p>But on Eric journeyed, in the hope of finding his way out of the boundless +forest, or of meeting some one who would be his guide. At last, the sun appeared +to be near its setting, and he could see the high branches of the trees, shining +like gold, as its last rays fell upon them. But underneath, the foliage was +getting darker and darker; the birds were preparing to sleep, and everything +soon became so still that he could hear his steps echoing through the wood, and +when he stopped, he heard his heart beating, or a leaf falling; but nowhere did +he see a house, and no human being had he met since morning. Then the wind +suddenly began to rise, and he heard it at first creeping along the tree-tops +like a gentle whisper, and by and by to call louder and louder for the storm to +come. Dark clouds gathered over the sky, and rushed along chased by the winds, +that were soon to fight with the giant trees.</p> + +<p>At last, he sat down at the root of a great old oak, burying his face in his hands, not knowing what to do. He +then tried to climb the tree, in order to spend the night among its branches, in +case wild beasts should attack him. But as he was climbing it, he heard some one +singing with a loud voice. Listening attentively, and looking eagerly through +the leaves, he saw a boy apparently older than himself, dressed in rough shaggy +clothes, made from skins of wild animals. His long matted hair escaped over his +cheeks from under a black bearskin cap. With a short thick stick he was driving +a herd of swine through the wood. "Hey there, you black porker!" cried the boy, +as he threw a stone at some pig which was running away. "Get along, you lazy +long-snout!" he shouted to another, as he came thump on its back with his +cudgel. And then he sung this song with a loud voice which made the woods ring:—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"Oh, there's nothing half so fine,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">As to drive a herd of swine,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And through the forest toddle,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">With nothing in my noddle,</span><br /> +But rub-a-dub, rub-dub, hey-up, halloo!<br /> +<br /> +"When I wish to have some fun,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Then I make the porkers run,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Till they gallop, snort, and wheeze,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Among the leafy trees;</span><br /> +Oh, rub-a-dub, rub-dub, hey-up, halloo!<br /> +<br /> +"How their backs begin to bristle,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">When I shout aloud and whistle!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">How they kick at every lick</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">That I give them with my stick!</span><br /> +Oh, rub-a-dub, rub-dub, hey-up, halloo!"<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>"Get along, you rascals," cried the savage-looking herd, "or I'll kill and +roast you before your time." But soon the herd, with his swine, were concealed +from Eric's sight by the wood; though he still heard his "rub-a-dub" chorus, to +which he beat time with a sort of rude drum, made with a dried skin and hoop. +Eric determined to make his acquaintance, or at all events to follow him to some +house; so he descended from the tree, and ran off in the direction from which he +heard the song coming. He soon over-took him.</p> + +<p class="center"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Figure 2" src="images/fig-02.jpg" width="400" height="564" /> </p> + +<p>"Hollo!" said the wild-looking lad, with as much astonishment as if Eric had +fallen from +the clouds: "Who? where from? where to?" "I have lost my way in the wood," said +Eric, "and want you to guide me." "To Ralph?" asked the swineherd. "Ralph! pray, +who is he?" "Master, chief, captain, everything, everybody," replied the young +savage. "I will go anywhere for shelter, as night is coming on; but I will +reward you if you bring me to my father's home." "Who is your father, my fine +fellow?" inquired the swineherd, leaning on his stick. "The king," replied Eric. +"You lie, Sir Prince! Ralph is king." "I speak the truth, swineherd." The +swineherd by this time was examining Eric's dress with an impudent look. "Pay me +now," said he; "give me this gold band, and I will guide you." "I cannot give +you this gold band, for my father gave it to me, and I have lost enough to-day. +By the by, did you see a gold thread waving anywhere among the trees?" "A gold +thread! what do you mean? I saw nothing but pigs until I saw you, and I shall +treat you like a pig, d'ye hear? and lick you too, for I have no time to put +off. So give me your +band. Come, be quick!" said he, with his fierce face, and holding up his stick +as he came up to Eric. "Keep off, swineherd; don't touch me!" "Don't touch you! +why shouldn't I touch you? Do you see this stick? How would you like to have it +among your fine curls, as I drive it among the pigs' bristles?" And he began to +flourish it over his head, and to press nearer and nearer. "Once, twice, when I +say thrice, if you do not unbuckle, I shall save you the trouble, and leave you +to the wild beasts, who would like a tender bit of prince's flesh better than +pork. Come; once! twice!" Eric was on his guard, and said, "I shall fight you, +you young robber, till death, rather than give you this band,—so keep off." +"Thrice!" shouted the herd, and down came his thick cudgel, which he intended +should fall on Eric's head. But Eric sprang aside, and before he could recover +himself, dashed in upon him, tripped him up, and threw him on the grass, seizing +him by the throat in a moment. The herd, in his efforts to get out of Eric's +grasp, let go his cudgel, which Eric seized, and held over his head. "Unless you promise, Master Swineherd, to leave me +alone, I may leave <em>you</em> alone with the wild beasts." "You are stronger than I +thought," said the herd. "Let me up, or I shall be choked. Let me up, I say, and +I promise to guide you." "I shall trust you," said Eric, "though you would not +trust me. Rise!" So the herd rose, and picked up his cap, but Eric would not +give him his stick until he guided him to some house. "Come along," said he, +sulkily. "What is your name?" asked Eric. "They call me Wolf. I killed a wolf +once with my boar-spear." "Why, Wolf, did you try to kill me?" "Because I wanted +your gold belt." "But it is a great sin to rob and kill." "Other people rob me, +and would kill me too, if I did not take care of their pigs," said Wolf, +carelessly. "You should fear God, Wolf." "I fear that name truly, for Ralph +always swears by it when he is in a rage. But I do not know what it means." "Oh, +Wolf, surely your father and mother told you about God, who made all things, and +made you and me; God, who loves us, and wishes us to love Him, and to do what is right?" "I have +no father or mother," replied Wolf, "nor brothers or sisters, and I do not know +God. No one cares for me but my pigs, and so I sleep with them, and eat with +them." "Poor fellow!" said Eric with a look of kindness, "I am sorry for you. +Here is all the money I have. Take it. I wish to shew you that I have no +ill-will to you;" and Eric gave him a gold coin. Wolf gave a grunt like one of +his pigs, and began his song of "Rub-a-dub." "No one ever gave me money before," +remarked Wolf almost to himself, as he examined the coin on his rough hand, +which looked like tanned leather. "How much is this?" inquired Wolf. Eric +explained its value. The herd was astonished, and began to think what he could +purchase with it. "It would buy a large pig," he said. He seemed very anxious to +conceal the coin, and so he hid it in the top of his hairy cap. "See that tall +tower," said Wolf, "which looks like a rock above the trees; that is the only +house near for twenty miles round. You can reach it soon; and when you do reach it," said Wolf, speaking low, as if some +one might hear him, "take my advice, and get away as fast as you can from my +master Ralph, for"—and Wolf gave a number of winks, as much as to say, I know +something. "What do you mean?" asked Eric. "Oh, nothing, nothing; but take +Wolf's advice, and say to Ralph you are a beggar. Put the gold band in your +pocket, and swear to remain with him, but run off when you can. Cheat him; +that's my way." "It is not my way," replied Eric, "and, come what may, never can +be, for a voice says to me,</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"'Better to die<br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Than ever to lie.'"</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>"Ha! ha!" said Wolf; "I wish you lived with Ralph. He would teach you another +lesson, my lad." "I would rather that I had you, Wolf, to live in my house. I +would be kind to you, and help you to be good, and tell you about God, who lives +in the sky." "And is that He who is speaking? Listen!" Thunder began to mutter +in the clouds. "Yes, it is He," replied Eric; "and if you will only listen, you +can also +hear Him often speak with a small, still voice in your heart." "I never heard +Him," replied Wolf; "but I cannot stay longer with you, for my pigs will wander: +there is a black rascal who always leads them astray. Now, king's son, give Wolf +the stick; it is all he has." "Here it is to you, and I am sure you will not use +it wrongly; you will try and be good, Wolf? for it will make you happy." +"Humph," said Wolf, "I am happy when I get my pigs home, and Ralph does not +strike me. But I must away, and see you don't tell any one you gave me money. +They would rob me." And away he ran among the trees in search of his pigs, while +Eric heard his little drum, and his song of "Rub-a-dub, halloo!" die away in the +distance. Another loud peal and flash of lightning made Eric start, and off he +ran towards a light which now beamed from the tower. But he thought to himself, +"I am much worse than that poor Wolf, for I knew what was right, and did not do +it. I heard the voice, but did not attend to it. Oh, my father, why did I not +obey you!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>THE ROBBER'S TOWER.</h3> + + +<p> +<img class="figleft" alt="Illustration 3" src="images/fig-03.jpg" width="166" height="500" /></p> +<p> + </p> +<p> +Sometimes he lost sight of the light, and again he caught it, till it became +brighter and brighter, and very soon he came to a high rock, on the top of which +was perched a tall, dark tower. After groping about, he found a narrow path that +led up to the tower, from one of the windows of which the light was brightly +shining. He ascended +a flight of steep steps till he reached a massive door covered with iron. He +knocked as loud as he could, when a large dog began barking furiously inside, +and springing up to the door, as if it would tear it down. Then a gruff voice +called out of a window over the door, "Who is there? Who disturbs me in this +way?" The little boy replied, "Please, sir, I am Eric, son of King Magnus, and I +have lost my way in this wood." "The son of the king, are you?" asked the voice. +"That is a grand joke! Let me have a sight of you." Then the window was shut, +and he heard footsteps coming tramp, tramp, down the stairs, and the voice said +to the dog, "Lie down, hound, and don't be greedy! You would not eat a young +prince, would you? Lie down, Tuscar!" The door was then opened by a +fierce-looking man, with a long beard. The man bid him enter, and examined him +about himself and his journey. Eric answered truly every question. Then the man +rang a bell for an old woman who lived in the house, and bid her take the boy +with her, and give him his supper. The old woman looked very ugly and very cross, and led +him up, up, a great number of dark, gloomy stairs, until she reached a small +room, with a bed and table in it, where she bade Eric wait till she brought him +supper. The big hound followed them, and stayed in the room while the woman went +away. Eric was at first afraid of the dog, he was so large and wild-looking, but +he came and laid his head on his knee, and he scratched his ears, and patted +him, and was very kind to him. The supper came, and the boy managed to keep a +few bits of meat out of his own supper for the dog, and when the old woman went +out of the room, he fed the hound, who seemed very hungry, and said to him, +"Tuscar, old fellow, I like you very much. Take another bit, good dog, and be +happy!" The dog wagged his tail, and looked up kindly with his large eyes, for +he was thankful for his supper, and ate much more than Eric. "Now," said the old +woman gruffly, when she took away the remains of the supper, "you have ate what +would do me for a week. You won't starve, Master Prince. Go to bed." The old woman left him, but suddenly +returning, she discovered Eric on his knees. As he rose, she scoffed and jeered +him, and asked, "Do you always say your prayers?" "Yes, always," replied the +boy. "Who taught you?" "My mother, who is dead." The old woman heaved a deep +sigh, but the boy did not know why. Perhaps she used to pray when she was a +little girl herself, and had given up speaking to God, or even thinking of Him, +and so had become wicked; or perhaps she thought of some child of her own whom +she had never taught to pray. She soon went away without speaking a word more, +and Eric was left in darkness. He looked out through the narrow window of his +room, but could see nothing but black clouds rushing over the sky. Far down he +heard a stream roaring, and the wind, which now blew a gale, came booming over +the tree-tops, and howling round the tower. Every now and then a flash lighted +up the forest, and the thunder crashed in the sky. It was a fearful night!</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Illustration 4" src="images/fig-04.jpg" width="400" height="557" /> +</div> + +<p> Some time after, he heard footsteps at his door, and immediately the man with +the beard entered, and sat down. "Do you know," he asked, "where your father +is?" "No," said Eric; "as I told you, I lost my way in the forest, and have been +wandering all day, and cannot find him; but perhaps you will send some one +to-morrow with me to shew me the way to his castle, and I am sure my kind, good +father will give you a rich reward." "You are very, very far from your father's +house," said the man, "and I fear you will never see him again; but come with +me, and I shall shew you some beautiful things that will please you." So the man +took Eric by the hand, and, carrying a lamp, he led him into a room that seemed +full of gold and silver, with beautiful dresses, sparkling with diamonds, and +every kind of splendour, and he said, "Stay with me, my boy, and I will give you +all this, for I am a king too, and will make you my heir." "Oh, no, no," said +Eric; "I will never forsake my own father." The man then said, "If you stay with +me, you need +never go to school all day, but may amuse yourself from morning till night, and +have a beautiful pony to ride, and a gun to shoot deer with, and also +fishing-rods, and a servant to attend you, and any kind of meat and drink you +like best. Do stay with me!" "You are very kind," said Eric, "but I cannot be +happy without my father." "Come then with me, my fine fellow, and I shall shew +you something different," said the man, seizing Eric firmly by the arm, and +looking very angry. After walking along a passage, from the end of which +confused noises came, a door was opened, and in a large hall, round a great oak +table, sat a company of fierce-looking men, drinking from large flagons which +stood before them. Their faces were red, and their eyes gleamed like fire. Ralph +placed Eric on the table. One of the robbers was singing this song:—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"We're the famous robber band—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 9em;">Hurrah!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">The lords of all the land—</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 9em;">Hurrah!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">A fig for law or duty,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">If we only get our booty;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">With a fa, lal, la, la, la!</span><br /> +<br /> +"'Every man to mind himself,'<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 9em;">Hurrah!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">Is the rule of Captain Ralph!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 9em;">Hurrah!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">Then let the greatest thief</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">And robber be our chief—</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">With a fa, lal, la, la, la!"