PART FOUR

_One should never forget his duty to his parents, and brothers, especially in times of prosperity._

Then Joseph commanded his servants to fill the men’s sacks with food, and to put every man’s money in the sack’s mouth. He also told them to put his own silver cup in the sack of Benjamin, and to let them depart.

Early next morning the brothers saddled their mules and started home with the sacks of corn. Hardly had they gotten on their way, before Joseph sent his men after them to search them and to charge them with taking the money and also his silver cup.

The brothers were greatly afraid when their sacks were opened and they saw the money and the silver cup. When they were brought before Joseph they fell down and protested their innocence. Joseph pretended to be very stern with them and accused them of stealing, and said he would keep Benjamin with him since it was in Benjamin’s sack that the cup was found, and the others might go on back to their father.

Then Judah spoke up and said, “My lord, the lad is beloved of his father, who is old, and if we go not back with him, our father will surely die. His life is bound up in the lad’s life, for one son is dead and he mourned for him. Surely, if the lad stay here and we go back without him the gray hairs of the father will be brought down with sorrow to the grave. I pray thee, therefore, my lord, let the lad go, and let me be bound in his place.”

Then Joseph could not deceive his brothers any longer. He made all others leave the room and when he was alone with his brothers, he said to them, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.” He then kissed Benjamin, and all his brethren, and talked with them, and soon quieted their fears.

They told Joseph all about their father, and the people in Canaan. Then Joseph told them to hasten back and bring Jacob to Egypt. They hurried home to their father and told:

“Joseph is yet alive and is governor over all the land of Egypt.” But Jacob could not believe it, until he saw the rich presents which Joseph had sent and heard more from his sons. Then he said: “It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.”

So the old Jacob, and his sons, and their wives, with all their cattle and household goods, journeyed to Egypt in the wagons which Joseph had sent. Joseph met his father and gave him and his brothers a rich part of Egypt to live in. And thus it was that the people of Israel came to live in Egypt.

THE LEGEND OF THE MOUNTAIN ASH

_In the legend of the trees, one finds not only an interesting story, but also a greater love and respect for Nature._

In a pine grove down in a dark glen lived some tiny fairies. They had a magic cap which fitted any one who wore it. If one fairy put it on, all the fairies became invisible.

On the top of a mountain lived some giants who wanted the cap. A giant went out for a walk one day and came into the glen when the fairies were not at home. He felt sleepy and decided to take a nap.

The music of the birds lulled him to sleep. He snored and the fairies returning home heard the loud noise and thought a storm was approaching. They decided to stop where they were and spend the night. They spied the giant’s ear, and the queen said:

“Here is a fine cave; we will put the cap in here.”

A fairy put the cap in the giant’s ear and thought it was a very safe place. Just then the giant awoke and sat up.

The elf in the giant’s ear tried to jump out and run away with the cap, but the giant caught him and held him. The giant saw the cap in the elf’s hand and seized it. He placed it on his head and found that it fitted exactly. The fairies could no longer see him and began to cry so bitterly that be evening every plant in the glen was wet with tears.

An eagle who was passing by saw them and felt very sorry:

“I am called the king of the birds,” said he, “and I should be unworthy of the name if I would not help.” So he flew to the top of the mountain where the giants lived.

Now, the giants like to fight better than anything else, so the eagle watched his chance and saw them preparing for war. He knew that they were proud of their size and always liked to be seen.

“Now,” said the eagle, “this is my chance; they will not wear the magic cap in battle, and I will watch and see where they hide it.”

One of the giants placed it under a stone. The eagle went at once to the spot, and lifting the stone, flew away with the cap. The giants seeing this began to shoot arrows at him. Drops of blood and some feathers fell on the mountain side, but the eagle did not stop until the cap was safe in the hands of the queen of the fairies.

On the mountain side wherever the blood and feathers of the eagle fell, there sprang up trees with feathers like leaves and blood-red berries. All the giants, fairies, plants, and animals knew why they grew. The unselfish love in the eagle’s blood could not die, but lived again in the beautiful trees. But people to whom the fairies have not told the story call them Mountain Ash trees.

SAM DAVIS

_Sometimes it is one’s duty to sacrifice his life rather than abandon his promised word._

You must know that in war it is necessary to have scouts who go into the enemy’s territory and get valuable information which they bring back to their own commanders. These scouts are called “spies” by the enemy, and if they are caught they are put to death. This penalty makes a scout’s life full of danger and adventure.

