Journeys Through Bookland Volume V Part 7

(Extract from _The History of Tom Long the Carrier._)

As Tom Long the Carrier was travelling between Dover and Westchester, he fortuned to pa.s.s something near a House, where was kept a great Mastiff Dog, who, as soon as he espied Tom, came running open-mouthed at him, and so furiously a.s.saulted him, as if he meant to devour him at a bite.

But Tom, having in his Hand a good Pikestaff, most valiantly defended himself like a Man, and to withstand the danger he thrust the Pike-end of his Staff into his Throat and so killed him. Whereupon the Owner thereof, seeing the Dog lost, comes earnestly unto Tom, and between threatening and chiding, asking him why he struck him not with the great End of the staff. 'Marry,' quoth he, 'because your Dog runs not at me with his tail.'

(Extract from _The Kentish Miracle, or, A Seasonable Warning to all Sinners_.) Shewn in the Wonderful Relation of one Mary Moore whose Husband died some time ago, and left her with two children, and who was reduced to great want. How she wandered about the Country asking relief and went two Days without any Food--How the Devil appeared to her and the many great offers he made her to deny Christ and enter into his service, and how she confounded Satan by powerful Argument. How she came to a well of water when she fell down on her knees to pray to G.o.d that He would give that Vertue to the Water that it might refresh and satisfy her Children's Hunger, with an Account how an Angel appeared to her, and relieved her, also declared many Things that shall happen in the Month of March next. Shewing likewise what strange and surprising Accidents shall happen by means of the present War, and concerning a dreadful Earthquake, etc.

(Extract from _A Timely Warning to Rash and Disobedient Children_.)

As this Child went to School one Day Through the Churchyard she took her Way When lo, the Devil came and said Where are you going to, my pretty Maid To School I am going Sir, said she Pish, Child, don't mind the same saith he, But haste to your Companions dear And learn to lie and curse and swear.

They bravely spend their Time in Play G.o.d they don't value--no, not they.

It is a Fable, Child, he cry'd At which his cloven Foot she spy'd.

I'm sure there is a G.o.d, saith she Who from your Power will keep me free, And if you should this Thing deny Your cloven Foot gives you the Lie.

Satan, avaunt, hence, out of hand, In Name of Jesus I command.

At which the Devil instantly In Flames of Fire away did fly.

(Extract from _Wonder of Wonders_, being a strange and wonderful Relation of a Mermaid that was seen and spoke with by one John Robinson, Mariner, who was tossed on the Ocean for 6 Days and Nights. All the other Mariners perished.)

He was in great Fear and dreadful Fright in the main Ocean ...... but to his great Amazement he espy'd a beautiful young Lady combing her Head and toss'd on the Billows, cloathed all in green (but by chance he got the first Word from her). Then She with a Smile came on Board and asked how he did. The young Man, being Something Smart and a Scholar reply'd--Madam, I am the better to see you in good Health, in great hopes trusting you will be a Comfort and a.s.sistance to me in this my low Condition: and so caught hold of her Comb and Green Girdle that was about her Waist. To which she reply'd, Sir, you ought not to rob a young Woman of her Riches and then expect a Favour at her Hands, but if you will give me my Comb and Girdle again, what lies in my Power, I will do for you. She presents him with a Compa.s.s, told him to steer S.W., made an Appointment for following Friday, and jumped in the sea. He arrives safely home, and while musing on his promise She appeared to him with a smiling Countenance, and (by his Misfortune) she got the first Word of him, so that he could not speak one Word and was quite Dumb, and she began to sing, after which she departed, taking from him the Compa.s.s.

She took a Ring from her Finger and gave him. (The young man went home, fell ill and died 5 days after), to the wonderful Admiration of all People who saw the young Man.

After the eighteenth century the chapbooks gradually went out of favor, and since then in England, as in America, more and more careful attention has been given to writing good stories for children and printing these attractively. These better books could not have come, however, had it not been that for generation after generation crude little primers and storybooks, such as the interesting kinds that have been described, helped to point out to people, little by little, how to make children's reading both instructive and pleasing.

LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT

_By_ CARDINAL NEWMAN

Of this poem, Newman has written: "I was aching to get home; yet for want of a vessel, I was kept at Palermo for three weeks. At last I got off on an orange boat, bound for Ma.r.s.eilles. Then it was that I wrote the lines, _Lead, Kindly Light_, which have since become well known."

Again, he has said: "This is one full of light, rejoicing in suffering with our Lord. This is what those who like _Lead, Kindly Light_ must come to--they have to learn it."

Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on; The night is dark and I am far from home; Lead thou me on; Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path; but now Lead thou me on; I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years.

So long thy power has blest me, sure it still Will lead me on O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent till The night is gone, And with the morn those angel faces smile Which I have loved long since, and lost the while.

LET SOMETHING GOOD BE SAID[A]

[Footnote A: From _Home-Folks,_ by James Whitcomb Riley. Used by special permission of the publishers, _The Bobbs-Merrill Company_.]

_By_ JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

When over the fair fame of friend or foe The shadows of disgrace shall fall; instead Of words of blame, or proof of so and so, Let something good be said.

Forget not that no fellow-being yet May fall so low but love may lift his head; Even the cheek of shame with tears is wet, If something good be said.

No generous heart may vainly turn aside In ways of sympathy; no soul so dead But may awaken strong and glorified, If something good be said.

And so I charge ye, by the th.o.r.n.y crown, And by the cross on which the Saviour bled, And by your own soul's hope for fair renown, Let something good be said!

POLONIUS' ADVICE

Give thy thoughts no tongue, Nor any unproportion'd thought his act.

Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.

Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; But do not dull thy palm with entertainment Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in, Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgement.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy; For the apparel oft proclaims the man, And they in France of the best rank and station Are of a most select and generous choice in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.

SHAKESPEARE _(Hamlet, Act I, Scene 3)_.

KING ARTHUR

I. ARTHUR MADE KING

Uther Pendragon was one of the kings who ruled in Britain so long ago that many marvelous legends have sprung up about him and his more famous son, Arthur. They lived in the days when magicians and witches were believed to be common, and the stories of the time are filled with deeds of magic and with miraculous events.

Merlin was the greatest of magicians, and it was only by his power that King Uther won the wife he wanted and that his son was protected and nurtured during his childhood and youth. Many of the knights of King Uther aspired to his throne, and so to protect the baby Arthur, Merlin carried him to the good knight Sir Ector, who brought him up with his own son Kay; but none knew that the boy was Uther's son.

When Arthur had grown to be a tall, manly youth and was skilled in the use of arms, the Archbishop of Canterbury called together all the men-at-arms and the great ladies of the land, for Merlin had declared that at Christmas-tide great wonders should be done. King Uther had been long dead, and there was much wrangling over his successor, although he had declared on his death bed that his son Arthur was living and should reign in his stead.

From all sides, barons, knights and ladies, with long retinues of servants, crowded into London and gathered into the greatest church.

When the people came forth from the service there was seen in the churchyard a great marble stone, four square, and having in the midst of it a steel anvil a foot high. Through the middle of this anvil a beautiful sword was sticking, with the point projecting beyond. Around the sword in letters of gold was written,

"WHOSO PULLETH THIS SWORD OUT OF THIS STONE AND ANVIL IS THE TRUE-BORN KING OF BRITAIN."

The excitement was great and for some time difficult to quell, for every man who hoped to be king wished to be the first to try to draw the sword; but the Archbishop arranged the men in order, and one after another they made their attempts. Not even the strongest man in the kingdom could move the sword the fraction of a single inch.

When it became certain that no one could draw the sword, the Archbishop set ten knights to guard it and decreed that on New Year's Day the people should meet for other attempts; in the meantime, word should be sent abroad that all in the kingdom might know of the marvelous sword and the reward that awaited the successful knight. A great tournament was called and many rich prizes were offered.

Among those who came to the jousts were Sir Ector and his son, Sir Kay, and the young man Arthur, not yet a knight. In the morning when they rode to the field where the mult.i.tude were gathered to watch the jousting, Sir Kay discovered that he had left his sword at his lodgings.

"Arthur, I beg you to ride back and bring me my sword," said Sir Kay.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ARTHUR DRAWS THE SWORD]