</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>No wonder poor Eric trembled as he heard that lawless band thus glorying in +their shame, and like demons singing their horrid song in praise of all that was +most dreadful and most wicked. He had read stories of robbers, which sometimes +made him think that they were fine, brave fellows; but now that he was among +them, he saw how depraved, cruel, and frightful they were. Their savage, coarse +looks terrified him; but he was held by Ralph on the table. When the song was +ended, one of them asked, "Whom have we got here?" "Who do you think?" replied +Ralph. "What would you say, my men, to a young prince,—no less than the son of +our great enemy, King Magnus?" "A young prince! The son of Magnus! What a prize!" they exclaimed. "What +shall we do with him?" "First of all, let us have his gold belt," said Ralph, +unbuckling Eric's belt. "Ha! what a pretty thing it is!" "My father gave it to +me, and I don't wish to part with it. The swineherd Wolf tried to take it from +me, but I fought him, and kept it," said Eric. "Wolf is a brave young robber," +replied Ralph, "and he shall have it for his trouble. In the meantime, my lad, +it is mine. But what, my men, shall we do with the prince?" "Kill him," said +one. "Starve him to death," said another. "Put his eyes out, and send him back +to his father," said a third. Eric prayed to God, but said nothing. "I propose," +said Ralph, "to make him a captain if he will stay with us." "Never!" said Eric; +"I would rather die!" "Let him die, then," said a fierce robber; "for his father +hung my brother for killing one of his nobles." "I tell you what we will do with +the lion's whelp," said Ralph; "let us keep him in prison, and send a message to +his father, that we have him snug in a den among the mountains, and that, unless he sends us an immense +ransom, we shall kill him." "That will do famously," said the robbers; "so off +with him!" Then Ralph led the boy down stairs,—down, down, until he thought they +never would stop, and at last they came to an iron door, with great bars on it, +and a large lock, and he turned to Eric, and said, "I know your father, and I +hate him! for he sends his soldiers after me, and tries to save travellers from +me, and now I have got his son. I will keep you here till you die, or till he +pays!" Then he opened the dungeon door, and thrust Eric in. When it closed, it +echoed like thunder through the passages. Eric cast himself down on the dungeon +floor.</p> + +<p>All appeared to be a strange dream. Oh, how he repented having disobeyed his +father! and how he seemed to be as bad as the dreadful robbers in having done +what he pleased, and followed his own will, instead of doing what was right! +About an hour after, he heard some rustling, as if high up on the wall, and a +voice whispered +"Eric!" "Who is there?" asked Eric, and his little heart trembled. "Silence! +quiet! it is Wolf. Here is a small window in your prison, and I have opened it +outside; climb up, get out, and run for your life." Eric heard no more, but +scrambled in the dark up the rough stones in the wall until he reached the +window, where he looked out, and saw the stars and the woods. He soon forced his +way through, and dropped down on the opposite side. Some one caught him in his +arms. It was Wolf. "Here is your gold band, Eric. I got it from Ralph; for He +who was speaking in the thunder has been saying things in my heart. You were +kind to poor Wolf. Now escape! Fly! I shall close the window again. Ralph will +never know how you got out, and he will not open the prison-door till after +breakfast. So you have a long time. Run as long as you can along that road till +you reach a hill, then cross it, until you reach a stream, which you must follow +downwards. The worst of the storm is over, and the night will soon be calm. +Off!" "Bless you, Wolf!" said Eric; "I shall never forget you." Poor Eric! how he ran, and ran, +beneath the stars! He felt no fatigue for a time. He thought he heard the +robbers after him; every time the wind blew loud, he imagined it was their wild +cry. On he ran till he reached the hill, and crossed it, and came to a green +spot beneath a rock, on the banks of the stream, when he could run no more, but +fell down, and whether he fainted or fell asleep he could not tell.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<div class="ciii"><div class="block"> +<h2 class="mt"><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3 class="mb">THE JOURNEY HOME—THE BIRD WITH THE GOLD EGGS—TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES.</h3> +</div></div> + +<p>Eric knew not how long he slept, but, as in a dream, he heard a sweet voice +singing these words:—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"Rest thee, boy, rest thee, boy, lonely and dreary,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thy little heart breaking from losing the way;</span><br /> +Thy father has not left thee friendless, though weary,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When learning through suffering to fear and obey."</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>Eric opened his eyes, but moved not a limb, as if under some strange fascination. It was early +morning. High over head a lark was "singing like an angel in the clouds." The +mysterious voice went on in the same beautiful and soothing strain—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"Oh, sweet is the lark as she sings o'er her nest,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And warbles unseen in the clear morning light;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">But sweeter by far is the song in the breast</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">When in life's early morning we do what is right!"</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>Eric could neither move nor speak; but in his heart he confessed with sorrow +that he had done what was wrong. And again the voice sang—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"Now, darling, awaken, thou art not forsaken!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The old night is past and a new day begun;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em">Let thy journey with love to thy father be taken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And at evening thy father will welcome thee home."</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Illlustration 6" src="images/fig-06.jpg" width="400" height="568" /> +</div> + +<p>"I will arise and go to my father!" said Eric, springing to his feet. He saw +beside him a beautiful lady, who looked like a picture he once saw of his +mother, or like one of those angels from heaven about whom he had often read. +And the lady said, "Fear not! I know you, Eric, and how it came to pass that you +are here. Your father sent you for a wise and good purpose through the forest, +and gave you hold of a gold thread to guide you, and told you never to let it +go. It was your duty to him to have held it fast; but instead of doing your +duty, trusting and obeying your father, and keeping hold of the thread, you let +it go to chase butterflies, and gather wild-berries, and to amuse yourself. This +you did more than once. You neglected your father's counsels and warnings, and +because of your self-confidence and self-pleasing, you lost your thread, and +then you lost your way. What dangers and troubles have you thus got into through +disobedience to your father's commands, and want of trust in his love and +wisdom! For had you only followed your father's directions, the gold thread +would have brought you to his beautiful castle, where there is to be a happy +meeting of your friends, with all your brothers and sisters." Poor little Eric +began to weep! "Listen to me, child," said the lady, kindly, "for <em>you cannot have peace but by doing what +is right</em>. Know, then, that all your brothers and sisters made this very +journey by help of the gold thread, and they are at home with great joy." "Oh, +save me! save me!" cried Eric, and caught the lady's hand. "Yes, I will save +you," said she, "if you will learn obedience. I know and love you, dear boy. I +know and love your father, and have been sent by him to deliver you. I heard +what you said, and know all you did, last night, and I was very glad that you +proved, in trial, your love to your father, your love of truth, and your love of +others, and this makes me hope all good of you for the future. Come now with +me!" And so the beautiful woman took him by the hand. The storm had passed away, +and the sun was shining on the green leaves of the trees, and every drop of dew +sparkled like a diamond. The birds were all warbling their morning hymns, and +feeding their young ones in their nests. The streams were dancing down the rocks +and through the glens. "The mountains broke forth into singing, and all the +trees clapped their hands with joy." Everything thus seemed beautiful and happy +to Eric, for he himself was happy at the thought of doing what was right, and of +going home. The lady led him to a sunny glade in the wood, covered with wild +flowers, from which the bees were busy gathering their honey, and she said, +"Now, child, are you willing to do your father's will?" "Oh, yes!" "Will you do +it, whatever dangers may await you?" "Yes!" "Well, then, I must tell you that +your father has given me the gold thread which you lost; and he bids me again +tell you, with his warm love, that if you keep hold of it, and follow it +wherever it leads, you are sure to come to him at sunset; but if you let it go, +you may wander on in this dark forest till you die, or are again taken prisoner +by robbers. Know, also, that there is no other possible way of saving you, but +by your following the gold thread." "I am resolved to do my duty, come what +may," said Eric. "May you be helped to do it!" said the lady. She then gave him +a cake, to support him in his journey. "And now, child," she added, "one advice +more I will give you, and it was given you by your father, though you forgot it; +it is this—if ever you feel the thread slipping from your hands, or are yourself +tempted to let it go, pray immediately, and you will get wisdom and strength to +find it, to lay hold of it, and to follow it. Before we part, kneel down and ask +assistance to be good and obedient, brave and patient, until you meet your +father." The little boy knelt down and repeated the Lord's Prayer; and as he +said, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven," he felt calm and +happy as he used to do when he knelt at his mother's knee, and he thought her +hand was waving over him, as if to bless him. When he lifted up his head there +was no one there but himself; but he saw an old gray cross, and a <span class="smcap">Gold Thread</span> was tied to it, and passed away, +away, shining through the woods.</p> + +<p>With a firm hold of his gold thread, the boy began his journey home. He +passed along path-ways on which the brown leaves of last year's growth were +thickly strewn, and from among which flowers of every colour were springing. He crossed little +brooks that ran like silver threads, and tinkled like silver bells. He passed +under trees with great trunks, and huge branches that swept down to the ground, +and waved far up in the blue sky. The birds hopped about him, and looked down +upon him from among the green leaves, and they sang him songs, and some of them +seemed to speak to him. He thought one large bird like a crow cried, "Good boy! +good boy!" and another whistled, "Cheer up! cheer up!" and so he went merrily +on, and very often he gave the robins and blackbirds that came near him bits of +his cake. After awhile, he came to a green spot in the middle of the wood, +without trees, and a footpath went direct across it, to the place where the gold +thread was leading him, and there he saw a sight that made him wonder and pause. +It was a bird about the size of a pigeon, with feathers like gold and a crown +like silver, and it was slowly walking near him, and he saw gold eggs glittering +in a nest among the grass a few yards off. Now, he thought, it would be such a nice thing to bring home +a nest with gold eggs! The bird did not seem afraid of him, but stopped and +looked at him with a calm blue eye, as if she said, "Surely you would not rob +me?" He could not, however, reach the nest with his hand, and though he pulled +and pulled the thread, it would not yield one inch, but seemed as stiff as a +wire. "I see the thread quite plain," said the boy to himself, "and the very +place where it enters the dark wood on the other side. I will just leap to the +nest, and in a moment I shall have the eggs in my pocket, and then spring back +and catch the thread again. I cannot lose it here, with the sun shining; and, +besides, I see it a long way before me." So he took one step to seize the eggs; +but he was in such haste that he fell and crushed the nest, breaking the eggs to +pieces, and the little bird screamed and flew away, and then suddenly the birds +in the trees began to fly about, and a large owl swept out of a dark glade, and +cried, "Whoo—whoo—whoo-oo-oo;" and a cloud came over the sun! Eric's heart beat quick, and he made a grasp at his gold thread, +but it was not there! Another, and another grasp, but it was not there! and soon +he saw it waving far above his head, like a gossamer thread in the breeze. You +would have pitied him, while you could not have helped being angry with him for +having been so silly and disobedient when thus tried, had you only seen his pale +face, as he looked above him for his thread, and about him for the road, but +could see neither! And he became so confused with his fall, that he did not know +which side of the open glade he had entered, nor to which point he was +travelling. But at last he thought he heard a bird chirping, "Seek—seek—seek!" +and another repeating, "Try again—try again—try—try!" and +then he remembered what the lady had said to him, and he fell on his knees and +told all his grief, and cried, "Oh, give me back my thread! and help me never, +never, to let it go again!" As he lifted up his eyes, he saw the thread come +slowly, slowly down; and when it came near, he sprang to it and caught it, and +he did not know whether to laugh, or cry, or sing, he was so thankful and happy! +"Ah!" said he, "I hope I shall never forget this fall!" That part of the Lord's +Prayer came into his mind which says, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver +us from evil." "Who would have thought," said he to himself, "that I was in any +danger in such a beautiful, green, sunny place as this, and so very early, too, +in my journey! Oh! shame upon me!" As he proceeded with much more thought and +caution, a large crow up a tree was hoarsely croaking, and seemed to say, +"Beware, beware!" "Thank you, Mr Crow," said the boy, "I shall;" and he threw +him a bit of bread for his good advice. But now the thread led him through the +strangest places. One was a very dark, deep ravine, with a stream that roared +and rushed far down, and overhead the rocks seemed to meet, and thick bushes +concealed the light, and nothing could Eric see but the gold thread, that looked +like a thread of fire, though even that grew dim sometimes, until he could only +feel it in his hand. And whither he was going he knew not. At one time he seemed +to be on the edge of a precipice, until it seemed as if the next step <em>must</em> lead him over, and plunge him down; but when he came to the very +edge, the thread led him quite safely along it. At another, a rock which looked +like a wall rose before him, and he said to himself, "Well, I must be stopped +here! I shall never be able to climb up!" But just as he touched it, he found +steps cut in it, and up, up, the thread guided him to the top! Then it would +bring him down, down, until he once stood beside a raging stream, and the water +foamed and dashed. "Now," he thought, "I must be drowned; but come what may, I +will not let my thread go." And so it was, that when he came so near the stream +as to feel the spray upon his cheek, and was sure that he must leap in if he +followed his thread, what did he see but a little bridge that passed from bank +to bank, and by which he crossed in perfect safety; until at last he began to +lose fear, +and to believe more and more that he would always be in the right road, so long +as he did not trust mere appearances, but kept hold of his thread!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="civ"><div class="block2"> +<h2 class="mt"><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<h3 class="noc">THE GREAT LION—THE LITTLE SQUIRREL—AN OLD FRIEND—THE BLOODHOUND—THE LAST +TEMPTATION.</h3> +</div> + +<p>But Eric had now to endure a great trial of his faith in the thread. As he +journeyed on, it led him up a winding path towards the summit of a hill. The +large trees of the forest were soon left behind, and small stunted bushes grew +among masses of gray rocks. The path was like the bed of a dry brook, and was +often very steep. There were no birds except little stone-chats, that hopped and +chirped among the large round +stones. Far below, he could see the tops of the trees, and here and there a +stream glittering under the sunbeams. Nothing disturbed the silence but the +hoarse croak of the raven, or the wild cry of a kite or eagle, that, like a +speck, wheeled far up in the sky. But suddenly, Eric heard a roar like thunder +coming from the direction towards which the thread was leading him. He stopped +for a moment, but the thread was firm in his hand, and led right up the hill. On +he went, and no wonder he started, when, as he turned the corner of a rock, he +heard another roar, and saw the head of a huge lion looking out of what seemed +to be a cave, a few yards back from the edge of a dizzy precipice! He saw, too, +that the path he must follow was between the lion's den and the precipice. What +now was to be done? Should he give up his thread and fly? No! A voice in his +heart encouraged him to be brave and not fear, and he knew from his experience +that he had always been led in safety and peace when he followed the road, +holding fast to his thread. He was certain that his father never would deceive him, or bid him do +anything but what was right; and he was sure, too, that the lady, from her love +to him, and her teaching him to trust God and to pray, would not have bid him do +anything that was wrong. And then an old verse his father taught him came into +his mind—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"In the darkest night, my child,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Canst thou see the Right, my child?