Sam Davis was a young Southern soldier, and was detailed as a scout. He was only seventeen years of age when he was sent by General Bragg to find out the strength of the Federal forts in Middle Tennessee.

General Bragg said: “Davis, be very careful, for if you are caught you will be hanged as a spy.”

Davis replied: “I know my duty, General, and its dangers. I am not afraid.”

Davis went into the enemy’s lines and procured the information and was returning with important papers in his possession. But as he was riding along the road he was seized by some Federal soldiers, and the papers were found upon him. Poor Davis was carried before the Northern General, was tried as a spy and, according to the rules of war, was condemned to be hanged.

The Northern General said:

“My boy, you are very young, and I hate to take a life like yours. Tell me who gave you those papers and I will let you go free.” Davis replied:

“I received these papers from a friend, and I shall never tell his name.” The General said:

“My boy, if you will not tell me the name of your friend, I shall be obliged to order you to be hanged to-morrow morning,” and there were tears in the eyes of the General as he looked into the face of the young lad. Davis answered:

“Sir, do you suppose I would betray a friend to save my life? No, I will die a thousand times first.”

To the very last he was firm in his refusal to give any information as to when and where he received the papers. To the entreaties of those who were willing to spare his life if he would tell, he answered, “No, I shall not betray my friend. I have given my word.” The next morning he was made to mount a scaffold and was hanged until he was dead. He died with a serene smile on his lips, conscious of his devotion to duty as a man and as a soldier.

On the grounds of the Capitol building in Nashville, there is a beautiful monument erected to the memory of Sam Davis by the State of Tennessee.

HOW GEORGE SAVED THE TRAIN

_Showing that one must act promptly in emergencies if he would save the lives of others._

George was a little boy who lived in a small town. His father was an engineer on a locomotive, and their house was near the railroad track. George liked to sit and watch the trains pass. Whenever his father’s train would go by he would look out for his father’s hand waved to him from the window of the locomotive. Sometimes his father blew the whistle to let his mother know that everything was all right.

A short distance from his house there was a very dangerous trestle. One day after a hard rain George ran out to wade in the water. He came to the trestle and saw that a part had been washed away. He knew at once that if any train tried to pass over the broken trestle that the engine and all the cars would fall through and the lives of many passengers would be lost.

George was a brave little boy and knew that he must do something and do it quickly. “I must hurry to the station and tell the master to send some one to flag the next train,” said he to himself. At once he started to the station to tell what he had seen.

Listen! What was that he heard? He listened again and remembered that it must be time for the train, and it was his father’s train, too. If the train went on his father would be killed. The train did not stop at this station, and George knew he would not have time to get anybody now.

So he ran to the middle of the track and waved his hat up and down, trying to stop the train. On, on it came, but George did not move. It was near enough now for his father to see him. The whistle blew long and loud, still George did not move.

The whistle blew again and again, but George stood still in the middle of the track. His father was frantic with fear that the train would run over his little son, and he pulled down hard on the screaming whistle, while he plied the brakes to the wheels. The great engine slowed down with much groaning of wheels just before it came to the place where George was standing.

“What is the matter, George?” cried his father as he leaped from the engine and caught the boy in his arms. “Is your mother ill?”

“No, father,” said George, “but the trestle is washed away, and if you had gone on you would have been killed--and I didn’t want you to be killed.”

“You have done more than that, my son,” said his father; “you have saved the lives of my passengers, and all the train property.”

The passengers crowded around him, and called him a brave little boy and patted him on the shoulder.

THE PRINCE AND THE DRAGON

_Wherein a brave young prince rescues his mother from a dangerous place._

Once upon a time a king and queen were giving a grand festival. The queen disappeared and no one could find her. The king told his three sons to go out and not to return until they had found their mother. Each one had a large trumpet; the one that found the queen was to blow a loud blast and the other two brothers would come to him. The oldest brother went into the cities; the second brother went into towns and villages, but the youngest brother went into the woods.

One day as the youngest brother was climbing a mountain he put his hand on a stone to climb over, and it moved aside. There was a deep hole, and he believed his mother was down there, because he could hear voices. So he blew a loud blast and his brothers came to him. They made a basket and a long rope. The youngest brother climbed into the basket and they let him down.

