stories to tell to children-第14章

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bound　with　a　thread　either　of　red　or　green；　the　red　denoting

the　highest　rank。　　According　to　custom；　they　stripped　the

dead；　and　threw　their　bodies　over　the　precipice。　　When　their

comrades　came；　they　found　their　corpses　stark　and　gashed；

but　round　both　wrists　of　every　British　hero　was　twined　the

red　thread！





This　anecdote　serves　its　purpose　of　illustration

perfectly　well；　but　considered　as　a　separate

story　it　is　somewhat　too　explanatory　in　diction；

and　too　condensed　in　form。　　Just　as　the　long

story　is　analysed　for　reduction　of　given　details；

so　this　must　be　analysed；to　find　the　details

implied。　　We　have　to　read　into　it　again　all　that

has　been　left　between　the　lines。



Moreover；　the　order　must　be　slightly　changed；

if　we　are　to　end　with　the　proper　〃snap；〃　the

final　sting　of　surprise　and　admiration　given　by

the　point　of　the　story；　the　point　must　be　prepared

for。　　The　purpose　of　the　original　is　equally

well　served　by　the　explanation　at　the　end；　but

we　must　never　forget　that　the　place　for　the

climax；　or　effective　point　in　a　story　told；　is　the

last　thing　said。　　That　is　what　makes　a　story

〃go　off〃　well。



Imagining　vividly　the　situation　suggested；　and

keeping　the　logical　sequence　of　facts　in　mind；

shall　we　not　find　the　story　telling　itself　to　boys

and　girls　in　somewhat　this　form？





THE　RED　THREAD　OF　COURAGE＇1＇



＇1＇　See　also　The　Red　Thread　of　Honour；　by　Sir　Francis　Doyle；

in　Lyra　Heroica；





This　story　which　I　am　going　to　tell　you　is　a

true　one。　　It　happened　while　the　English　troops

in　India　were　fighting　against　some　of　the　native

tribes。　　The　natives　who　were　making　trouble

were　people　from　the　hill…country；　called

Hillsmen；　and　they　were　strong　enemies。　　The

English　knew　very　little　about　them；　except

their　courage；　but　they　had　noticed　one　peculiar

custom；　after　certain　battles；the　Hillsmen　had

a　way　of　marking　the　bodies　of　their　greatest

chiefs　who　were　killed　in　battle　by　binding　a　red

thread　about　the　wrist；　this　was　the　highest

tribute　they　could　pay　a　hero。　　The　English；

however；　found　the　common　men　of　them　quite

enough　to　handle；　for　they　had　proved　themselves

good　fighters　and　clever　at　ambushes。



One　day；　a　small　body　of　the　English　had

marched　a　long　way　into　the　hill　country；　after

the　enemy；　and　in　the　afternoon　they　found

themselves　in　a　part　of　the　country　strange

even　to　the　guides。　　The　men　moved　forward

very　slowly　and　cautiously；　for　fear　of　an

ambush。　　The　trail　led　into　a　narrow　valley　with

very　steep；　high；　rocky　sides；　topped　with　woods

in　which　the　enemy　might　easily　hide。



Here　the　soldiers　were　ordered　to　advance

more　quickly；　though　with　caution；　to　get　out

of　the　dangerous　place。



After　a　little　they　came　suddenly　to　a　place

where　the　passage　was　divided　in　two　by　a　big

three…cornered　boulder　which　seemed　to　rise

from　the　midst　of　the　valley。　　The　main　line

of　men　kept　to　the　right；　to　save　crowding　the

path；　a　sergeant　and　eleven　men　took　the　left；

meaning　to　go　round　the　rock　and　meet　the　rest

beyond　it。



They　had　been　in　the　path　only　a　few　minutes

when　they　saw　that　the　rock　was　not　a　single

boulder　at　all；　but　an　arm　of　the　left　wall　of　the

valley；　and　that　they　were　marching　into　a　deep

ravine　with　no　outlet　except　the　way　they　came。

Both　sides　were　sheer　rock；　almost　perpendicular；

with　thick　trees　at　the　top；　in　front　of

them　the　ground　rose　in　a　steep　hill；　bare　of

woods。　　As　they　looked　up；　they　saw　that　the

top　was　barricaded　by　the　trunks　of　trees；　and

guarded　by　a　strong　body　of　Hillsmen。　　As　the

English　hesitated；　looking　at　this；　a　shower　of

spears　fell　from　the　wood's　edge；　aimed　by

hidden　foes。　　The　place　was　a　death　trap。



At　this　moment；　their　danger　was　seen　by　the

officer　in　command　of　the　main　body；　and　he

signalled　to　the　sergeant　to　retreat。



By　some　terrible　mischance；　the　signal　was