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Forward then! God is near!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">The Right will be light to thee,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Armour and might to thee;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Forward! and never fear!"</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Illustration 8" src="images/fig-08.jpg" width="400" height="571" /> +</div> + +<p>So Eric resolved to go on in faith. There was just one thing he saw which +cheered him, and that was a white hare, sitting with her ears cocked, quite +close to the lion's den, and he wondered how she had no fear, but he could not +explain it at the time. On he walked, but he could hardly breathe, as the thread +led still nearer and nearer to the den. These big eyes were glaring on him, and +seemed to draw him closer and closer! There the lion stood, on one side of the path, while the great precipice descended on the +other. One step more, and he was between these two dangers. He moved on until he +was so near that he seemed to feel the lion's breath, and then the brute sprang +out on him, and tried to strike him with his huge paw that would have crushed +him to the dust! Eric shut his eyes, and gave himself up for lost. But the lion +suddenly fell back, for he was held fast by a great iron chain, and so Eric +passed in safety!</p> + +<p>Oh, how thankful he was! and how gladly he ran down hill, the lion in his den +roaring behind him! Down he ran until all was quiet again. As he pursued his +journey in the beautiful green woods, something told him his greatest trial was +past. He felt very peaceful and strong. And now, as he reached some noble old +beech-trees, the thread fell on the grass, and he took this as a sign that he +should lie down too, and so he did, grateful for the rest. He ate some of his +cake, and drank from a clear spring beside him, and feasted on wild strawberries +which grew in abundance all round him. He then stretched himself on his back +among soft moss, and looked up through the branches of the gigantic tree, and +saw with delight the sunlight speckling the emerald green leaves and brown bark +with touches of silver, and, far up, the deep blue sky with white clouds +reposing on it, like snowy islands on a blue ocean; and he watched the +squirrels, with their bushy tails, as they ran up the tree, and jumped from +branch to branch, and sported among the leaves, until he fell into a sort of +pleasant day-dream, and felt so happy, he hardly knew why. As he lay here, he +thought he heard, in his half-waking dream, a little squirrel sing a song. Was +it not his own heart, now so glad because doing what was right, which was +singing? This was the song which he thought he heard:—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I'm a merry, merry squirrel,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">All day I leap and whirl,</span><br /> +Through my home in the old beech-tree;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If you chase me, I will run</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the shade and in the sun,</span><br /> +But you never, never can catch me!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For round a bough I'll creep,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Playing hide-and-seek so sly,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or through the leaves bo-peep,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With my little shining eye.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Up and down I run and frisk,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">With my bushy tail to whisk</span><br /> +All who mope in the old beech-trees;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How droll to see the owl,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As I make him wink and scowl,</span><br /> +When his sleepy, sleepy head I tease!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I waken up the bat,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Who flies off with a scream,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For he thinks that I'm the cat</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Pouncing on him in his dream.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Through all the summer long</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">I never want a song,</span><br /> +From my birds in the old beech-trees;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I have singers all the night,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And, with the morning bright,</span><br /> +Come my busy humming fat brown bees.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When I've nothing else to do,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With the nursing birds I sit,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And we laugh at the cuckoo</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">A-cuckooing to her tit!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"When winter comes with snow,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And its cruel tempests blow</span><br /> +All the leaves from my old beech-trees;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then beside the wren and mouse</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I furnish up a house,</span><br /> +Where like a prince I live at my ease!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">What care I for hail or sleet,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With my hairy cap and coat;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And my tail across my feet,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Or wrapp'd about my throat!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!"</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>As Eric opened his eyes, and looked up, he saw a little squirrel with its +tail curling up its back, sitting on a branch looking down upon him; and then it +playfully ran away with the tail down and waving after it. "Farewell, happy +little fellow!" said Eric; "I must do my work now, and play like you +afterwards;" for at that moment the thread again became tight, and Eric, +refreshed with his rest, and hearty for his journey, stepped out bravely. He +saw, at some distance, and beyond an open glade in the forest, a rapid river +towards which he was descending. When near the river, he perceived something +struggling in the water, and then heard a loud cry or scream for help, as if +from one drowning. He was almost tempted to run off to his assistance without his thread, but he felt thankful that the thread itself +led in the very direction from whence he heard the cries coming. So off he ran +as fast as he could, and as he came to the brink of a deep, dark pool in the +river, he saw the head of a boy rising above the water, as the poor little +fellow tried to keep himself afloat. Now he sank—again he rose—until he suddenly +disappeared. Eric laid hold of his thread with a firm hand, and leaped in over +head and ears, and then rose to the surface, and with his other hand swam to +where the boy had sank. He soon caught him, and brought him with great +difficulty to the surface, which he never could have done unless the thread had +supported them both above the water.</p> + +<p>"Eric!" cried the gasping boy, opening his eyes, almost covered by his long, +wet hair. "Wolf!" cried Eric, "is it you?" It was indeed poor Wolf, who lay +panting on the dry land, with his rough garments dripping with water, and +himself hardly able to move. "Oh, tell me, Wolf, what brought you here! I am so glad to have helped you!" +After a little time, when Wolf could speak, he told him in his own way, bit by +bit, how Ralph had suspected him; and how the old woman had heard him speaking +as she was looking out of an upper window; and how when Ralph asked the gold +belt he could not give it; and how he was obliged himself to fly; and how he had +been running for his life for hours. "Now let us fly," said Wolf; "I am quite +strong again. I fear that they are in pursuit of us."</p> + +<p>They both went on at a quick pace, Eric having shewn Wolf the wonderful +thread, and explained to him how he must never part with it, come what may, and +having also given him a bit of his cake to comfort him. "O rub-a-dub, dub!" said +Wolf, squeezing the water out of his hair, as he trotted along; "I am glad to be +away. Ralph would have killed me like a pig. The voice told me to run after +you." So on they went together, happy again to meet. Suddenly Wolf stopped, and +listening with anxious +face, he said, "Hark! did you hear anything?" "No," said Eric, "what was it?" +"Hush!—listen!—there again—I hear it!" "I think I do hear something far off like +a dog's bark," replied Eric. "Hark!" So they both stopped and listened, and far +away they heard a deep "Bow-wow-wow-wow-o-o-o-o-o" echoing through the forest. +"Let us run as fast as we can," said the boy, in evident fear; "hear him!—hear +him!" "Bow-wow-wow-o-o-o-o," and the sound came nearer and nearer. "What is it? +why are you so afraid?" inquired Eric. "Oh! that is Ralph's bloodhound, Tuscar," +cried Wolf, "and he is following us. He won't perhaps touch me, but you he may." +So Eric ran as fast as he could, but never let go the gold thread, which this +time led towards a steep hill, which they were obliged to scramble up. "Run, +Eric!—quick—hide—up a tree—anywhere!" "I cannot, I dare not," said Eric; +"whatever happens, I must hold fast my thread." But they heard the +"Bow-wow-o-o-o" coming nearer and nearer, and as they looked back they saw the large hound rush out of the wood, and as he came to the +water, catching sight of the boys on the opposite hill, he leaped in, and in a +few minutes would be near them. And now he came bellowing like a fierce bull up +the hill, his tongue hanging out, and his nose tracking along the ground, as he +followed their footsteps. "I shall run and meet him," said Wolf, "and stop him +if I can;" and down ran the swineherd, calling, "Tuscar! Tuscar! good dog, +Tuscar!" Tuscar knew Wolf, and passed him, but ran up to Eric. As he reached +Eric, who stood calm and firm, the bloodhound stopped, panting, smelling his +clothes all round, but, strange to say, wagging his huge tail! He then ran back +the way he had come, as if he had made a mistake, and all his race was for +nothing! How was this? Ah, poor Tuscar remembered the supper Eric had given him, +and was grateful for his kindness!</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Illustration 9" src="images/fig-09.jpg" width="400" height="557" /> +</div> + +<p>Wolf was astonished at Eric's escape, until he heard how he and Tuscar had +become acquainted; and then Wolf heard the voice in his heart say that there was nothing better than kindness and love shewn +to man or beast. They both after this pursued their journey with light and +hopeful hearts, for they had got out of what was called the wild robber country, +and Eric knew that he was drawing near home. The thread was stronger than ever, +and every hour it helped more and more to support him. Wolf trotted along with +his short stick, and sometimes snorting and blowing with the fatigue like one of +his own pigs. They talked as best they could about all they had seen. "Did you +see big Thorold the lion?" asked Wolf. "I did," said Eric; "he is very awful, +but he was chained." "Lucky for you!" said Wolf, "for Ralph hunts with him and +kills travellers. He will obey none but Ralph. I heard him roaring. He is +hungry. He once ate one of my pigs, and would have ate me if he had not first +caught the poor black porker. I escaped up a tree." And thus they chatted, as +they journeyed on through woods, and across green plains, and over low hills, +until Wolf complained of hunger. Eric at once gave him what remained of his +large cake; but it did not suffice to appease the hunger of the herd, who was, +however, very thankful for what he got. To their delight they now saw a +beautiful cottage not far from their path, and, as they approached it, an old +woman, with a pretty girl who seemed to be her daughter, came out to meet them. +"Good day, young gentlemen!" said the old woman with a kind smile and a +courtesy; "you seem to be on your travels, and look wearied? Pray come into my +cottage, and I shall refresh you." "What fortunate fellows we are!" said Wolf. +"We are much obliged to you for your hospitality," replied Eric. But, alas! the +thread drew him in an opposite direction; so turning to Wolf, he said, "I cannot +go in." "Come, my handsome young gentleman," said the young woman, "and we shall +make you so happy. You shall have such a dinner as will delight you, I am sure; +and you may remain as long as you please, and I will dance and sing to you; nor +need you pay anything." And she came forward smiling and dancing, offering her +arm to Eric. "Surely you won't be so rude as refuse me! you are so beautiful, +and have such lovely hair and eyes, and I never saw such a belt as you wear: do +come!" "Come, my son," said the old woman to Wolf, as she put her hand round his +neck. "With all my heart!" replied Wolf; "for, to tell the truth, I am wearied +and hungry; one does not get such offers as yours every day." "I cannot go," +again said Eric. <em>They</em> could not see the thread, for to some it was +invisible; but <em>he</em> saw it, and felt it like a wire passing away from the +cottage. "Who are you, kind friends?" inquired Eric. "Friends of the king and of +his family. Honest subjects, good people," said the old woman. "Do you know +Prince Eric?" asked Wolf. "Right well!" replied the young woman. "He is a great +friend of mine; a fine, tall, comely youth. He calls me his own little +sweetheart." "It is false!" said Eric; "you do not know him. You should not +lie." But he did not tell her who he was, neither did Wolf, for Eric had made a +sign to him to be silent. "I won't enter your dwelling," said Eric, "for my duty +calls me away." They both gave a loud laugh, and said, "Hear him! Only hear a +fine young fellow talking about duty! Pleasure, ease, and liberty are for the +young. We only want to make you happy: come!" "I shall go with you," said Wolf; +"do come, Eric." "Wolf, speak to me," whispered Eric to the swineherd. "You know +<em>I</em> cannot go, for my duty tells me +to follow the thread. But now I see that this is the house of the wicked, for +you heard how they lied; they neither know the king nor his children; and they +laugh too at duty. Be advised, Wolf, and follow me." Wolf hesitated, and looked +displeased. "Only for an hour, Eric!" "Not a minute. Wolf. If you trust them +more than me, go; but I am sure you and I shall never meet again." "Then I will +trust you, Eric," said Wolf; "the voice in my heart tells me to do so." And so +they both passed on. But the old woman and the girl began to abuse them, and +call them all manner of evil names, and to laugh at them as silly fellows. The +girl threw +stones at them, which made Wolf turn round and flourish his stick over his head. +At last they entered the cottage, the old woman shaking her fist, and calling +out from the door, "I'll soon send my friend Ralph after you!" "Oh, ho! is that +the way the wind blows!" exclaimed Wolf, with a whistle; and, grasping Eric's +arm, said, "You were right, prince! I never suspected them. I see now they are +bad." "I saw that before," replied Eric, "and knew that no good would come to us +from making their acquaintance." "Were they not cunning?" "Yes; but, probably, +with all their smiles, flattery, and fair promises, they would have proved more +cruel in the end than either Ralph or old Thorold." "What would they have done +to us? Why did they meet us? Who are they, think you?" "I don't know, Wolf; it +was enough for me that they lied, and did not wish us to do what was right. The +gold thread given me by my father never could have led me into the society and +house of the wicked. I am glad we held it fast."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<div class="cv"><div class="block2"> +<h2 class="mt pl"> +<a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3 class="pl mb2">THE GREEN ISLAND OF THE LAKE, AND THE RETURN HOME.