When he reached the bottom he found three houses. In the first house he found a terrible dragon asleep before a big fire and snoring so loudly that he shook the earth. In the second house was an enormous dog, with eyes as big as saucers, but he was chained to the wall. In the third house he found a beautiful young princess, and his mother.

His mother told him the dragon had seized her in the king’s garden and had run away with her to this place. She was glad to see her son at first but when she thought of the terrible dragon that had brought her there, she begged him to go away.

The prince said that he was not afraid of the dragon, and would take them both home while the dragon was asleep. He put his mother in the basket, jerked the rope and his brothers pulled her up. They let the basket down again and he put the princess in, but before they could pull her up, the dragon awoke and rushed out of the house.

He was so angry that his scales rattled like rain on a tin roof, and he blew fire from his nostrils. The princess cried out with fear, and called for the prince to jump in the basket. He leaped in just as his brothers pulled them out of reach of the dragon’s tail.

Up they went, the dragon right after them. The brothers pulled fast and hard but the dragon gained on them. The prince, seeing that something had to be done, seized a handful of sand in the bottom of the basket and threw it right into the dragon’s eyes. The dragon roared with pain, but he stopped long enough to let the basket go out of his reach.

As soon as the prince and the princess were out of the hole the three brothers stopped it up with a big rock; but every now and then the dragon roars, and people say: “Another earthquake is coming,” but really it is only the dragon trying to get out.

AN ARMY OF TWO

_Nobody knows what he can do until he tries._

Many years ago when our country was at war with England, there lived in a little seaport town of Massachusetts a child named Rebecca. Rebecca’s father was the light-house keeper. A mile back inland was a little village of people.

One day Rebecca and her little friend, Alice, were playing on the shore, when they happened to look across the water and saw a ship headed for their harbor. There was something about this great ship which struck terror to these girls’ hearts, for those were trying days when British warships would unload their soldiers and march in upon the villagers.

Rebecca and Alice ran to the light-house tower and watched for an hour or two, until they saw that the soldiers were going to land.

“If I were only a man!” cried Rebecca.

“What could you do?” asked Alice.

“I’d fight ’em!” cried Rebecca. “I’d use father’s old gun.”

“I wonder if there’ll be a fight?” broke in Alice.

“I don’t know. Our men will do what they can.”

“But see how quiet it is! Not a man on shore.”

“Maybe they are hiding until the soldiers come, and then we shall hear shot and the drum. Oh, but the drum! It’s here; father brought it yesterday to mend it,” said Alice.

“Oh, dear! what shall we do?” cried Rebecca.

“See! they have reached the shore!”

“Where’s the drum? I shall go down and beat it.”

“What good will that do?”

“Maybe it will frighten them.”

“But they will see that it is only two little girls.”

“No, we will hide behind the sand hills. Come, let’s go.”

“All right,” said Alice. “There’s the fife, I’ll get that, too.”

Away the little girls ran, scrambling behind bushes, rocks and hills, out to the end of the point.

Drum! Drum! Drum! Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

The soldiers stopped to listen. Again the drum sounded and the fife squeaked.

“What does that mean?” asked a British soldier.

“Troops! They are coming down to hem us in. We’d better leave.”

Up over the sides of the ship they scrambled like frightened rats. By the time the American army of two had reached the point the great ship was speeding away out to sea. Meanwhile the villagers had been much surprised, thinking that troops had come down from Boston to help them and just in time, too! Imagine their surprise to see sitting comfortably on the rocks, their drum and fife by their sides, these two little girls, Rebecca and Alice!

DAMON AND PYTHIAS

_How one man was willing to sacrifice his life for his friend._

Once upon a time there were two very great friends who lived in Syracuse. One was called Damon and the other Pythias. They were always together. They ate together, they walked together, and often could be seen with their arms around each other on the streets of Syracuse. On one occasion Damon, in anger, had called the ruler of Syracuse a tyrant, for which he was condemned to die. He asked to go and bid his wife and child farewell. Pythias promised to stay in prison for him and let his life be the forfeit if Damon failed to return. Dionysius, the ruler, was only too glad, as he thought Damon would not return, and thus he would be rid of the two friends.

