stories to tell to children-第29节

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down　at　Jesus　feet　and　besought　Him　to　come

into　his　house；　to　heal　his　daughter。　　And

Jesus　said；　Yes；　he　would　go　with　him。　　But

there　were　so　many　people　begging　to　be

healed；　and　so　many　looking　to　see　what

happened；　that　the　crowd　thronged　them；　and

kept　them　from　moving　fast。　　And　before　they

reached　the　house　one　of　the　man's　servants

came　to　meet　them；　and　said；　〃Thy　daughter

is　dead；　trouble　not　the　Master　to　come

farther。〃



But　instantly　Jesus　turned　to　the　father　and

said；　〃Fear　not；　only　believe；　and　she　shall　be

made　whole。〃　　And　He　went　on　with　Jairus；　to

the　house。



When　they　came　to　the　house；　they　heard　the

sound　of　weeping　and　lamentation；　the　household

was　mourning　for　the　little　daughter；　who

was　dead。　　Jesus　sent　all　the　strangers　away

from　the　door；　and　only　three　of　His　disciples

and　the　father　and　mother　of　the　child　went　in

with　Him。　　And　when　He　was　within；　He　said

to　the　mourning　people；　〃Weep　not；　she　is

not　dead；　she　sleepeth。〃



When　He　had　passed；　they　laughed　Him　to

scorn；　for　they　knew　that　she　was　dead。



Then　Jesus　left　them　all；　and　went　alone

into　the　chamber　where　the　little　daughter　lay。

And　when　He　was　there；　alone；　He　went　up　to

the　bed　where　she　was；　and　bent　over　her；　and

took　her　by　the　hand。　　And　He　said；　〃Maiden；

arise。〃



And　her　spirit　came　unto　her　again！　　And

she　lived；　and　grew　up　in　her　father's　house。







ESPECIALLY　FOR　CLASSES　IV。　AND　V。





ARTHUR　AND　THE　SWORD＇1＇



＇1＇　Adapted　from　Sir　Thomas　Malory。





Once　there　was　a　great　king　in　Britain　named

Uther；　and　when　he　died　the　other　kings　and

princes　disputed　over　the　kingdom；　each　wanting

it　for　himself。　　But　King　Uther　had　a　son

named　Arthur；　the　rightful　heir　to　the　throne；

of　whom　no　one　knew；　for　he　had　been　taken

away　secretly　while　he　was　still　a　baby　by　a

wise　old　man　called　Merlin；　who　had　him

brought　up　in　the　family　of　a　certain　Sir　Ector；

for　fear　of　the　malice　of　wicked　knights。　　Even

the　boy　himself　thought　Sir　Ector　was　his

father；　and　he　loved　Sir　Ector's　son；　Sir　Kay；

with　the　love　of　a　brother。



When　the　kings　and　princes　could　not　be

kept　in　check　any　longer；　and　something　had

to　be　done　to　determine　who　was　to　be　king；

Merlin　made　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　send

for　them　all　to　come　to　London。　　It　was

Christmas　time；　and　in　the　great　cathedral　a

solemn　service　was　held；　and　prayer　was　made

that　some　sign　should　be　given；　to　show　who

was　the　rightful　king。　　When　the　service　was

over；　there　appeared　a　strange　stone　in　the

churchyard；　against　the　high　altar。　　It　was　a

great　white　stone；　like　marble；　with　something

sunk　in　it　that　looked　like　a　steel　anvil；　and

in　the　anvil　was　driven　a　great　glistening　sword。

The　sword　had　letters　of　gold　written　on　it；

which　read：　　〃Whoso　pulleth　out　this　sword　of

this　stone　and　anvil　is　rightwise　king　born　of

all　England。〃



All　wondered　at　the　strange　sword　and　its

strange　writing；　and　when　the　archbishop　himself

came　out　and　gave　permission；　many　of　the

knights　tried　to　pull　the　sword　from　the　stone；

hoping　to　be　king。　　But　no　one　could　move　it

a　hair's　breadth。



〃He　is　not　here；〃　said　the　archbishop；　〃that

shall　achieve　the　sword；　but　doubt　not；　God

will　make　him　known。〃



Then　they　set　a　guard　of　ten　knights　to　keep

the　stone；　and　the　archbishop　appointed　a　day

when　all　should　come　together　to　try　at　the

stone；kings　from　far　and　near。　　In　the　meantime；

splendid　jousts　were　held；　outside　London；

and　both　knights　and　commons　were　bidden。



Sir　Ector　came　up　to　the　jousts；　with　others；

and　with　him　rode　Kay　and　Arthur。　　Kay

had　been　made　a　knight　at　Allhallowmas；　and

when　he　found　there　was　to　be　so　fine　a　joust

he　wanted　a　sword；　to　join　it。　　But　he　had　left

his　sword　behind；　where　his　father　and　he　had

slept　the　night　before。　　So　he　asked　young

Arthur　to　ride　for　it。



〃I　will　well；〃　said　Arthur；　and　rode　back　for

it。　　But　when　he　came　to　the　castle；　the　lady

and　all　her　household　were　at　the　jousting；　and

there　was　none　to　let　him　in。



Thereat　Arthur　said　to　himself；　〃My　brother

Sir　Kay　shall　not　be　without　a　sword　this　day。〃

And　he　remembered　the　sword　he　had　seen　in

the　churchyard。　　〃I　will　to　the　churchyard；〃

he　said；　〃and　take　that　sword　with　me。〃　　So　he

rode　into　the　churchyard；　tied　his　horse　to　the