</h3> +</div></div> + +<p>Not long after this strange adventure, they reached a rising ground, from +which a magnificent view burst upon them. Below, there was a large lake, +surrounded by wooded hills, above which rose noble rocks fringed with stately +pines, and higher ranges of mountains beyond, some of whose summits were covered +with snow +that glittered like purest alabaster in the azure blue of the sky. Eric gave a +cry of joy; for he saw the house of one of his father's foresters, which he had +once visited with his father. "Wolf! Wolf!" he exclaimed, "look yonder, that is +the house of Darkeye, the forester. We are safe!" and the thread was leading +straight down in the very direction which they wished. Darkeye's house was built +on a small green island in the lake. The island was like a little fort, for on +every side the rocks descended like a wall. It could only be approached by a +boat, which Darkeye kept on the island, and then by a narrow stair cut out of +the rock at the landing-place. No robbers could thus get near it, and Darkeye +was there to give shelter to travellers, and to help any of the poor who had to +pass that way. The thread led down to the shore. They forgot their fatigue, and +ran down till they reached the ferry. "Boat, ahoy!" shouted Eric. By and by two +boys were seen running out of the cottage, and after looking cautiously at those +who were calling +for the boat, they rowed off, and soon were at the shore, where stood Eric with +his gold belt, and Wolf in his rough skins. "Olaf! Torquil! don't you remember +me?" asked Eric, looking at his old friends. The boys looked astonished as they +recognised the young prince, and received him joyfully into their boat, he +holding by the thread, which seemed to cross the ferry towards the cottage. How +many questions were mutually put and answered in a few minutes! They told him +their father was at home; and how he had lately seen the king; and how the king +was anxiously looking for Eric's return; and how glad all on the island would be +to see him; and the younger boy, Torquil, told him how they had now a tame +otter, that fished in the lake, and a fine golden eagle which they had got young +in her nest, that also lived on the island with them; and how their mother had +got another baby since he had been there, and how happy they all were, and so +on, until they arrived at the island, and there was old Darkeye himself waiting +to receive them; and when he saw who was in the boat, he ran down the stone steps and grasped +the young prince's hand, and drew him to his heart. "Welcome! welcome!" said he; +"I knew you had been in the forest, but your father would not tell me anything +more about you. He only said that he longed for your coming home. But who is +this?" asked Darkeye, pointing to Wolf. "A friend of mine," said Eric, with a +smile. "My name is Wolf," grunted the swineherd. "I think I have seen him +before. But no! What? Yes!" said Darkeye, examining him; then added, as if +he had discovered some old acquaintance, "Surely I <em>have</em> seen him. Tell me, my +fine fellow, did you"—— It was evident Darkeye had seen Wolf killing his game, +or in some affray with the robbers. Wolf looked sternly at Darkeye, then at +Eric, but said nothing. "Oh, Darkeye, do not trouble poor Wolf," said Eric, "but +let him go into the cottage; and come you with me, as I wish to tell you all +that has happened to me during these few days." So, while the boys took Wolf to +the cottage, and food was being prepared, Eric told Darkeye all his adventures; and you would +have been sure that the forester was hearing something which surprised and +interested him wonderfully, had you seen his face, and how he sometimes laughed, +or knit his brows and looked angry, or sad and solemn, or sprung to his feet +from the rock on which he was sitting beside Eric. When Eric came to speak about +the old woman and her daughter, "Ah!" said Darkeye, "there are not worse people +in that wicked country! They say that the old woman is a witch of some kind. But +whether she poisons travellers or drowns them, I know not. No doubt she is in +league with Ralph the robber, and would have robbed you or kept you fast in some +way or other till you were handed over to him. You were right, my prince, in all +you did. The only way of being delivered from temptation is to be brave, and do +what is right, come what may." Then, grasping Eric by the hand, he led him back +to the cottage. There Darkeye's wife received him like a mother, and all the +children gathered round him in surprise and admiration, he looked so brave and lovely.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Illustration 11" src="images/fig-11.jpg" width="400" height="507" /> +</div> + +<p>One of the walls of the cottage was reared on the edge of the rock, so that +it seemed a continuation of it, and to rise up from the deep waters of the lake. +The boys were thus able often to fish with a long line out of the window. A +winding-stair led to a look-out on the roof, from which the whole island, called +"The Green Island of the Lake," could be seen. It was about a mile or more in +circumference, and was dotted all over with the cottages of the other foresters +and king's huntsmen, each surrounded with clumps of trees, through which the +curling smoke from the chimneys might be seen ascending. There were everywhere +beautifully-kept gardens, with fruits, and flowers, and bee-hives; and fields, +too, with their crops. On the green knolls and in the little valleys might be +seen cows and sheep; while flocks of goats browsed among ivy-covered rocks. In +the middle of the island was a little shallow lake, beside which the otter had +his house among the rocks; and there the eagle also lived. All the children in the island were the +best of friends, and they played together, and sailed their boats on the little +lake, and every day met in the house of one of the foresters to learn their +lessons; and on Sunday, as they were very far away from any church, old Darkeye +used to read the Good Book to them, and worship with them, and did all he could +to make them love God and one another. There was also in the island a house, +where, by the king's orders, all poor travellers could find refuge and +refreshment. And it was a great pleasure to the boys and girls to visit them; +and if they were sick and confined to bed, to attend to their wants. If the +stranger had any children, the young islanders always shared their sports with +them. And nothing pleased these stranger children more than to get leave to sail +a boat, or to have the loan of a fishing-rod, or to hear the boys call Oscar, +for that was the name of the otter, out of his den, and to play with Tor the +eagle; or to see them feed Oscar with some of the fish they had caught, and Tor +with a bit of +meat. The dogs were so friendly, too, that they never touched Oscar, but would +swim about in the same pool with him. And so all were happy in the Green Island; +because Darkeye had taught them what a wicked thing selfishness was, and that +the only way to be happy was by thinking about others as well as themselves, and +by becoming like Him, the Elder Brother of us all, who "pleased not Himself." He +also used to say: "Now, when you work, work like men, and when you play, play +like boys: be hearty at both." And so, while there was no idleness, there was +abundance of recreation. Another evil was never permitted on the island, and +that was, disobedience to parents, or want of respect to the old. But, indeed, +punishment for these offences was seldom needed. The young learned to <em>like</em> to +do what was right, and were too brave and manly to give pain and trouble to +others, by forcing them to find fault or to punish. I should have mentioned, +also, that they had a little band of musicians. One beat the drum, a few played +the fife, and others +some simple instrument; while almost all could sing tolerably well in parts. +Thus, many a traveller would pause and listen with delight, as he heard, on a +summer's evening, the chorus sung from many voices, or the music from the band +coming from the island. "Young people," Darkeye used to say, "have much wealth +and happiness given them, for themselves and others, if they only used their +gifts."</p> + +<p>But I am forgetting Eric and Wolf. They were both, you may be sure, ready for +their dinner, and there was laid for them on a table, cream, cakes, and fresh +trout, and such other good things as the kind woman could get ready.</p> + +<p>But now the thread began to move, as if it wished Eric to move also. Before +rising to depart, he told Wolf how Darkeye, for his sake, would be so glad to +take care of him, until he got his father's permission to bring him into the +castle; that he would learn to be a huntsman, and be taught what was good, and +to know about the Voice that spoke in his heart; and that all the boys in the +island would make him their friend if he did what was right. "Ralph will come here!" +said Wolf, hanging his head. "I wish the rascal did," said Darkeye, "for he +would never go back. But he cannot enter my fort, and knows me and my huntsmen +too well ever to try it. I have had more than one brush with the villain, and we +hope soon to drive him and his brood from their bloody nest. Wolf, you are +welcome and safe, for Eric's sake!" Then turning to Eric, he said, "I shall +teach him, and make a man of him, my young prince, depend upon it. And now, +before we part, I have to ask a favour," continued Darkeye. "You know our custom +near evening? If the thread permits, remain, and be one of us." "I remember it," +said Eric, "and will remain and be one of you, and let poor Wolf also be one." +And so they entered the cottage, and all sat down round an open window which +looked out upon the beautiful lake with its wooded islands, and surrounded by +the noble forest, above which rose the giant peaks and precipices. The water was +calm as glass, and reflected every brilliant colour from rock and tree, and, most of all, from the golden clouds, +which already began to gather in the west. Darkeye read from the Good Book of +one who had left his father's house, and went to a far country, where he would +fain have satisfied his hunger from the husks which the swine did eat, and could +not, but who at last returned home after having suffered from his disobedience. +When he closed the book, all stood up and sung these words with sweet and happy +voices:—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"Father! from Thy throne above,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Bless our lowly home below!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Jesus, Shepherd! in Thy love,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Guard Thy flock from every foe.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Thine we are! for Thou hast made us;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Thine, for we're redeem'd by Thee;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Thine, for Thou hast ever led us,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Thine, we evermore shall be!</span><br /> +<br /> +"May we love Thee, may we fear Thee,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">May Thy will, not ours, be done,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Never leave us till we're near Thee</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">In the Home where all are one!"</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>Then they knelt down, and Darkeye spoke to God in name of them all, thanking Him for His goodness, and +telling Him their wants. When they rose from their knees, the gold thread shone +brilliantly, and, like a beam of light, passed out at the door in the direction +of the ferry. During the singing of the verses, Wolf seemed for the first time +quite overcome. He bent his head, and covered his face with his hands. He then +said, in a low voice, when the short service was over, and as if speaking to +himself, while all were silent listening to him, "I had a dream. Long, long ago. +A carriage—a lady. She was on her knees, with her hands clasped, and speaking to +the sky. She had hold of me. Ralph was there and the robbers. I forget the +rest." He rose and looked out of the window, gazing vacantly. "What can he +mean?" asked Eric aside to Darkeye, who was looking tenderly on Wolf. "Ah! who +knows, poor boy! Singing always touches the heart of these wanderers. +Perhaps—yes—it may be," he said, so that Eric alone could hear him, "that he has +been taken when a child by Ralph from some rich traveller, and perhaps his mother was killed! He may have been the child of +good people. Was that person his mother who, he says, prayed for him? If so, her +prayers are now answered, for her boy will be delivered,—poor Wolf! Wolf, my +boy," said Darkeye, "come and bid farewell to your friend." Wolf started as from +a dream, and came to Eric. "Farewell, my kind Wolf, and I hope to see you some +day in my father's house." The herd spoke not a word, but wiped his eyes with +the back of his rough hand. "Cheer up, Wolf, for you will be good and happy +here." "Wolf is happy already, and he will take care of the pigs, or do anything +for you all." He then held out his stick to Eric, and said, "Take it; keep it +for my sake; it is all Wolf has to give; Ralph has the gold coin." "Thank you, +good Wolf; but you will require it, and I need nothing to remember you." "Don't +be angry, Eric, for what I did to you in the forest when we first met. My heart +is sorry." "We did not know one another then, Wolf, and I shall never forget +that it is to you +I owe my escape." "Wolf loves you, and every one here." "I am sure you do, Wolf, +and I love you. God bless you, Wolf, I must go; farewell!" And thus they parted. +But all gathered round Eric, and accompanied him to the boat, blessing the +little prince, and wishing him a peaceful and happy journey. Eric thanked them +with many smiles and tender words. Darkeye alone went with him into the boat, +wondering greatly at the thread, and most of all at the prince, who shone with a +beauty that seemed not of this world. The prince landed, but Darkeye knew, for +many reasons, that he could not accompany him in his journey, which he must take +alone. Eric embraced Darkeye, and waving his hand to all on the island, he was +soon lost to their sight in the great forest.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img class="figcenter" alt="Illustration 12" src="images/fig-12.jpg" width="400" height="527" /> +</div> + +<p> +A winding pathway, over the ridge of hills, led down to a broad and rapid but +smooth river, and on its banks was a royal boat, splendid and rich to look upon. +She was white as snow, with a purple seat at the end covered by a canopy, that +gleamed with golden tassels and many gems. The thread led into the boat, and though no one was there, +Eric entered, and sat on a purple cushion, on which the Gold Thread also laid +itself down. No sooner had he gone on board of the boat, than—as if his little +foot, when it touched her, had sent her from the shore—she slowly moved into the +centre of the channel, and was carried downwards by the current. On she swept on +the bosom of that clear stream, between shores adorned with all that could +delight the eye—rocks and trees and flowers, with here and there foaming +waterfalls, from mountain rivulets which poured themselves into the great river. +The woods were full of song, and birds with splendid plumage flashed amidst the +foliage like rainbow hues amidst the clouds. Eric knew not whither he was being +carried, but his heart was sunshine and peace. On and on he swept with the +winding stream, until at last, darting under a dark archway of rock, and then +emerging into light, the boat grounded on a shore of pure white sand, while the +thread rose and led him to the land. No sooner had he stepped on shore and ascended the green bank, than +he found himself at the end of a long broad avenue of splendid old trees, whose +tops met overhead. The far-off end of the avenue was closed by a great marble +staircase, which ascended to a magnificent castle. Wall rose above wall, and +tower over tower. He saw grand flights of stairs, leading from one stately +terrace to another, with marble statues, clear gushing fountains, and +flower-gardens, and every kind of lovely tree. It was his father's castle at +last! He ran on with breathless anxiety and joy. He soon reached a large gate, +that seemed to be covered with glittering gold. As he looked at it, he saw the +thread tied to a golden knocker upon it, shaped like the old cross in the +forest. Inscribed over the gate were the words, "He that persevereth to the end +shall be saved." He seized the knocker, and the moment it fell, the thread broke +and vanished like a flash of light. A crash of music was then heard. The door +opened, and there, in the midst of a court paved with marble of purest white, and on a golden throne, sat Eric's father, +surrounded by his brothers and sisters. The beautiful lady was there too, and +many, many more to welcome Eric. His father clasped him to his heart, and said, +"My son was lost, but is found!" While all crowded round Eric to bid him +welcome, with his weary feet and torn dress, kept together by the golden band, a +chorus was heard singing,—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p> +"Home where the weary rest,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Home where the good are blest,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Home of the soul;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Glorious the race when run,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Glorious the prize when won,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">Glorious the goal!"</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>Then there rose a swell of many young voices singing,—</p> + +<div class="verse"> +<p>"Oh, be joyful, be joyful, let every voice sing!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Welcome, brothers, our brother, the son of the king;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">His wanderings are past, to his father he's come;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Little Eric, our darling, we welcome thee home!</span><br /></p> +</div> +<div class="verse"> +<p>"Oh, bless'd is the true one who follows the road,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Holding fast to his</span> <span class="smcap">gold thread of duty to God</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Who, when tempted, is firm, who in danger is brave,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Who, forgetting himself, will a lost brother save.