Damon, after a long weary journey, had only a short while to stay with his family. When he called for his horse to start on his return trip, his slave, who loved him and did not want him to die, said:

“Master, your horse is dead.”

“Murderer!” cried Damon. “You have not only killed my horse, you have killed my friend!”

Damon started back to Syracuse on foot, and when he came to a raging river he threw himself into the water and swam across although his strength was nearly spent. After struggling along, weary and worn, he met a man riding a fine horse. He offered to buy the horse, but the man said: “No, I need my horse.” Whereupon Damon pulled him off, and throwing him a purse well filled with gold, rode off at high speed to Syracuse.

The time for the return of Damon came and he had not yet appeared. Pythias was ready to give his life for his friend--well knowing that nothing but sickness or death would have kept him.

Pythias was led up to be executed when suddenly a shout arose from the people who were watching the road; the thunder of a horse’s heels was heard, and Damon rode into the crowd. He leaped from his foam-covered horse, crying:

“Forgive me, Pythias! I could not get here sooner--but I am in time!”

“Oh, why did you return, my friend? I had hoped that some accident had detained you and that my life might be given for yours,” said Pythias.

When the people saw how devoted were the two friends, each willing to give up his life for the other, they cried with a thousand voices: “Pardon for Damon! Pardon for Damon.”

Dionysius ordered the prisoner released, for he, himself, was moved by this spectacle of devotion.

“Accept, Damon and Pythias, my life to link with yours in friendship’s chain,” said the tyrant.

And thus Damon, Pythias, and Dionysius became the closest of friends.

SIEGFRIED SLAYS THE DRAGON

_He who is without fear can do marvelous things. The faint heart is defeated before the battle begins._

Many years ago there lived in the Netherlands a king named Siegmund. When he died he gave his broken sword to his queen telling her to give it to his little son when he became a man. Now, this was a magic sword which had come from Odin, and which no one but Odin could break. Odin had appeared in battle and had shattered the sword in Siegmund’s hand, and had wounded him to death. The name of the sword was “Gram,” which means Wrath.

The young prince was named Siegfried. He grew up to be a man of great strength and was without fear. No other could handle a sword so well as he. When he was old enough his mother gave him his father’s broken sword and took him to a cunning smith who could make swords so sharp that they would cut iron and never turn an edge. The smith was named Mimer.

Mimer told Siegfried strange stories of the dwarfs under the earth, and of the golden treasures of the Nibelings guarded by a dragon, and of a helmet which made the wearer invisible, and of a ring that gave the owner power over all the earth. The dragon’s name was Fafnir, and he was very dreadful. His eyes shot fire, and smoke came out of his nostrils, and his tail could cut down a forest tree at one blow. His tongue was like a sword, and his claws were sharp as steel.

“I have no fear of the dragon,” said Siegfried. “What is fear?” At this Mimer started up, for there was an old legend that said the dragon should be slain by a youth who had no fear. Mimer and Siegfried began to make a sword. They mended the broken sword of Siegfried’s father so well that when Siegfried struck the anvil he split it half in two, but the edge was not dulled. Then it cut a lock of wool that lay upon it, by its own weight. It was indeed a sword fit to slay the terrible Fafnir.

They went to a great hollow in the mountain side and waited for Fafnir to come down. Siegfried blew his horn so loudly that the echoes rang far into the valley. The dragon heard him and came crashing down his path. He was on his way to the river. He saw Siegfried: “Ah!” said he, “I was looking for drink, but I also find food!” At that he made a lunge at Siegfried.

But Siegfried was not to be caught. As the dragon leaped across the chasm, the young prince jumped into it, and thrust his sword up from below into the body of the monster. The sword pierced the heart of the dragon and he lay dead across the chasm. The dragon’s blood touched Siegfried’s lips and suddenly he felt a wonderful change. He heard the voice of a bird telling him where the treasure was. He followed the voice, found the treasure, the helmet, and the ring of which Mimer had told him, and was now ready for the many adventures which befell him.

MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES

_The great lawgiver of Israel saved from destruction by the protection of the king’s daughter._

The people of Israel had been living in Egypt for a long time, and Pharaoh, the king, made them labor very hard. Indeed, they were enslaved and were made to do the hardest kind of work. Joseph was no longer there to help them, for he had been dead many years before Pharaoh became king.

