stories to tell to children-第32章

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hair　was　golden　as　the　sun　itself；　and　her　eyes

as　blue　as　the　flower　that　grows　in　the　corn。



The　prince　fell　on　his　knees　before　her。　　But

she　gave　him　her　hand　and　made　him　rise。



〃You　kissed　me　when　I　was　an　old　woman；〃

said　the　princess；　〃I'll　kiss　you　now　that　I　am

a　young　princess。〃　　And　she　did。



And　then　she　turned　her　face　toward　the

dawn。



〃Dear　Prince；〃　she　said；　〃is　that　the　sun？〃







THE　SAILOR　MAN＇1＇



＇1＇　From　The　Golden　Windows；　by　Laura　E。　Richards。

（H。　R。　Allenson　Ltd。　2s。　6d。　net。）





Once　upon　a　time；　two　children　came　to　the

house　of　a　sailor　man；　who　lived　beside　the

salt　sea；　and　they　found　the　sailor　man　sitting

in　his　doorway　knotting　ropes。



〃How　do　you　do？〃　asked　the　sailor　man。



〃We　are　very　well；　thank　you；〃　said　the

children；　who　had　learned　manners；　〃and　we

hope　you　are　the　same。　　We　heard　that　you

had　a　boat；　and　we　thought　that　perhaps　you

would　take　us　out　in　her；　and　teach　us　how　to

sail；　for　that　is　what　we　most　wish　to　know。〃



〃All　in　good　time；〃　said　the　sailor　man。　　〃I

am　busy　now；　but　by…and…by；　when　my　work

is　done；　I　may　perhaps　take　one　of　you　if　you

are　ready　to　learn。　　Meantime　here　are　some

ropes　that　need　knotting；　you　might　be　doing

that；　since　it　has　to　be　done。〃　　And　he　showed

them　how　the　knots　should　be　tied；　and　went

away　and　left　them。



When　he　was　gone　the　first　child　ran　to　the

window　and　looked　out。



〃There　is　the　sea；〃　he　said。　　〃The　waves

come　up　on　the　beach；　almost　to　the　door　of

the　house。　　They　run　up　all　white；　like　prancing

horses；　and　then　they　go　dragging　back。　　Come

and　look！〃



〃I　cannot；〃　said　the　second　child。　　〃I　am

tying　a　knot。〃



〃Oh！〃　cried　the　first　child；　〃I　see　the　boat。

She　is　dancing　like　a　lady　at　a　ball；　I　never

saw　such　a　beauty。　　Come　and　look！〃



〃I　cannot；〃　said　the　second　child。　　〃I　am

tying　a　knot。〃



〃I　shall　have　a　delightful　sail　in　that　boat；〃

said　the　first　child。　　〃I　expect　that　the　sailor

man　will　take　me；　because　I　am　the　eldest　and

I　know　more　about　it。　　There　was　no　need　of

my　watching　when　he　showed　you　the　knots；

because　I　knew　how　already。〃



Just　then　the　sailor　man　came　in。



〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃my　work　is　over。　　What

have　you　been　doing　in　the　meantime？〃



〃I　have　been　looking　at　the　boat；〃　said　the

first　child。　　〃What　a　beauty　she　is！　　I　shall

have　the　best　time　in　her　that　ever　I　had　in

my　life。〃



〃I　have　been　tying　knots；〃　said　the　second

child。



〃Come；　then；〃　said　the　sailor　man；　and　he

held　out　his　hand　to　the　second　child。　　〃I　will

take　you　out　in　the　boat；　and　teach　you　to　sail

her。〃



〃But　I　am　the　eldest；〃　cried　the　first　child；

〃and　I　know　a　great　deal　more　than　she　does。〃



〃That　may　be；〃　said　the　sailor　man；　〃but

a　person　must　learn　to　tie　a　knot　before　he　can

learn　to　sail　a　boat。〃



〃But　I　have　learned　to　tie　a　knot；〃　cried　the

child。　　〃I　know　all　about　it！〃



〃How　can　I　tell　that？〃　asked　the　sailor　man。







THE　STORY　OF　JAIRUS'S　DAUGHTER＇1＇



＇1＇　This　should　usually　be　prefaced　by　a　brief　statement

of　Jesus　habit　of　healing　and　comforting　all　with　whom　He

came　in　close　contact。　　The　exact　form　of　the　preface　must

depend　on　how　much　of　His　life　has　already　been　given　in

stories。





Once；　while　Jesus　was　journeying　about；　He

passed　near　a　town　where　a　man　named　Jairus

lived。　　This　man　was　a　ruler　in　the　synagogue；

and　he　had　just　one　little　daughter　about　twelve

years　of　age。　　At　the　time　that　Jesus　was　there

the　little　daughter　was　very　sick；　and　at　last

she　lay　a…dying。



Her　father　heard　that　there　was　a　wonderful

man　near　the　town；　who　was　healing　sick　people

whom　no　one　else　could　help；　and　in　his　despair

he　ran　out　into　the　streets　to　search　for　Him。

He　found　Jesus　walking　in　the　midst　of　a

crowd　of　people；　and　when　he　saw　Him　he　fell

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；