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">Then be joyful, be joyful, for Eric is come;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;"> Little Eric, our darling, we welcome thee home!"</span><br /> +</p> +</div> + +<p>And then the sun set, and the earth was dark, but the palace of the king +shone like an aurora in the wintry sky.</p> + +<h3><em>The End.</em></h3> + +<p class="center"><em>Printed by Dalziel Brothers, Camden Press</em></p> +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gold Thread, by Norman MacLeod + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THREAD *** + +***** This file should be named 26039-h.htm or 26039-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/0/3/26039/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Viv 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: The Gold Thread + A Story for the Young + +Author: Norman MacLeod + +Release Date: July 12, 2008 [EBook #26039] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THREAD *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Viv and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + THE GOLD THREAD + + =A Story for the Young= + + BY THE REV. NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D. + ONE OF HER MAJESTY'S CHAPLAINS + + ALEXANDER STRAHAN, PUBLISHER + 56 LUDGATE HILL, LONDON + 1867 + + [_Eighth Edition_] + + + + +TO MY CHILDREN. + + +I dedicate this story to you, because it was for you I first wrote it, +and to you I first read it among the green hills of Moffat. It was +afterwards printed in _Good Words_, and now you see it again appears as +a little book for other children, who, I hope, will like it as much as +you do. + +I wish to help and encourage you, and all who read this story, to learn +the great lesson which it is intended to teach; that lesson is, that we +should always trust God and do what is right, and thus hold fast our +gold thread in spite of every temptation and danger, being certain that +in this way only will God lead us in safety and peace to His home. + +Now, God gives each of you this gold thread to hold fast in your own +house or in school, in the nursery or in the play-ground, on every day +and in every place. His voice in your heart, and in His Word, will also +tell you always what is right, if you only listen to it. You, too, will +be constantly tempted in some way or other to give up your gold thread, +and to be selfish, disobedient, lazy, or untruthful. Many things, in +short, will tempt you to do your own will rather than God's will. + +You already know, and I hope you will always love and remember, those +true stories in the Bible about the good men of the olden time, whose +lives are there written. Now, what shewed that they were good? It was +this, that _they trusted God, and did what was right_. If they ever let +this their gold thread go, they lost their way and became unhappy; but +when they held it fast, it led them in a way of peace and safety. To see +how true this is, you have only to recall such stories as those of Noah, +Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Job, Caleb and Joshua, Samuel, David and +Jonathan, Elijah and Elisha, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and his three +companions, &c., &c., with those told you in the Book of Acts, not to +mention the history of Jesus Christ, the perfect example for us all. + +That you, my dear children, may be "followers of those who through faith +and patience now inherit the promises," and thus be "followers of God as +dear children," is the constant prayer of your mother, and of your +father, + + NORMAN MACLEOD. + + + + + CONTENTS. + + PAGE + CHAPTER I. + + THE WANDERER--WOLF THE SWINEHERD, 1 + + + CHAPTER II. + + THE ROBBER'S TOWER, 12 + + + CHAPTER III. + + THE JOURNEY HOME--THE BIRD WITH THE GOLD EGGS--TRIALS + AND DIFFICULTIES, 23 + + + CHAPTER IV. + + THE GREAT LION--THE LITTLE SQUIRREL--AN OLD FRIEND--THE + BLOODHOUND--THE LAST TEMPTATION, 35 + + + CHAPTER V. + + THE GREEN ISLAND OF THE LAKE, AND THE RETURN HOME, 51 + + + + +THE + +GOLD THREAD. + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE WANDERER--WOLF THE SWINEHERD. + + +[Illustration] + +Once upon a time, a boy lost his way in a vast forest that filled many a +valley, and passed over many a hill, a rolling sea of leaves for miles +and miles, further than the eye could reach. His name was Eric, son of +the good King Magnus. He was dressed in a blue velvet dress, with a gold +band round his waist, and his fair locks in silken curls waved from his +beautiful head. But his hands and face were scratched, and his clothes +torn with the briars, as he ran here and there like one much perplexed. +Sometimes he made his way through tangled brushwood, or crossed the +little grassy plains in the forest, now losing himself in dark ravines, +then climbing up their steep sides, or crossing with difficulty the +streams that hurried through them. For a long time he kept his heart up, +and always said to himself, "I shall find it, I shall find it;" until, +as the day advanced, he was wearied and hungry; and every now and then +he cried, "Oh, my father! where is my father! I'm lost! I'm lost!" Or, +"Where, oh, where is my gold thread!" All day the forest seemed to him +to be very sad. He had never seen it so gloomy. There was a strange +sadness in the rustle of the leaves, and a sadness in the noise of the +streams. He did not hear the birds sing as they used to do. But he heard +the ravens croak with their hoarse voice, as their black forms swept +along the precipices which here and there rose above the trees. The +large hawks, too, always appeared to be wheeling over his head, +pausing, and fluttering as if about to dart down upon him. Why was he so +sad? Why was he so afraid? + +But on Eric journeyed, in the hope of finding his way out of the +boundless forest, or of meeting some one who would be his guide. At +last, the sun appeared to be near its setting, and he could see the high +branches of the trees, shining like gold, as its last rays fell upon +them. But underneath, the foliage was getting darker and darker; the +birds were preparing to sleep, and everything soon became so still that +he could hear his steps echoing through the wood, and when he stopped, +he heard his heart beating, or a leaf falling; but nowhere did he see a +house, and no human being had he met since morning. Then the wind +suddenly began to rise, and he heard it at first creeping along the +tree-tops like a gentle whisper, and by and by to call louder and louder +for the storm to come. Dark clouds gathered over the sky, and rushed +along chased by the winds, that were soon to fight with the giant trees. + +At last, he sat down at the root of a great old oak, burying his face +in his hands, not knowing what to do. He then tried to climb the tree, +in order to spend the night among its branches, in case wild beasts +should attack him. But as he was climbing it, he heard some one singing +with a loud voice. Listening attentively, and looking eagerly through +the leaves, he saw a boy apparently older than himself, dressed in rough +shaggy clothes, made from skins of wild animals. His long matted hair +escaped over his cheeks from under a black bearskin cap. With a short +thick stick he was driving a herd of swine through the wood. "Hey there, +you black porker!" cried the boy, as he threw a stone at some pig which +was running away. "Get along, you lazy long-snout!" he shouted to +another, as he came thump on its back with his cudgel. And then he sung +this song with a loud voice which made the woods ring:-- + + "Oh, there's nothing half so fine, + As to drive a herd of swine, + And through the forest toddle, + With nothing in my noddle, + But rub-a-dub, rub-dub, hey-up, halloo! + + "When I wish to have some fun, + Then I make the porkers run, + Till they gallop, snort, and wheeze, + Among the leafy trees; + Oh, rub-a-dub, rub-dub, hey-up, halloo! + + "How their backs begin to bristle, + When I shout aloud and whistle! + How they kick at every lick + That I give them with my stick! + Oh, rub-a-dub, rub-dub, hey-up, halloo!" + +"Get along, you rascals," cried the savage-looking herd, "or I'll kill +and roast you before your time." But soon the herd, with his swine, were +concealed from Eric's sight by the wood; though he still heard his +"rub-a-dub" chorus, to which he beat time with a sort of rude drum, made +with a dried skin and hoop. Eric determined to make his acquaintance, or +at all events to follow him to some house; so he descended from the +tree, and ran off in the direction from which he heard the song coming. +He soon over-took him. + +[Illustration] + +"Hollo!" said the wild-looking lad, with as much astonishment as if Eric +had fallen from the clouds: "Who? where from? where to?" "I have lost +my way in the wood," said Eric, "and want you to guide me." "To Ralph?" +asked the swineherd. "Ralph! pray, who is he?" "Master, chief, captain, +everything, everybody," replied the young savage. "I will go anywhere +for shelter, as night is coming on; but I will reward you if you bring +me to my father's home." "Who is your father, my fine fellow?" inquired +the swineherd, leaning on his stick. "The king," replied Eric. "You lie, +Sir Prince! Ralph is king." "I speak the truth, swineherd." The +swineherd by this time was examining Eric's dress with an impudent look. +"Pay me now," said he; "give me this gold band, and I will guide you." +"I cannot give you this gold band, for my father gave it to me, and I +have lost enough to-day. By the by, did you see a gold thread waving +anywhere among the trees?" "A gold thread! what do you mean? I saw +nothing but pigs until I saw you, and I shall treat you like a pig, d'ye +hear? and lick you too, for I have no time to put off. So give me your +band. Come, be quick!" said he, with his fierce face, and holding up his +stick as he came up to Eric. "Keep off, swineherd; don't touch me!" +"Don't touch you! why shouldn't I touch you? Do you see this stick? How +would you like to have it among your fine curls, as I drive it among the +pigs' bristles?" And he began to flourish it over his head, and to press +nearer and nearer. "Once, twice, when I say thrice, if you do not +unbuckle, I shall save you the trouble, and leave you to the wild +beasts, who would like a tender bit of prince's flesh better than pork. +Come; once! twice!" Eric was on his guard, and said, "I shall fight you, +you young robber, till death, rather than give you this band,--so keep +off." "Thrice!" shouted the herd, and down came his thick cudgel, which +he intended should fall on Eric's head. But Eric sprang aside, and +before he could recover himself, dashed in upon him, tripped him up, and +threw him on the grass, seizing him by the throat in a moment. The herd, +in his efforts to get out of Eric's grasp, let go his cudgel, which Eric +seized, and held over his head. "Unless you promise, Master Swineherd, +to leave me alone, I may leave _you_ alone with the wild beasts." "You +are stronger than I thought," said the herd. "Let me up, or I shall be +choked. Let me up, I say, and I promise to guide you." "I shall trust +you," said Eric, "though you would not trust me. Rise!" So the herd +rose, and picked up his cap, but Eric would not give him his stick until +he guided him to some house. "Come along," said he, sulkily. "What is +your name?" asked Eric. "They call me Wolf. I killed a wolf once with my +boar-spear." "Why, Wolf, did you try to kill me?" "Because I wanted your +gold belt." "But it is a great sin to rob and kill." "Other people rob +me, and would kill me too, if I did not take care of their pigs," said +Wolf, carelessly. "You should fear God, Wolf." "I fear that name truly, +for Ralph always swears by it when he is in a rage. But I do not know +what it means." "Oh, Wolf, surely your father and mother told you about +God, who made all things, and made you and me; God, who loves us, and +wishes us to love Him, and to do what is right?" "I have no father or +mother," replied Wolf, "nor brothers or sisters, and I do not know God. +No one cares for me but my pigs, and so I sleep with them, and eat with +them." "Poor fellow!" said Eric with a look of kindness, "I am sorry for +you. Here is all the money I have. Take it. I wish to shew you that I +have no ill-will to you;" and Eric gave him a gold coin. Wolf gave a +grunt like one of his pigs, and began his song of "Rub-a-dub." "No one +ever gave me money before," remarked Wolf almost to himself, as he +examined the coin on his rough hand, which looked like tanned leather. +"How much is this?" inquired Wolf. Eric explained its value. The herd +was astonished, and began to think what he could purchase with it. "It +would buy a large pig," he said. He seemed very anxious to conceal the +coin, and so he hid it in the top of his hairy cap. "See that tall +tower," said Wolf, "which looks like a rock above the trees; that is the +only house near for twenty miles round. You can reach it soon; and when +you do reach it," said Wolf, speaking low, as if some one might hear +him, "take my advice, and get away as fast as you can from my master +Ralph, for"--and Wolf gave a number of winks, as much as to say, I know +something. "What do you mean?" asked Eric. "Oh, nothing, nothing; but +take Wolf's advice, and say to Ralph you are a beggar. Put the gold band +in your pocket, and swear to remain with him, but run off when you can. +Cheat him; that's my way." "It is not my way," replied Eric, "and, come +what may, never can be, for a voice says to me, + + "'Better to die + Than ever to lie.'" + +"Ha! ha!" said Wolf; "I wish you lived with Ralph. He would teach you +another lesson, my lad." "I would rather that I had you, Wolf, to live +in my house. I would be kind to you, and help you to be good, and tell +you about God, who lives in the sky." "And is that He who is speaking? +Listen!" Thunder began to mutter in the clouds. "Yes, it is He," replied +Eric; "and if you will only listen, you can also hear Him often speak +with a small, still voice in your heart." "I never heard Him," replied +Wolf; "but I cannot stay longer with you, for my pigs will wander: there +is a black rascal who always leads them astray. Now, king's son, give +Wolf the stick; it is all he has." "Here it is to you, and I am sure you +will not use it wrongly; you will try and be good, Wolf? for it will +make you happy." "Humph," said Wolf, "I am happy when I get my pigs +home, and Ralph does not strike me. But I must away, and see you don't +tell any one you gave me money. They would rob me." And away he ran +among the trees in search of his pigs, while Eric heard his little drum, +and his song of "Rub-a-dub, halloo!" die away in the distance. Another +loud peal and flash of lightning made Eric start, and off he ran towards +a light which now beamed from the tower. But he thought to himself, "I +am much worse than that poor Wolf, for I knew what was right, and did +not do it. I heard the voice, but did not attend to it. Oh, my father, +why did I not obey you!" + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE ROBBER'S TOWER. + + +[Illustration] + +Sometimes he lost sight of the light, and again he caught it, till it +became brighter and brighter, and very soon he came to a high rock, on +the top of which was perched a tall, dark tower. After groping about, he +found a narrow path that led up to the tower, from one of the windows of +which the light was brightly shining. He ascended a flight of steep +steps till he reached a massive door covered with iron. He knocked as +loud as he could, when a large dog began barking furiously inside, and +springing up to the door, as if it would tear it down. Then a gruff +voice called out of a window over the door, "Who is there? Who disturbs +me in this way?" The little boy replied, "Please, sir, I am Eric, son of +King Magnus, and I have lost my way in this wood." "The son of the king, +are you?" asked the voice. "That is a grand joke! Let me have a sight of +you." Then the window was shut, and he heard footsteps coming tramp, +tramp, down the stairs, and the voice said to the dog, "Lie down, hound, +and don't be greedy! You would not eat a young prince, would you? Lie +down, Tuscar!" The door was then opened by a fierce-looking man, with a +long beard. The man bid him enter, and examined him about himself and +his journey. Eric answered truly every question. Then the man rang a +bell for an old woman who lived in the house, and bid her take the boy +with her, and give him his supper. The old woman looked very ugly and +very cross, and led him up, up, a great number of dark, gloomy stairs, +until she reached a small room, with a bed and table in it, where she +bade Eric wait till she brought him supper. The big hound followed them, +and stayed in the room while the woman went away. Eric was at first +afraid of the dog, he was so large and wild-looking, but he came and +laid his head on his knee, and he scratched his ears, and patted him, +and was very kind to him. The supper came, and the boy managed to keep a +few bits of meat out of his own supper for the dog, and when the old +woman went out of the room, he fed the hound, who seemed very hungry, +and said to him, "Tuscar, old fellow, I like you very much. Take another +bit, good dog, and be happy!" The dog wagged his tail, and looked up +kindly with his large eyes, for he was thankful for his supper, and ate +much more than Eric. "Now," said the old woman gruffly, when she