Pharaoh made the people of Israel build treasure houses to hold grain. He made them work with brick and mortar, and in the fields, and do all manner of services. He set task masters over them to beat them if they refused to work or did not labor fast enough.

Finally he gave an order that all boy children should be killed as soon as they were born, but that the girl children should be allowed to live. He did that because he was afraid to have too many Hebrew men in the kingdom since they might rise up and rebel against his cruelty.

But there was a Hebrew woman who had a beautiful little boy, and she hid him until she made a little ark or cradle of bulrushes, and daubed it with mud and pitch.

She then took the little boy and wrapped him warmly and put him in the cradle and hid him in the reeds and flags along the banks of the river. She hoped to keep him there in case the officers of Pharaoh came to her house to see if there were any male children whom they could destroy.

The boy’s sister was set to watch the cradle to see that nothing happened to the little boy. One day the daughter of Pharaoh came down to the river to bathe. She and her maidens walked along the side of the river until they came to the place where the cradle was hidden.

Seeing the cradle, the daughter of Pharaoh sent one of her maidens to bring it to her. When she opened the cradle the little boy cried, and Pharaoh’s daughter felt very sorry for him. She said: “This is one of the Hebrew children.”

The boy’s sister came up and said:

“Shall I go and call a nurse of the Hebrew women; that she may nurse the child for thee?” And Pharaoh’s daughter said: “Go,” and the little maid went and called the boy’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said:

“Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.” And the woman took the child and nursed it.

And the child grew, and after a while the mother brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son, and she called his name Moses, because she said: “I drew him out of the water.”

Moses grew to be a great and wise man. He learned all the laws of Egypt, and when he was old became the leader of the Hebrews when they left Egypt to go back to their home in Canaan.

THE EGYPTIANS ARE DROWNED IN THE RED SEA

_The tyrant and the oppressor will always come to destruction, and the righteous will be protected._

Moses became a great and wise man in Egypt. The Hebrews, his people, were held in bondage by the wicked Pharaoh. The Lord told Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let the people go into the wilderness to serve Him, but Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the Hebrews go.

Then the Lord told Moses to punish the Egyptians.

The first thing that Moses did was to stretch his staff over the rivers of Egypt, and the waters turned to blood, and all the fish died and the people had no water to drink. But Pharaoh would not let the Hebrews go.

Then Moses smote the land and a great plague of frogs came. They jumped into the houses, into the beds, the ovens, and the troughs of the people. Everywhere were the frogs. But Pharaoh would not let the people go.

Then Moses smote the dust of the land and all the ground turned to lice. They crawled over and beast everywhere and infested the houses of the people. But Pharaoh would not let the Hebrews go.

Then Moses brought on a plague of flies; then a disease of all the cattle so that they died; then a plague of hail that beat down all the crops; then a plague of locusts that ate up every green thing in the land; then a plague of darkness that covered the land so thick that it could almost be felt. Still Pharaoh’s heart was hard.

At last the Lord told Moses that He would have all the first-born of the Egyptians slain if Pharaoh still refused to let the people go. To protect the Hebrew children he told the Hebrews to sprinkle the blood of a lamb on their door posts. When the destroying angel came he passed over the houses of the Hebrews where the blood was and slew all the first-born of man and beast in Egypt. There was not a house of the Egyptians where there was not one dead.

Pharaoh now begged Moses and the Egyptians to be gone for fear that the plagues would utterly destroy the Egyptians and all their land. So the hosts of Hebrews were gathered into camp and started into the wilderness, and they were near the Red Sea.

Now, Pharaoh, as soon as the Hebrews were gone, repented of letting them go and followed them with his horses and chariots. When Moses saw the Egyptians coming he stretched forth his hand over the Red Sea and the Red Sea opened and the Hebrews passed over on dry land to the other side.

As soon as Pharaoh saw the Hebrews safe on the other side and the waters of the Red Sea piled up so as to make dry land, he drove in with all his men and chariots to do as the Hebrews had done. But when all the Egyptians were well in, Moses stretched forth his hand again, and the waters closed over Pharaoh and his hosts, and they were drowned, every man and beast.