misunderstood。　　The　men　took　it　for　the　signal

to　charge。　　Without　a　moment's　pause；　straight

up　the　slope；　they　charged　on　the　run；　cheering

as　they　ran。



Some　were　killed　by　the　spears　that　were

thrown　from　the　cliffs；　before　they　had　gone

half　way；　some　were　stabbed　as　they　reached

the　crest；　and　hurled　backward　from　the　precipice；

two　or　three　got　to　the　top；　and　fought

hand　to　hand　with　the　Hillsmen。　　They　were

outnumbered；　seven　to　one；　but　when　the　last

of　the　English　soldiers　lay　dead；　twice　their

number　of　Hillsmen　lay　dead　around　them！



When　the　relief　party　reached　the　spot；　later

in　the　day；　they　found　the　bodies　of　their

comrades；　full　of　wounds；　huddled　over　and　in　the

barricade；　or　crushed　on　the　rocks　below。

They　were　mutilated　and　battered；　and　bore

every　sign　of　the　terrible　struggle。　　BUT　ROUND

BOTH　WRISTS　OF　EVERY　BRITISH　SOLDIER　WAS　BOUND

THE　RED　THREAD！



The　Hillsmen　had　paid　greater　honour　to

their　heroic　foes　than　to　the　bravest　of　their

own　brave　dead。





Another　instance　is　the　short　poem；　which；

while　being　perfectly　simple；　is　rich　in　suggestion

of　more　than　the　young　child　will　see　for

himself。　　The　following　example　shows　the

working　out　of　details　in　order　to　provide　a

satisfactorily　rounded　story。





THE　ELF　AND　THE　DORMOUSE＇1＇



＇1＇　Adapted　from　The　Elf　and　the　Dormouse；　by　Oliver

Herford；　in　A　Treasury　of　Verse　for　Little　Children。

（Harrap。　　1s。　net。）





Once　upon　a　time　a　dormouse　lived　in　the

wood　with　his　mother。　　She　had　made　a　snug

little　nest；　but　Sleepy…head；　as　she　called　her

little　mousie；　loved　to　roam　about　among　the

grass　and　fallen　leaves；　and　it　was　a　hard　task

to　keep　him　at　home。　　One　day　the　mother　went

off　as　usual　to　look　for　food；　leaving　Sleepy…

head　curled　up　comfortably　in　a　corner　of

the　nest。　　〃He　will　lie　there　safely　till　I

come　back；〃　she　thought。　　Presently；　however；

Sleepy…head　opened　his　eyes　and　thought　he

would　like　to　take　a　walk　out　in　the　fresh

air。　　So　he　crept　out　of　the　nest　and　through

the　long　grass　that　nodded　over　the　hole　in

the　bank。　　He　ran　here　and　he　ran　there；　stopping

again　an　again　to　cock　his　little　ears　for

sound　of　any　creeping　thing　that　might　be　close

at　hand。　　His　little　fur　coat　was　soft　and　silky

as　velvet。　　Mother　had　licked　it　clean　before

starting　her　day's　work；　you　may　be　sure。　　As

Sleepy…head　moved　from　place　to　place　his　long

tail　swayed　from　side　to　side　and　tickled　the

daisies　so　that　they　could　not　hold　themselves

still　for　laughing。



Presently　something　very　cold　fell　on　Sleepy…

head's　nose。　　What　could　it　be？　　He　put　up

his　little　paw　and　dabbed　at　the　place。　　Then

the　same　thing　happened　to　his　tail。　　He

whisked　it　quickly　round　to　the　front。　　Ah；　it

was　raining！　　Now　Sleepy…head　couldn't　bear

rain；　and　he　had　got　a　long　way　from　home。

What　would　mother　say　if　his　nice　furry　coat

got　wet　and　draggled？　　He　crept　under　a　bush；

but　soon　the　rain　found　him　out。　　Then　he　ran

to　a　tree；　but　this　was　poor　shelter。　　He　began

to　think　that　he　was　in　for　a　soaking　when

what　should　he　spy；　a　little　distance　off；　but

a　fine　toadstool　which　stood　bolt　upright　just

like　an　umbrella。　　The　next　moment　Sleepy…

head　was　crawling　underneath　the　friendly

shelter。　　He　fixed　himself　up　as　snugly　as　he

could；　with　his　little　nose　upon　his　paws　and　his

little　tail　curled　round　all；　and　before　you　could

count　six；　eight；　ten；　twenty；　he　was　fast　asleep。



Now　it　happened　that　Sleepy…head　was　not

the　only　creature　that　was　caught　by　the　rain

that　morning　in　the　wood。　　A　little　elf　had

been　flitting　about　in　search　of　fun　or　mischief；

and　he；　too；　had　got　far　from　home　when　the

raindrops　began　to　come　pattering　through　the

leafy　roof　of　the　beautiful　wood。　　It　would　never

do　to　get　his　pretty　wings　wet；　for　he　hated　to

walkit　was　such　slow　work　and；　besides；　he

might　meet　some　big　wretched　animal　that　could

run　faster　than　himself。　　However；　he　w