took +away the remains of the supper, "you have ate what would do me for a +week. You won't starve, Master Prince. Go to bed." The old woman left +him, but suddenly returning, she discovered Eric on his knees. As he +rose, she scoffed and jeered him, and asked, "Do you always say your +prayers?" "Yes, always," replied the boy. "Who taught you?" "My mother, +who is dead." The old woman heaved a deep sigh, but the boy did not know +why. Perhaps she used to pray when she was a little girl herself, and +had given up speaking to God, or even thinking of Him, and so had become +wicked; or perhaps she thought of some child of her own whom she had +never taught to pray. She soon went away without speaking a word more, +and Eric was left in darkness. He looked out through the narrow window +of his room, but could see nothing but black clouds rushing over the +sky. Far down he heard a stream roaring, and the wind, which now blew a +gale, came booming over the tree-tops, and howling round the tower. +Every now and then a flash lighted up the forest, and the thunder +crashed in the sky. It was a fearful night! + +[Illustration] + +Some time after, he heard footsteps at his door, and immediately the man +with the beard entered, and sat down. "Do you know," he asked, "where +your father is?" "No," said Eric; "as I told you, I lost my way in the +forest, and have been wandering all day, and cannot find him; but +perhaps you will send some one to-morrow with me to shew me the way to +his castle, and I am sure my kind, good father will give you a rich +reward." "You are very, very far from your father's house," said the +man, "and I fear you will never see him again; but come with me, and I +shall shew you some beautiful things that will please you." So the man +took Eric by the hand, and, carrying a lamp, he led him into a room that +seemed full of gold and silver, with beautiful dresses, sparkling with +diamonds, and every kind of splendour, and he said, "Stay with me, my +boy, and I will give you all this, for I am a king too, and will make +you my heir." "Oh, no, no," said Eric; "I will never forsake my own +father." The man then said, "If you stay with me, you need never go +to school all day, but may amuse yourself from morning till night, and +have a beautiful pony to ride, and a gun to shoot deer with, and also +fishing-rods, and a servant to attend you, and any kind of meat and +drink you like best. Do stay with me!" "You are very kind," said Eric, +"but I cannot be happy without my father." "Come then with me, my fine +fellow, and I shall shew you something different," said the man, seizing +Eric firmly by the arm, and looking very angry. After walking along a +passage, from the end of which confused noises came, a door was opened, +and in a large hall, round a great oak table, sat a company of +fierce-looking men, drinking from large flagons which stood before them. +Their faces were red, and their eyes gleamed like fire. Ralph placed +Eric on the table. One of the robbers was singing this song:-- + + "We're the famous robber band-- + Hurrah! + The lords of all the land-- + Hurrah! + A fig for law or duty, + If we only get our booty; + With a fa, lal, la, la, la! + + "'Every man to mind himself,' + Hurrah! + Is the rule of Captain Ralph! + Hurrah! + Then let the greatest thief + And robber be our chief-- + With a fa, lal, la, la, la!" + +No wonder poor Eric trembled as he heard that lawless band thus glorying +in their shame, and like demons singing their horrid song in praise of +all that was most dreadful and most wicked. He had read stories of +robbers, which sometimes made him think that they were fine, brave +fellows; but now that he was among them, he saw how depraved, cruel, and +frightful they were. Their savage, coarse looks terrified him; but he +was held by Ralph on the table. When the song was ended, one of them +asked, "Whom have we got here?" "Who do you think?" replied Ralph. "What +would you say, my men, to a young prince,--no less than the son of our +great enemy, King Magnus?" "A young prince! The son of Magnus! What a +prize!" they exclaimed. "What shall we do with him?" "First of all, let +us have his gold belt," said Ralph, unbuckling Eric's belt. "Ha! what a +pretty thing it is!" "My father gave it to me, and I don't wish to part +with it. The swineherd Wolf tried to take it from me, but I fought him, +and kept it," said Eric. "Wolf is a brave young robber," replied Ralph, +"and he shall have it for his trouble. In the meantime, my lad, it is +mine. But what, my men, shall we do with the prince?" "Kill him," said +one. "Starve him to death," said another. "Put his eyes out, and send +him back to his father," said a third. Eric prayed to God, but said +nothing. "I propose," said Ralph, "to make him a captain if he will stay +with us." "Never!" said Eric; "I would rather die!" "Let him die, then," +said a fierce robber; "for his father hung my brother for killing one of +his nobles." "I tell you what we will do with the lion's whelp," said +Ralph; "let us keep him in prison, and send a message to his father, +that we have him snug in a den among the mountains, and that, unless he +sends us an immense ransom, we shall kill him." "That will do famously," +said the robbers; "so off with him!" Then Ralph led the boy down +stairs,--down, down, until he thought they never would stop, and at last +they came to an iron door, with great bars on it, and a large lock, and +he turned to Eric, and said, "I know your father, and I hate him! for he +sends his soldiers after me, and tries to save travellers from me, and +now I have got his son. I will keep you here till you die, or till he +pays!" Then he opened the dungeon door, and thrust Eric in. When it +closed, it echoed like thunder through the passages. Eric cast himself +down on the dungeon floor. + +All appeared to be a strange dream. Oh, how he repented having disobeyed +his father! and how he seemed to be as bad as the dreadful robbers in +having done what he pleased, and followed his own will, instead of doing +what was right! About an hour after, he heard some rustling, as if high +up on the wall, and a voice whispered "Eric!" "Who is there?" asked +Eric, and his little heart trembled. "Silence! quiet! it is Wolf. Here +is a small window in your prison, and I have opened it outside; climb +up, get out, and run for your life." Eric heard no more, but scrambled +in the dark up the rough stones in the wall until he reached the window, +where he looked out, and saw the stars and the woods. He soon forced his +way through, and dropped down on the opposite side. Some one caught him +in his arms. It was Wolf. "Here is your gold band, Eric. I got it from +Ralph; for He who was speaking in the thunder has been saying things in +my heart. You were kind to poor Wolf. Now escape! Fly! I shall close the +window again. Ralph will never know how you got out, and he will not +open the prison-door till after breakfast. So you have a long time. Run +as long as you can along that road till you reach a hill, then cross it, +until you reach a stream, which you must follow downwards. The worst of +the storm is over, and the night will soon be calm. Off!" "Bless you, +Wolf!" said Eric; "I shall never forget you." Poor Eric! how he ran, +and ran, beneath the stars! He felt no fatigue for a time. He thought he +heard the robbers after him; every time the wind blew loud, he imagined +it was their wild cry. On he ran till he reached the hill, and crossed +it, and came to a green spot beneath a rock, on the banks of the stream, +when he could run no more, but fell down, and whether he fainted or fell +asleep he could not tell. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE JOURNEY HOME--THE BIRD WITH THE GOLD EGGS--TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES. + + +Eric knew not how long he slept, but, as in a dream, he heard a sweet +voice singing these words:-- + + "Rest thee, boy, rest thee, boy, lonely and dreary, + Thy little heart breaking from losing the way; + Thy father has not left thee friendless, though weary, + When learning through suffering to fear and obey." + +[Illustration] + +Eric opened his eyes, but moved not a limb, as if under some strange +fascination. It was early morning. High over head a lark was "singing +like an angel in the clouds." The mysterious voice went on in the same +beautiful and soothing strain-- + + "Oh, sweet is the lark as she sings o'er her nest, + And warbles unseen in the clear morning light; + But sweeter by far is the song in the breast + When in life's early morning we do what is right!" + +Eric could neither move nor speak; but in his heart he confessed with +sorrow that he had done what was wrong. And again the voice sang-- + + "Now, darling, awaken, thou art not forsaken! + The old night is past and a new day begun; + Let thy journey with love to thy father be taken, + And at evening thy father will welcome thee home." + +[Illustration] + +"I will arise and go to my father!" said Eric, springing to his feet. He +saw beside him a beautiful lady, who looked like a picture he once saw +of his mother, or like one of those angels from heaven about whom he had +often read. And the lady said, "Fear not! I know you, Eric, and how +it came to pass that you are here. Your father sent you for a wise and +good purpose through the forest, and gave you hold of a gold thread to +guide you, and told you never to let it go. It was your duty to him to +have held it fast; but instead of doing your duty, trusting and obeying +your father, and keeping hold of the thread, you let it go to chase +butterflies, and gather wild-berries, and to amuse yourself. This you +did more than once. You neglected your father's counsels and warnings, +and because of your self-confidence and self-pleasing, you lost your +thread, and then you lost your way. What dangers and troubles have you +thus got into through disobedience to your father's commands, and want +of trust in his love and wisdom! For had you only followed your father's +directions, the gold thread would have brought you to his beautiful +castle, where there is to be a happy meeting of your friends, with all +your brothers and sisters." Poor little Eric began to weep! "Listen to +me, child," said the lady, kindly, "for _you cannot have peace but by +doing what is_ _right_. Know, then, that all your brothers and sisters +made this very journey by help of the gold thread, and they are at home +with great joy." "Oh, save me! save me!" cried Eric, and caught the +lady's hand. "Yes, I will save you," said she, "if you will learn +obedience. I know and love you, dear boy. I know and love your father, +and have been sent by him to deliver you. I heard what you said, and +know all you did, last night, and I was very glad that you proved, in +trial, your love to your father, your love of truth, and your love of +others, and this makes me hope all good of you for the future. Come now +with me!" And so the beautiful woman took him by the hand. The storm had +passed away, and the sun was shining on the green leaves of the trees, +and every drop of dew sparkled like a diamond. The birds were all +warbling their morning hymns, and feeding their young ones in their +nests. The streams were dancing down the rocks and through the glens. +"The mountains broke forth into singing, and all the trees clapped +their hands with joy." Everything thus seemed beautiful and happy to +Eric, for he himself was happy at the thought of doing what was right, +and of going home. The lady led him to a sunny glade in the wood, +covered with wild flowers, from which the bees were busy gathering their +honey, and she said, "Now, child, are you willing to do your father's +will?" "Oh, yes!" "Will you do it, whatever dangers may await you?" +"Yes!" "Well, then, I must tell you that your father has given me the +gold thread which you lost; and he bids me again tell you, with his warm +love, that if you keep hold of it, and follow it wherever it leads, you +are sure to come to him at sunset; but if you let it go, you may wander +on in this dark forest till you die, or are again taken prisoner by +robbers. Know, also, that there is no other possible way of saving you, +but by your following the gold thread." "I am resolved to do my duty, +come what may," said Eric. "May you be helped to do it!" said the lady. +She then gave him a cake, to support him in his journey. "And now, +child," she added, "one advice more I will give you, and it was given +you by your father, though you forgot it; it is this--if ever you feel +the thread slipping from your hands, or are yourself tempted to let it +go, pray immediately, and you will get wisdom and strength to find it, +to lay hold of it, and to follow it. Before we part, kneel down and ask +assistance to be good and obedient, brave and patient, until you meet +your father." The little boy knelt down and repeated the Lord's Prayer; +and as he said, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven," he +felt calm and happy as he used to do when he knelt at his mother's knee, +and he thought her hand was waving over him, as if to bless him. When he +lifted up his head there was no one there but himself; but he saw an old +gray cross, and a GOLD THREAD was tied to it, and passed away, away, +shining through the woods. + +With a firm hold of his gold thread, the boy began his journey home. +He passed along path-ways on which the brown leaves of last year's +growth were thickly strewn, and from among which flowers of every +colour were springing. He crossed little brooks that ran like silver +threads, and tinkled like silver bells. He passed under trees with +great trunks, and huge branches that swept down to the ground, and +waved far up in the blue sky. The birds hopped about him, and looked +down upon him from among the green leaves, and they sang him songs, +and some of them seemed to speak to him. He thought one large bird +like a crow cried, "Good boy! good boy!" and another whistled, "Cheer +up! cheer up!" and so he went merrily on, and very often he gave the +robins and blackbirds that came near him bits of his cake. After +awhile, he came to a green spot in the middle of the wood, without +trees, and a footpath went direct across it, to the place where the +gold thread was leading him, and there he saw a sight that made him +wonder and pause. It was a bird about the size of a pigeon, with +feathers like gold and a crown like silver, and it was slowly walking +near him, and he saw gold eggs glittering in a nest among the grass a +few yards off. Now, he thought, it would be such a nice thing to bring +home a nest with gold eggs! The bird did not seem afraid of him, but +stopped and looked at him with a calm blue eye, as if she said, +"Surely you would not rob me?" He could not, however, reach the nest +with his hand, and though he pulled and pulled the thread, it would +not yield one inch, but seemed as stiff as a wire. "I see the thread +quite plain," said the boy to himself, "and the very place where it +enters the dark wood on the other side. I will just leap to the nest, +and in a moment I shall have the eggs in my pocket, and then spring +back and catch the thread again. I cannot lose it here, with the sun +shining; and, besides, I see it a long way before me." So he took one +step to seize the eggs; but he was in such haste that he fell and +crushed the nest, breaking the eggs to pieces, and the little bird +screamed and flew away, and then suddenly the birds in the trees began +to fly about, and a large owl swept out of a dark glade, and cried, +"Whoo--whoo--whoo-oo-oo;" and a cloud came over the sun! Eric's heart +beat quick, and he made a grasp at his gold thread, but it was not +there! Another, and another grasp, but it was not there! and soon he saw +it waving far above his head, like a gossamer thread in the breeze. You +would have pitied him, while you could not have helped being angry with +him for having been so silly and disobedient when thus tried, had you +only seen his pale face, as he looked above him for his thread, and +about him for the road, but could see neither! And he became so confused +with his fall, that he did not know which side of the open glade he had +entered, nor to which point he was travelling. But at last he thought he +heard a bird chirping, "Seek--seek--seek!" and another repeating, "Try +again--try again--try--try!" and then he remembered what the lady had +said to him, and he fell on his knees and told all his grief, and cried, +"Oh, give me back my thread! and help me never, never, to let it go +again!" As he lifted up his eyes, he saw the thread come slowly, slowly +down; and when it came near, he sprang to it and caught it, and he did +not know whether to laugh, or cry, or sing, he was so thankful and +happy! "Ah!" said he, "I hope I shall never forget this fall!" That part +of the Lord's Prayer came into his mind which says, "Lead us not into +temptation, but deliver us from evil." "Who would have thought," said he +to himself, "that I was in any danger in such a beautiful, green, sunny +place as this, and so very early, too, in my journey! Oh! shame upon +me!" As he proceeded with much more thought and caution, a large crow up +a tree was hoarsely croaking, and seemed to say, "Beware, beware!" +"Thank you, Mr Crow," said the boy, "I shall;" and he threw him a bit of +bread for his good advice. But now the thread led him through the +strangest places. One was a very dark, deep ravine, with a stream that +roared and rushed far down, and overhead the rocks seemed to meet, and +thick bushes concealed the light, and nothing could Eric see but the +gold