PIPPA PASSES

_Even a little child can bring courage and consolation to those who toil in the world’s affairs._

There was a little girl named Pippa who worked in a great mill where they made silk. All day she worked in the mill, winding silk on the spools. Sometimes she looked out of the windows and saw the woods and sky, and then she would sigh for the birds and the flowers. Sometimes she would see a lovely lady go by in a silk dress, and then she would say: “We helped make that dress,” and then she would feel very proud of the great mill.

There was one day in the year that Pippa had for her very own. She could go out in the woods and gather flowers and hear the brook ripple along, and she could sing just as the birds did in the trees. When this day came Pippa was a very happy little girl.

The time was coming for Pippa’s holiday. The night before she prayed that the day might be gentle and sunny. The next morning she woke early and saw that the sun was bright and the sky was blue. She clapped her hands with joy and began to sing. She sang to the sunshine; she sang to the sky and to the flowers. She sang as she put on her clothes and even hummed her song as she ate her morning meal. Her heart was singing all the time, and she could not keep from letting the song flow out of her mouth.

The song was a wonderful one. It was low and sweet and no one had ever heard it before. It sounded like birds singing, only her song had words to it. Pippa sang her song as she went down the street of her little village. Everybody stood still to listen and then they would smile and say:

“Pippa passes! Bless her heart for her cheerful song!”

A poet was writing a song, and when he heard Pippa pass he played the strain so sweetly that he set the whole air singing. The children heard her and began to dance. A sick man heard her and felt better. A lame man heard her and tried to throw away his crutches. A blind man at the corner tried to forget he was blind, and wanted to run after the wonderful song.

Out beyond the village men were building a castle. A young man was making the staircase and was discouraged because it was only the steps for people to tread on. Pippa passed and sang her song. The young builder listened and then went back to do his work gladly and properly. In the next house lived a man who was called on to make a great sacrifice. He hesitated until he heard Pippa pass singing. Then he leaped on his horse and was gone to do a great deed.

Pippa sang all that glorious day. She did not know what her song had done for others. When she lay down to sleep she said:

“I should have done something to-day besides sing,” but those who heard her thought that Pippa had done a wonderful thing.

LOUIS AND THE THREE WISHES

_In which a little boy has some adventures with his gun and his fiddle._

Louis had worked for his master for three years and had only cast-off clothes to wear. One day he went to him and said:

“I will have to go out into the world and earn my living--if you think I have earned anything here, pay me.”

“Upon my soul,” said the man, “I will give you only three pennies.”

Louis felt quite rich for he had never had a penny in all his life. He started off, but while seated upon a rock up came the ugliest man he had ever seen, and asked for something because he was hungry.

“I have only three pennies, but I will give you one,” said Louis. Stopping to rest again, another man larger and uglier than the first asked for help, and Louis gave him a penny. Again a man larger and uglier than the others asked aid, and Louis gave him his last penny. Then the man changed into a brownie and told Louis that for his unselfishness he would grant him three wishes.

“I wish for a gun that will hit everything I shoot at.” In a moment the gun came through the air.

“I wish for a fiddle that when I play everybody will dance.” Down came the fiddle.

“I wish that whenever I ask for anything it will be given me.”

“You may have it,” said the brownie, and disappeared.

Louis went into a store and the proprietors gave him clothes and a fur overcoat. At a livery stable they were delighted to give him a pair of horses and a carriage. Driving up the street he met the policeman.

“I have a gun with which I can shoot the bird off the church steeple,” said Louis.

“If you shoot it I will go into the briars and pick it up,” said the policeman. Bang! down fell the bird, the policeman went for it and Louis began to play his fiddle. The policeman danced, and danced, and Louis played on until the policeman was quite worn out. Then Louis lay down and went to sleep.

While Louis slept, the policeman put handcuffs on him and put him in prison. Next morning he was brought up before the judge, who sentenced him to jail. He asked to be allowed to play his violin. The people insisted that his request be granted, but the policeman begged to be tied to a post so that he should not dance any more. Louis began to play. The people danced; the judge danced off the bench; the policeman bumped his head and knocked his feet so hard against the post that the judge was obliged to set Louis free so that he would stop playing, and the people could stop dancing.

KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES

_Wherein it appears that an absent minded king forgot the duty in hand while he was thinking of something else._

A long time ago there lived in England a good king who was named Alfred. He was very wise and brave, and did so much for his people that he is known as Alfred the Great.