stile；　and　went　up　to　the　stone。　　The　guards

were　away　to　the　tourney；　and　the　sword　was

there；　alone。



Going　up　to　the　stone；　young　Arthur　took　the

great　sword　by　the　hilt；　and　lightly　and　fiercely

he　drew　it　out　of　the　anvil。



Then　he　rode　straight　to　Sir　Kay；　and　gave　it

to　him。



Sir　Kay　knew　instantly　that　it　was　the　sword

of　the　stone；　and　he　rode　off　at　once　to　his　father

and　said；　〃Sir；　lo；　here　is　the　sword　of　the

stone；　I　must　be　king　of　the　land。〃　　But　Sir

Ector　asked　him　where　he　got　the　sword。　　And

when　Sir　Kay　said；　〃From　my　brother；〃　he

asked　Arthur　how　he　got　it。　　When　Arthur

told　him；　Sir　Ector　bowed　his　head　before　him。

〃Now　I　understand　ye　must　be　king　of　this

land；〃　he　said　to　Arthur。



〃Wherefore　I？〃　said　Arthur。



〃For　God　will　have　it　so；〃　said　Ector；

〃never　man　should　have　drawn　out　this　sword

but　he　that　shall　be　rightwise　king　of　this　land。

Now　let　me　see　whether　ye　can　put　the　sword

as　it　was　in　the　stone；　and　pull　it　out　again。〃



Straightway　Arthur　put　the　sword　back。



Then　Sir　Ector　tried　to　pull　it　out；　and　after

him　Sir　Kay；　but　neither　could　stir　it。　　Then

Arthur　pulled　it　out。　　Thereupon；　Sir　Ector

and　Sir　Kay　kneeled　upon　the　ground　before　him。



〃Alas；〃　said　Arthur；　〃mine　own　dear　father

and　brother；　why　kneel　ye　to　me？〃



Sir　Ector　told　him；　then；　all　about　his　royal

birth；　and　how　he　had　been　taken　privily　away

by　Merlin。　　But　when　Arthur　found　Sir　Ector

was　not　truly　his　father；　he　was　so　sad　at　heart

that　he　cared　not　greatly　to　be　king。　　And　he

begged　his　father　and　brother　to　love　him　still。

Sir　Ector　asked　that　Sir　Kay　might　be　seneschal

when　Arthur　was　king。　　Arthur　promised　with

all　his　heart。



Then　they　went　to　the　archbishop　and　told

him　that　the　sword　had　found　its　master。　　The

archbishop　appointed　a　day　for　the　trial　to　be

made　in　the　sight　of　all　men；　and　on　that　day

the　princes　and　knights　came　together；　and　each

tried　to　draw　out　the　sword；　as　before。　　But　as

before；　none　could　so　much　as　stir　it。



Then　came　Arthur；　and　pulled　it　easily　from

its　place。



The　knights　and　kings　were　terribly　angry

that　a　boy　from　nowhere　in　particular　had　beaten

them；　and　they　refused　to　acknowledge　him　king。

They　appointed　another　day；　for　another　great

trial。



Three　times　they　did　this；　and　every　time　the

same　thing　happened。



At　last；　at　the　feast　of　Pentecost；　Arthur

again　pulled　out　the　sword　before　all　the　knights

and　the　commons。　　And　then　the　commons

rose　up　and　cried　that　he　should　be　king；　and

that　they　would　slay　any　who　denied　him。



So　Arthur　became　king　of　Britain；　and　all

gave　him　allegiance。







TARPEIA





There　was　once　a　girl　named　Tarpeia；　whose

father　was　guard　of　the　outer　gate　of　the　citadel

of　Rome。　　It　was　a　time　of　war；the　Sabines

were　besieging　the　city。　　Their　camp　was　close

outside　the　city　wall。



Tarpeia　used　to　see　the　Sabine　soldiers　when

she　went　to　draw　water　from　the　public　well；

for　that　was　outside　the　gate。　　And　sometimes

she　stayed　about　and　let　the　strange　men　talk

with　her；　because　she　liked　to　look　at　their

bright　silver　ornaments。　　The　Sabine　soldiers

wore　heavy　silver　rings　and　bracelets　on　their

left　arms；some　wore　as　many　as　four　or　five。



The　soldiers　knew　she　was　the　daughter　of　the

keeper　of　the　citadel；　and　they　saw　that　she　had

greedy　eyes　for　their　ornaments。　　So　day　by

day　they　talked　with　her；　and　showed　her　their

silver　rings；　and　tempted　her。　　And　at　last　Tarpeia

made　a　bargain；　to　betray　her　city　to　them。

She　said　she　would　unlock　the　great　gate　and

let　them　in；　IF　THEY　WOULD　GIVE　HER　WHAT　THEY　WORE

ON　THEIR　LEFT　ARMS。



The　night　came。　　When　it　was　perfectly　dark

and　still；　Tarpeia　stole　from　her　bed；　took　the

great　key　from　its　place；　and　silently　unlocked

the　gate　which　protected　the　city。　　Outside；　in

the　dark；　stood　the　soldiers　of　the　enemy；　waiting。

As　she　opened　the　gate；　the　long　shadowy　files

pressed　forward　silently；　and　the　Sabines

entered　the　citadel。



As　the　first　man　came　inside；　Tarpeia　stretched

forth　her　hand　for　her　price。　　The　soldier　lifted

high　his　left　arm。　　〃Take　thy　reward！〃　he　said；

and　as　he　spoke　he　hurled　upon　her　that　which

he　wore　upon　it。　　Down　upon　her　head　crashed

not　the　silver　rings　of　the　soldier；　but　the

great　brass　shield　he　carried　in　battle！



She　sank　beneath　it；　to　the　ground。



〃Take　thy　reward；〃　said　the　next；　and　his

shield　rang　ag