thread, that looked like a thread of fire, though even that grew +dim sometimes, until he could only feel it in his hand. And whither he +was going he knew not. At one time he seemed to be on the edge of a +precipice, until it seemed as if the next step _must_ lead him over, and +plunge him down; but when he came to the very edge, the thread led him +quite safely along it. At another, a rock which looked like a wall rose +before him, and he said to himself, "Well, I must be stopped here! I +shall never be able to climb up!" But just as he touched it, he found +steps cut in it, and up, up, the thread guided him to the top! Then it +would bring him down, down, until he once stood beside a raging stream, +and the water foamed and dashed. "Now," he thought, "I must be drowned; +but come what may, I will not let my thread go." And so it was, that +when he came so near the stream as to feel the spray upon his cheek, and +was sure that he must leap in if he followed his thread, what did he see +but a little bridge that passed from bank to bank, and by which he +crossed in perfect safety; until at last he began to lose fear, and to +believe more and more that he would always be in the right road, so +long as he did not trust mere appearances, but kept hold of his thread! + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE GREAT LION--THE LITTLE SQUIRREL--AN OLD FRIEND--THE BLOODHOUND--THE +LAST TEMPTATION. + + +[Illustration] + +But Eric had now to endure a great trial of his faith in the thread. As +he journeyed on, it led him up a winding path towards the summit of a +hill. The large trees of the forest were soon left behind, and small +stunted bushes grew among masses of gray rocks. The path was like the +bed of a dry brook, and was often very steep. There were no birds except +little stone-chats, that hopped and chirped among the large round +stones. Far below, he could see the tops of the trees, and here and +there a stream glittering under the sunbeams. Nothing disturbed the +silence but the hoarse croak of the raven, or the wild cry of a kite or +eagle, that, like a speck, wheeled far up in the sky. But suddenly, Eric +heard a roar like thunder coming from the direction towards which the +thread was leading him. He stopped for a moment, but the thread was firm +in his hand, and led right up the hill. On he went, and no wonder he +started, when, as he turned the corner of a rock, he heard another roar, +and saw the head of a huge lion looking out of what seemed to be a cave, +a few yards back from the edge of a dizzy precipice! He saw, too, that +the path he must follow was between the lion's den and the precipice. +What now was to be done? Should he give up his thread and fly? No! A +voice in his heart encouraged him to be brave and not fear, and he knew +from his experience that he had always been led in safety and peace when +he followed the road, holding fast to his thread. He was certain that +his father never would deceive him, or bid him do anything but what was +right; and he was sure, too, that the lady, from her love to him, and +her teaching him to trust God and to pray, would not have bid him do +anything that was wrong. And then an old verse his father taught him +came into his mind-- + + "In the darkest night, my child, + Canst thou see the Right, my child? + Forward then! God is near! + The Right will be light to thee, + Armour and might to thee; + Forward! and never fear!" + +So Eric resolved to go on in faith. There was just one thing he saw +which cheered him, and that was a white hare, sitting with her ears +cocked, quite close to the lion's den, and he wondered how she had no +fear, but he could not explain it at the time. On he walked, but he +could hardly breathe, as the thread led still nearer and nearer to the +den. These big eyes were glaring on him, and seemed to draw him closer +and closer! There the lion stood, on one side of the path, while the +great precipice descended on the other. One step more, and he was +between these two dangers. He moved on until he was so near that he +seemed to feel the lion's breath, and then the brute sprang out on him, +and tried to strike him with his huge paw that would have crushed him to +the dust! Eric shut his eyes, and gave himself up for lost. But the lion +suddenly fell back, for he was held fast by a great iron chain, and so +Eric passed in safety! + +[Illustration] + +Oh, how thankful he was! and how gladly he ran down hill, the lion in +his den roaring behind him! Down he ran until all was quiet again. As he +pursued his journey in the beautiful green woods, something told him his +greatest trial was past. He felt very peaceful and strong. And now, as +he reached some noble old beech-trees, the thread fell on the grass, and +he took this as a sign that he should lie down too, and so he did, +grateful for the rest. He ate some of his cake, and drank from a clear +spring beside him, and feasted on wild strawberries which grew in +abundance all round him. He then stretched himself on his back among +soft moss, and looked up through the branches of the gigantic tree, and +saw with delight the sunlight speckling the emerald green leaves and +brown bark with touches of silver, and, far up, the deep blue sky with +white clouds reposing on it, like snowy islands on a blue ocean; and he +watched the squirrels, with their bushy tails, as they ran up the tree, +and jumped from branch to branch, and sported among the leaves, until he +fell into a sort of pleasant day-dream, and felt so happy, he hardly +knew why. As he lay here, he thought he heard, in his half-waking dream, +a little squirrel sing a song. Was it not his own heart, now so glad +because doing what was right, which was singing? This was the song which +he thought he heard:-- + + "I'm a merry, merry squirrel, + All day I leap and whirl, + Through my home in the old beech-tree; + If you chase me, I will run + In the shade and in the sun, + But you never, never can catch me! + For round a bough I'll creep, + Playing hide-and-seek so sly, + Or through the leaves bo-peep, + With my little shining eye. + Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! + + "Up and down I run and frisk, + With my bushy tail to whisk + All who mope in the old beech-trees; + How droll to see the owl, + As I make him wink and scowl, + When his sleepy, sleepy head I tease! + And I waken up the bat, + Who flies off with a scream, + For he thinks that I'm the cat + Pouncing on him in his dream. + Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! + + "Through all the summer long + I never want a song, + From my birds in the old beech-trees; + I have singers all the night, + And, with the morning bright, + Come my busy humming fat brown bees. + When I've nothing else to do, + With the nursing birds I sit, + And we laugh at the cuckoo + A-cuckooing to her tit! + Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! + + "When winter comes with snow, + And its cruel tempests blow + All the leaves from my old beech-trees; + Then beside the wren and mouse + I furnish up a house, + Where like a prince I live at my ease! + What care I for hail or sleet, + With my hairy cap and coat; + And my tail across my feet, + Or wrapp'd about my throat! + Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!" + +As Eric opened his eyes, and looked up, he saw a little squirrel with +its tail curling up its back, sitting on a branch looking down upon him; +and then it playfully ran away with the tail down and waving after it. +"Farewell, happy little fellow!" said Eric; "I must do my work now, and +play like you afterwards;" for at that moment the thread again became +tight, and Eric, refreshed with his rest, and hearty for his journey, +stepped out bravely. He saw, at some distance, and beyond an open glade +in the forest, a rapid river towards which he was descending. When near +the river, he perceived something struggling in the water, and then +heard a loud cry or scream for help, as if from one drowning. He was +almost tempted to run off to his assistance without his thread, but he +felt thankful that the thread itself led in the very direction from +whence he heard the cries coming. So off he ran as fast as he could, and +as he came to the brink of a deep, dark pool in the river, he saw the +head of a boy rising above the water, as the poor little fellow tried to +keep himself afloat. Now he sank--again he rose--until he suddenly +disappeared. Eric laid hold of his thread with a firm hand, and leaped +in over head and ears, and then rose to the surface, and with his other +hand swam to where the boy had sank. He soon caught him, and brought him +with great difficulty to the surface, which he never could have done +unless the thread had supported them both above the water. + +"Eric!" cried the gasping boy, opening his eyes, almost covered by his +long, wet hair. "Wolf!" cried Eric, "is it you?" It was indeed poor +Wolf, who lay panting on the dry land, with his rough garments dripping +with water, and himself hardly able to move. "Oh, tell me, Wolf, what +brought you here! I am so glad to have helped you!" After a little time, +when Wolf could speak, he told him in his own way, bit by bit, how Ralph +had suspected him; and how the old woman had heard him speaking as she +was looking out of an upper window; and how when Ralph asked the gold +belt he could not give it; and how he was obliged himself to fly; and +how he had been running for his life for hours. "Now let us fly," said +Wolf; "I am quite strong again. I fear that they are in pursuit of us." + +They both went on at a quick pace, Eric having shewn Wolf the +wonderful thread, and explained to him how he must never part with it, +come what may, and having also given him a bit of his cake to comfort +him. "O rub-a-dub, dub!" said Wolf, squeezing the water out of his +hair, as he trotted along; "I am glad to be away. Ralph would have +killed me like a pig. The voice told me to run after you." So on they +went together, happy again to meet. Suddenly Wolf stopped, and +listening with anxious face, he said, "Hark! did you hear anything?" +"No," said Eric, "what was it?" "Hush!--listen!--there again--I hear +it!" "I think I do hear something far off like a dog's bark," replied +Eric. "Hark!" So they both stopped and listened, and far away they +heard a deep "Bow-wow-wow-wow-o-o-o-o-o" echoing through the forest. +"Let us run as fast as we can," said the boy, in evident fear; "hear +him!--hear him!" "Bow-wow-wow-o-o-o-o," and the sound came nearer and +nearer. "What is it? why are you so afraid?" inquired Eric. "Oh! that +is Ralph's bloodhound, Tuscar," cried Wolf, "and he is following us. +He won't perhaps touch me, but you he may." So Eric ran as fast as he +could, but never let go the gold thread, which this time led towards a +steep hill, which they were obliged to scramble up. "Run, +Eric!--quick--hide--up a tree--anywhere!" "I cannot, I dare not," said +Eric; "whatever happens, I must hold fast my thread." But they heard +the "Bow-wow-o-o-o" coming nearer and nearer, and as they looked back +they saw the large hound rush out of the wood, and as he came to the +water, catching sight of the boys on the opposite hill, he leaped in, +and in a few minutes would be near them. And now he came bellowing +like a fierce bull up the hill, his tongue hanging out, and his nose +tracking along the ground, as he followed their footsteps. "I shall +run and meet him," said Wolf, "and stop him if I can;" and down ran +the swineherd, calling, "Tuscar! Tuscar! good dog, Tuscar!" Tuscar +knew Wolf, and passed him, but ran up to Eric. As he reached Eric, who +stood calm and firm, the bloodhound stopped, panting, smelling his +clothes all round, but, strange to say, wagging his huge tail! He then +ran back the way he had come, as if he had made a mistake, and all his +race was for nothing! How was this? Ah, poor Tuscar remembered the +supper Eric had given him, and was grateful for his kindness! + +[Illustration] + +Wolf was astonished at Eric's escape, until he heard how he and Tuscar +had become acquainted; and then Wolf heard the voice in his heart say +that there was nothing better than kindness and love shewn to man or +beast. They both after this pursued their journey with light and hopeful +hearts, for they had got out of what was called the wild robber country, +and Eric knew that he was drawing near home. The thread was stronger +than ever, and every hour it helped more and more to support him. Wolf +trotted along with his short stick, and sometimes snorting and blowing +with the fatigue like one of his own pigs. They talked as best they +could about all they had seen. "Did you see big Thorold the lion?" asked +Wolf. "I did," said Eric; "he is very awful, but he was chained." "Lucky +for you!" said Wolf, "for Ralph hunts with him and kills travellers. He +will obey none but Ralph. I heard him roaring. He is hungry. He once ate +one of my pigs, and would have ate me if he had not first caught the +poor black porker. I escaped up a tree." And thus they chatted, as they +journeyed on through woods, and across green plains, and over low hills, +until Wolf complained of hunger. Eric at once gave him what remained +of his large cake; but it did not suffice to appease the hunger of the +herd, who was, however, very thankful for what he got. To their delight +they now saw a beautiful cottage not far from their path, and, as they +approached it, an old woman, with a pretty girl who seemed to be her +daughter, came out to meet them. "Good day, young gentlemen!" said the +old woman with a kind smile and a courtesy; "you seem to be on your +travels, and look wearied? Pray come into my cottage, and I shall +refresh you." "What fortunate fellows we are!" said Wolf. "We are much +obliged to you for your hospitality," replied Eric. But, alas! the +thread drew him in an opposite direction; so turning to Wolf, he said, +"I cannot go in." "Come, my handsome young gentleman," said the young +woman, "and we shall make you so happy. You shall have such a dinner as +will delight you, I am sure; and you may remain as long as you please, +and I will dance and sing to you; nor need you pay anything." And she +came forward smiling and dancing, offering her arm to Eric. "Surely you +won't be so rude as refuse me! you are so beautiful, and have such +lovely hair and eyes, and I never saw such a belt as you wear: do come!" +"Come, my son," said the old woman to Wolf, as she put her hand round +his neck. "With all my heart!" replied Wolf; "for, to tell the truth, I +am wearied and hungry; one does not get such offers as yours every day." +"I cannot go," again said Eric. _They_ could not see the thread, for to +some it was invisible; but _he_ saw it, and felt it like a wire passing +away from the cottage. "Who are you, kind friends?" inquired Eric. +"Friends of the king and of his family. Honest subjects, good people," +said the old woman. "Do you know Prince Eric?" asked Wolf. "Right well!" +replied the young woman. "He is a great friend of mine; a fine, tall, +comely youth. He calls me his own little sweetheart." "It is false!" +said Eric; "you do not know him. You should not lie." But he did not +tell her who he was, neither did Wolf, for Eric had made a sign to him +to be silent. "I won't enter your dwelling," said Eric, "for my duty +calls me away." They both gave a loud laugh, and said, "Hear him! Only +hear a fine young fellow talking about duty! Pleasure, ease, and liberty +are for the young. We only want to make you happy: come!" "I shall go +with you," said Wolf; "do come, Eric." "Wolf, speak to me," whispered +Eric to the swineherd. "You know _I_ cannot go, for my duty tells me to +follow the thread. But now I see that this is the house of the wicked, +for you heard how they lied; they neither know the king nor his +children; and they laugh too at duty. Be advised, Wolf, and follow me." +Wolf hesitated, and looked displeased. "Only for an hour, Eric!" "Not a +minute. Wolf. If you trust them more than me, go; but I am sure you and +I shall never meet again." "Then I will trust you, Eric," said Wolf; +"the voice in my heart tells me to do so." And so they both passed on. +But the old woman and the girl began to abuse them, and call them all +manner of evil names, and to laugh at them as silly fellows. The girl +threw stones at them, which made Wolf turn round and flourish his stick +over his head. At last they entered the cottage, the old woman shaking +her fist, and calling out from the door, "I'll soon send my friend Ralph +after you!" "Oh, ho! is that the way the wind blows!" exclaimed Wolf, +with a whistle; and, grasping Eric's arm, said, "You were right, prince! +I never suspected them. I see now they are bad." "I saw that before," +replied Eric, "and knew that no good would come to us from making their +acquaintance." "Were they not cunning?" "Yes; but, probably, with all +their smiles, flattery, and fair promises, they would have proved more +cruel in the end than either Ralph or old Thorold." "What would they +have done to us? Why did they meet us? Who are they, think you?" "I +don't know, Wolf; it was enough for me that they lied, and did not wish +us to do what was right. The gold thread given me by my father never +could have led me into the society and house of the wicked. I am glad we +held it fast." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE GREEN ISLAND OF THE LAKE, AND THE RETURN HOME. + + +[Illustration] + +Not long after this strange adventure, they reached a rising ground, +from which a magnificent view burst upon them. Below, there was a large +lake, surrounded by wooded hills, above which rose noble rocks fringed +with stately pines, and higher ranges of mountains beyond, some of whose +summits were covered with snow that glittered like purest alabaster in +the azure blue of the sky. Eric gave a cry of joy; for he saw the house +of one of his father's foresters, which he had once visited with his +father. "Wolf! Wolf!" he exclaimed, "look yonder, that is the house of +Darkeye, the forester. We are safe!" and the thread was leading straight +down in the very direction which they wished. Darkeye's house was built +on a small green island in the lake. The island was like a little fort, +for on every side the rocks descended like a wall. It could only be +approached by a boat, which Darkeye kept on the island, and then by a +narrow stair cut out of the rock at the landing-place. No robbers could +thus get near it, and Darkeye was there to give shelter to travellers, +and to help any of the poor who had to pass that way. The thread led +down to the shore. They forgot their fatigue, and ran down till they +reached the ferry. "Boat, ahoy!" shouted Eric. By and by two boys were +seen running out of the cottage, and after looking cautiously at those +who were calling for the boat, they rowed off, and soon were at the +shore, where stood Eric with his gold belt, and Wolf in his rough skins. +"Olaf! Torquil! don't you remember me?" asked Eric, looking at his old +friends. The boys looked astonished as they recognised the young prince, +and received him joyfully into their boat, he holding by the thread, +which seemed to cross the ferry towards the cottage. How many questions +were mutually put and answered in a few minutes! They told him their +father was at home; and how he had lately seen the king; and how the +king was anxiously looking for Eric's return; and how glad all on the +island would be to see him; and the younger boy, Torquil, told him how +they had now a tame otter, that fished in the lake, and a fine golden +eagle which they had got young in her nest, that also lived on the +island with them; and how their mother had got another baby since he had +been there, and how happy they all were, and so on, until they arrived +at the island, and there was old Darkeye himself waiting to receive +them; and when he saw who was in the boat, he ran down the stone steps +and grasped the young prince's hand, and drew him to his heart. +"Welcome! welcome!" said he; "I knew you had been in the forest, but +your father would not tell me anything more about you. He only said that +he longed for your coming home. But who is this?" asked Darkeye, +pointing to Wolf. "A friend of mine," said Eric, with a smile. "My name +is Wolf," grunted the swineherd. "I think I have seen him before. But +no! What? Yes!" said Darkeye, examining him; then added, as if he had +discovered some old acquaintance, "Surely I _have_ seen him. Tell me, my +fine fellow, did you"---- It was evident Darkeye had seen Wolf killing +his game, or in some affray with the robbers. Wolf looked sternly at +Darkeye, then at Eric, but said nothing. "Oh, Darkeye, do not trouble +poor Wolf," said Eric, "but let him go into the cottage; and come you +with me, as I wish to tell you all that has happened to me during these +few days." So, while the boys took Wolf to the cottage, and food was +being prepared, Eric told Darkeye all his adventures; and you would +have been sure that the forester was hearing something which surprised +and interested him wonderfully, had you seen his face, and how he +sometimes laughed, or knit his brows and looked angry, or sad and +solemn, or sprung to his feet from the rock on which he was sitting +beside Eric. When Eric came to speak about the old woman and her +daughter, "Ah!" said Darkeye, "there are not worse people in that wicked +country! They say that the old woman is a witch of some kind. But +whether she poisons travellers or drowns them, I know not. No doubt she +is in league with Ralph the robber, and would have robbed you or kept +you fast in some way or other till you were handed over to him. You were +right, my prince, in all you did. The only way of being delivered from +temptation is to be brave, and do what is right, come what may." Then, +grasping Eric by the hand, he led him back to the cottage. There +Darkeye's wife received him like a mother, and all the children gathered +round him in surprise and admiration, he looked so brave and lovely. + +[Illustration] + +One of the walls of the cottage was reared on the edge of the rock, so +that it seemed a continuation of it, and to rise up from the deep waters +of the lake. The boys were thus able often to fish with a long line out +of the window. A winding-stair led to a look-out on the roof, from which +the whole island, called "The Green Island of the Lake," could be seen. +It was about a mile or more in circumference, and was dotted all over +with the cottages of the other foresters and king's huntsmen, each +surrounded with clumps of trees, through which the curling smoke from +the chimneys might be seen ascending. There were everywhere +beautifully-kept gardens, with fruits, and flowers, and bee-hives; and +fields, too, with their crops. On the green knolls and in the little +valleys might be seen cows and sheep; while flocks of goats browsed +among ivy-covered rocks. In the middle of the island was a little +shallow lake, beside which the otter had his house among the rocks; and +there the eagle also lived. All the children in the island were the +best of friends, and they played together, and sailed their boats on the +little lake, and every day met in the house of one of the foresters to +learn their lessons; and on Sunday, as they were very far away from any +church, old Darkeye used to read the Good Book to them, and worship with +them, and did all he could to make them love God and one another. There +was also in the island a house, where, by the king's orders, all poor +travellers could find refuge and refreshment. And it was a great +pleasure to the boys and girls to visit them; and if they were sick and +confined to bed, to attend to their wants. If the stranger had any +children, the young islanders always shared their sports with them. And +nothing pleased these stranger children more than to get leave to sail a +boat, or to have the loan of a fishing-rod, or to hear the boys call +Oscar, for that was the name of the otter, out of his den, and to play +with Tor the eagle; or to see them feed Oscar with some of the fish they +had caught, and Tor with a bit of meat. The dogs were so friendly, too, +that they never touched Oscar, but would swim about in the same pool +with him. And so all were happy in the Green Island; because Darkeye had +taught them what a wicked thing selfishness was, and that the only way +to be happy was by thinking about others as well as themselves, and by +becoming like Him, the Elder Brother of us all, who "pleased not +Himself." He also used to say: "Now, when you work, work like men, and +when you play, play like boys: be hearty at both." And so, while there +was no idleness, there was abundance of recreation. Another evil was +never permitted on the island, and that was, disobedience to parents, or +want of respect to the old. But, indeed, punishment for these offences +was seldom needed. The young learned to _like_ to do what was right, and +were too brave and manly to give pain and trouble to others, by forcing +them to find fault or to punish. I should have mentioned, also, that +they had a little band of musicians. One beat the drum, a few played the +fife, and others some simple instrument; while almost all could sing +tolerably well in parts. Thus, many a traveller would pause and listen +with delight, as he heard, on a summer's evening, the chorus sung from +many voices, or the music from the band coming from the island. "Young +people," Darkeye used to say, "have much wealth and happiness given +them, for themselves and others, if they only used their gifts." + +But I am forgetting Eric and Wolf. They were both, you may be sure, +ready for their dinner, and there was laid for them on a table, cream, +cakes, and fresh trout, and such other good things as the kind woman +could get ready. + +But now the thread began to move, as if it wished Eric to move also. +Before rising to depart, he told Wolf how Darkeye, for his sake, would +be so glad to take care of him, until he got his father's permission to +bring him into the castle; that he would learn to be a huntsman, and be +taught what was good, and to know about the Voice that spoke in his +heart; and that all the boys in the island would make him their friend +if he did what was right. "Ralph will come here!" said Wolf, hanging his +head. "I wish the rascal did," said Darkeye, "for he would never go +back. But he cannot enter my fort, and knows me and my huntsmen too well +ever to try it. I have had more than one brush with the villain, and we +hope soon to drive him and his brood from their bloody nest. Wolf, you +are welcome and safe, for Eric's sake!" Then turning to Eric, he said, +"I shall teach him, and make a man of him, my young prince, depend upon +it. And now, before we part, I have to ask a favour," continued Darkeye. +"You know our custom near evening? If the thread permits, remain, and be +one of us." "I remember it," said Eric, "and will remain and be one of +you, and let poor Wolf also be one." And so they entered the cottage, +and all sat down round an open window which looked out upon the +beautiful lake with its wooded islands, and surrounded by the noble +forest, above which rose the giant peaks and precipices. The water was +calm as glass, and reflected every brilliant colour from rock and tree, +and, most of all, from the golden clouds, which already began to gather +in the west. Darkeye read from the Good Book of one who had left his +father's house, and went to a far country, where he would fain have +satisfied his hunger from the husks which the swine did eat, and could +not, but who at last returned home after having suffered from his +disobedience. When he closed the book, all stood up and sung these words +with sweet and happy voices:-- + + "Father! from Thy throne above, + Bless our lowly home below! + Jesus, Shepherd! in Thy love, + Guard Thy flock from every foe. + + "Thine we are! for Thou hast made us; + Thine, for we're redeem'd by Thee; + Thine, for Thou hast ever led us, + Thine, we evermore shall be! + + "May we love Thee, may we fear Thee, + May Thy will, not ours, be done, + Never leave us till we're near Thee + In the Home where all are one!" + +Then they knelt down, and Darkeye spoke to God in name of them all, +thanking Him for His goodness, and telling Him their wants. When they +rose from their knees, the gold thread shone brilliantly, and, like a +beam of light, passed out at the door in the direction of the ferry. +During the singing of the verses, Wolf seemed for the first time quite +overcome. He bent his head, and covered his face with his hands. He then +said, in a low voice, when the short service was over, and as if +speaking to himself, while all were silent listening to him, "I had a +dream. Long, long ago. A carriage--a lady. She was on her knees, with +her hands clasped, and speaking to the sky. She had hold of me. Ralph +was there and the robbers. I forget the rest." He rose and looked out of +the window, gazing vacantly. "What can he mean?" asked Eric aside to +Darkeye, who was looking tenderly on Wolf. "Ah! who knows, poor boy! +Singing always touches the heart of these wanderers. Perhaps--yes--it +may be," he said, so that Eric alone could hear him, "that he has been +taken when a child by Ralph from some rich traveller, and perhaps his +mother was killed! He may have been the child of good people. Was that +person his mother who, he says, prayed for him? If so, her prayers are +now answered, for her boy will be delivered,--poor Wolf! Wolf, my boy," +said Darkeye, "come and bid farewell to your friend." Wolf started as +from a dream, and came to Eric. "Farewell, my kind Wolf, and I hope to +see you some day in my father's house." The herd spoke not a word, but +wiped his eyes with the back of his rough hand. "Cheer up, Wolf, for you +will be good and happy here." "Wolf is happy already, and he will take +care of the pigs, or do anything for you all." He then held out his +stick to Eric, and said, "Take it; keep it for my sake; it is all Wolf +has to give; Ralph has the gold coin." "Thank you, good Wolf; but you +will require it, and I need nothing to remember you." "Don't be angry, +Eric, for what I did to you in the forest when we first met. My heart is +sorry." "We did not know one another then, Wolf, and I shall never +forget that it is to you I owe my escape." "Wolf loves you, and every +one here." "I am sure you do, Wolf, and I love you. God bless you, Wolf, +I must go; farewell!" And thus they parted. But all gathered round Eric, +and accompanied him to the boat, blessing the little prince, and wishing +him a peaceful and happy journey. Eric thanked them with many smiles and +tender words. Darkeye alone went with him into the boat, wondering +greatly at the thread, and most of all at the prince, who shone with a +beauty that seemed not of this world. The prince landed, but Darkeye +knew, for many reasons, that he could not accompany him in his journey, +which he must take alone. Eric embraced Darkeye, and waving his hand to +all on the island, he was soon lost to their sight in the great forest. + +[Illustration] + +A winding pathway, over the ridge of hills, led down to a broad and +rapid but smooth river, and on its banks was a royal boat, splendid and +rich to look upon. She was white as snow, with a purple seat at the end +covered by a canopy, that gleamed with golden tassels and many gems. +The thread led into the boat, and though no one was there, Eric entered, +and sat on a purple cushion, on which the Gold Thread also laid itself +down. No sooner had he gone on board of the boat, than--as if his little +foot, when it touched her, had sent her from the shore--she slowly moved +into the centre of the channel, and was carried downwards by the +current. On she swept on the bosom of that clear stream, between shores +adorned with all that could delight the eye--rocks and trees and +flowers, with here and there foaming waterfalls, from mountain rivulets +which poured themselves into the great river. The woods were full of +song, and birds with splendid plumage flashed amidst the foliage like +rainbow hues amidst the clouds. Eric knew not whither he was being +carried, but his heart was sunshine and peace. On and on he swept with +the winding stream, until at last, darting under a dark archway of rock, +and then emerging into light, the boat grounded on a shore of pure white +sand, while the thread rose and led him to the land. No sooner had he +stepped on shore and ascended the green bank, than he found himself at +the end of a long broad avenue of splendid old trees, whose tops met +overhead. The far-off end of the avenue was closed by a great marble +staircase, which ascended to a magnificent castle. Wall rose above wall, +and tower over tower. He saw grand flights of stairs, leading from one +stately terrace to another, with marble statues, clear gushing +fountains, and flower-gardens, and every kind of lovely tree. It was his +father's castle at last! He ran on with breathless anxiety and joy. He +soon reached a large gate, that seemed to be covered with glittering +gold. As he looked at it, he saw the thread tied to a golden knocker +upon it, shaped like the old cross in the forest. Inscribed over the +gate were the words, "He that persevereth to the end shall be saved." He +seized the knocker, and the moment it fell, the thread broke and +vanished like a flash of light. A crash of music was then heard. The +door opened, and there, in the midst of a court paved with marble of +purest white, and on a golden throne, sat Eric's father, surrounded by +his brothers and sisters. The beautiful lady was there too, and many, +many more to welcome Eric. His father clasped him to his heart, and +said, "My son was lost, but is found!" While all crowded round Eric to +bid him welcome, with his weary feet and torn dress, kept together by +the golden band, a chorus was heard singing,-- + + "Home where the weary rest, + Home where the good are blest, + Home of the soul; + Glorious the race when run, + Glorious the prize when won, + Glorious the goal!" + +Then there rose a swell of many young voices singing,-- + + "Oh, be joyful, be joyful, let every voice sing! + Welcome, brothers, our brother, the son of the king; + His wanderings are past, to his father he's come; + Little Eric, our darling, we welcome thee home! + + "Oh, bless'd is the true one who follows the road, + Holding fast to his GOLD THREAD OF DUTY TO GOD, + Who, when tempted, is firm, who in danger is brave, + Who, forgetting himself, will a lost brother save. + Then be joyful, be joyful, for Eric is come; + Little Eric, our darling, we welcome thee home!" + +And then the sun set, and the earth was dark, but the palace of the king +shone like an aurora in the wintry sky. + + +_The End._ + +_Printed by Dalziel Brothers, Camden Press_ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gold Thread, by Norman MacLeod + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THREAD *** + +***** This file should be named 26039.txt or 26039.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/0/3/26039/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Viv 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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