In those days kings had many wars with their enemies. The king always led his own men in battle, and was up in the very front ranks where the fighting was the worst.

At the time we are telling of, the Danes had come over to England, and had fought a fierce battle with King Alfred, and had scattered his army far and wide, so that the king had to flee through woods and swamps in order to save his life.

Alfred escaped from his pursuers, and late in the day came to the hut of a poor wood-cutter, deep in the forest. He was very hungry and was weary, and muddy and did not look much like a king. In fact he looked more like a beggar than anything else. He asked the old woman in the hut to give him something to eat, not letting her know who he was.

“Very well,” she said, “I am going out to milk the cow, and if you watch those cakes on the hearth while I am gone, I will let you have one. Watch so that they do not burn.” And she went on out to milk the cow.

Alfred sat down in front of the fire, and the cakes were cooking on the hearth. He watched them for awhile, and then he began to think about his army, and his people, and the Danes, and to wonder if he would ever get his soldiers together again. He forgot all about his hunger, and all about the cakes on the hearth. He even forgot he was in the wood-cutter’s hut, for his mind was on his own affairs, and they were very bad indeed.

The one cake began to burn, then another cake began to burn and then all the cakes began to burn. Still Alfred paid no attention to them, but kept on looking into the fire and thinking about the enemies of England.

After awhile the old woman smelt the burning cakes. “Mercy on me,” she said, “that man has let the cakes burn,” and she set down the milk pail, and ran into the house where the king sat before the fire paying no attention whatever.

“You lazy fellow!” she cried, “see what has happened! The cakes are not fit to eat. You are very trifling indeed, and are too lazy to be trusted.” The king laughed and went to bed without any supper.

“Perhaps I deserved that scolding,” he said. “Even a king should pay attention to the little things of life.” At any rate it was not long before he had gathered his soldiers and had driven the Danes out of his kingdom.

THE GIFTS OF THE NORTH WIND

_Wherein gifts come to a boy by obedience to his mother; also showing that he was a careless boy to allow his gifts to be stolen._

Rudolph’s mother sent him with the last money she had to purchase flour to make a little bread. The North Wind blew the flour away. The mother sent him to the North Wind’s cave.

“Mr. Boreas,” said Rudolph, “please give us back our flour or we shall surely die.”

“I have it not,” the North Wind growled, “but I will give you this table-cloth which has a magic charm; you have but to spread it out and every dish which you command will appear upon it.”

Rudolph thanked the North Wind, and on his return home stopped to spend the night at an inn. There he showed his magic table-cloth. While Rudolph slept the inn-keeper crept to his room and stole the table-cloth, putting another in its place.

Reaching home, his mother doubted that the table-cloth possessed a magic charm, and upon spreading it out, Rudolph discovered that it was nothing but a common table-cloth.

His old mother sent Rudolph back to the North Wind’s cave, insisting that he should return the flour.

“I have it not,” growled the North Wind, “but I will give you this little goat instead. You have but to tell it this: ‘Make money, master Bill,’ and he will give you golden coin as many as you will.”

When Rudolph reached the inn he foolishly showed the magic goat, and commanded that golden coins fall from its mouth. The inn-keeper crept to the shed and stole the goat, slyly placing another there. Reaching home and finding that it was an ordinary goat, his mother insisted that he go again to the cave of the North Wind and for the third time demand the return of the flour.

“I have it not,” growled the North Wind, “nor can I give you anything except this cudgel which hath a magic charm. You have only to say: ‘Good cudgel, hit away,’ and it will obey you until you bid it stop.”

He showed the magic staff at the inn and placing it upon a table pretended to sleep. The host crept into the room to steal the stick, but Rudolph exclaimed: “Stay! I see what you would be at! Good cudgel, hit away!”

The cudgel thumped about the inn-keeper’s ears until he cried for mercy, but Rudolph would not command it to stop beating him until he had brought back the magic table-cloth and the magic goat.

Returning home his mother thought it was indeed well the North Wind stole the flour. Spreading the table-cloth every dish appeared as they called for it, and they invited their neighbors to enjoy the feast. Each time the magic goat said “Baa!” golden coins would fall from his mouth, and Rudolph became very rich. He built a beautiful home and placed the cudgel behind the front door. Whenever any one comes to steal from him the magic club drives the rogue away.

TINY TIM