how to tell stories to children-第26部分

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over　his　eyes；　and　settled　himself　for　a　nap。　　〃It　will　go　all　the　better　for　a　little　rest；〃　he　said。

That　WAS　a　sleep！　　He　slept　like　the　seven　sleepers；　and　he　dreamed　the　most　beautiful　things　you　could　imagine。　　At　last；　he　dreamed　that　he　had　entered　the　castle　of　fortune　and　was　being　received　with　great　festivities。　　Everything　he　wanted　was　　brought　to　him；　and　music　played　while　fireworks　were　set　off　in　his　honor。　　The　music　was　so　loud　that　he　awoke。　　He　sat　up；　rubbing　his　eyes；　and　behold；　the　fireworks　were　the　very　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun；　and　the　music　was　the　voice　of　the　other　traveler；　passing　the　grove　on　foot！

〃Time　to　be　off；〃　said　the　lazy　man；　and　looked　about　him　for　the　pretty　horse。　No　horse　was　to　be　found。　　The　only　living　thing　near　was　an　old；　bony；　gray　donkey。　The　man　called；　and　whistled；　and　looked；　but　no　little　horse　appeared。　　After　a　long　while　he　gave　it　up；　and；　since　there　was　nothing　better　to　do；　he　mounted　the　old　gray　donkey　and　set　out　again。

The　donkey　was　slow；　and　he　was　hard　to　ride；　but　he　was　better　than　nothing；　and　gradually　the　lazy　man　saw　the　towers　of　the　castle　draw　nearer。

Now　it　began　to　grow　dark；　in　the　castle　windows　the　lights　began　to　show。　　Then　came　trouble！　　Slower；　and　slower；　went　the　gray　donkey；　slower；　and　slower；　till；　in　the　very　middle　of　a　pitch…black　wood；　he　stopped　and　stood　still。　　Not　a　step　would　　he　budge　for　all　the　coaxing　and　scolding　and　beating　his　rider　could　give。　　At　last　the　rider　kicked　him；　as　well　as　beat　him；　and　at　that　the　donkey　felt　that　he　had　had　enough。　　Up　went　his　hind　heels；　and　down　went　his　head；　and　over　it　went　the　lazy　man　on　to　the　stony　ground。

There　he　lay　groaning　for　many　minutes；　for　it　was　not　a　soft　place；　I　can　assure　you。　　How　he　wished　he　were　in　a　soft；　warm　bed；　with　his　aching　bones　comfortable　in　blankets！　　The　very　thought　of　it　made　him　remember　the　castle　of　fortune；　for　he　knew　there　must　be　fine　beds　there。　　To　get　to　those　beds　he　was　even　willing　to　bestir　his　bruised　limbs；　so　he　sat　up　and　felt　about　him　for　the　donkey。

No　donkey　was　to　be　found。

The　lazy　man　crept　round　and　round　the　spot　where　he　had　fallen；　scratched　his　hands　on　the　stumps；　tore　his　face　in　the　briers；　and　bumped　his　knees　on　the　stones。　But　no　donkey　was　there。　　He　would　have　lain　down　to　sleep　again；　but　he　could　hear　now　the　howls　of　hungry　wolves　in　the　woods；　that　did　not　sound　pleasant。　Finally；　his　hand　struck　against　　something　that　felt　like　a　saddle。　　He　grasped　it；　thankfully；　and　started　to　mount　his　donkey。

The　beast　he　took　hold　of　seemed　very　small；　and；　as　he　mounted；　he　felt　that　its　sides　were　moist　and　slimy。　　It　gave　him　a　shudder；　and　he　hesitated；　but　at　that　moment　he　heard　a　distant　clock　strike。　It　was　striking　eleven！　　There　was　still　time　to　reach　the　castle　of　fortune；　but　no　more　than　enough；　so　he　mounted　his　new　steed　and　rode　on　once　more。　　The　animal　was　easier　to　sit　on　than　the　donkey；　and　the　saddle　seemed　remarkably　high　behind；　it　was　good　to　lean　against。　　But　even　the　donkey　was　not　so　slow　as　this；　the　new　steed　was　slower　than　he。　　After　a　while；　however；　he　pushed　his　way　out　of　the　woods　into　the　open；　and　there　stood　the　castle；　only　a　little　way　ahead！　　All　its　windows　were　ablaze　with　lights。　　A　ray　from　them　fell　on　the　lazy　man's　beast；　and　he　saw　what　he　was　riding：　it　was　a　gigantic　snail！　a　snail　as　large　as　a　calf！

A　cold　shudder　ran　over　the　lazy　man's　body；　and　he　would　have　got　off　his　horrid　animal　then　and　there；　but　just　then　the　clock　struck　once　more。　　It　was　the　first　of　the　long；　slow　strokes　that　mark　mid…　night！　　The　man　grew　frantic　when　he　heard　it。　　He　drove　his　heels　into　the　snail's　sides；　to　make　him　hurry。　　Instantly；　the　snail　drew　in　his　head；　curled　up　in　his　shell；　and　left　the　lazy　man　sitting　in　a　heap　on　the　ground！

The　clock　struck　twice。　　If　the　man　had　run　for　it；　he　could　still　have　reached　the　castle；　but；　instead；　he　sat　still　and　shouted　for　a　horse。

〃A　beast；　a　beast！〃　he　wailed；　〃any　kind　of　a　beast　that　will　take　me　to　the　castle！〃

The　clock　struck　three　times。　　And　as　it　struck　the　third　note；　something　came　rustling　and　rattling　out　of　the　darkness；　something　that　sounded　like　a　horse　with　harness。　　The　lazy　man　jumped　on　its　back；　a　very　queer；　low　back。　　As　he　mounted；　he　saw　the　doors　of　the　castle　open；　and　saw　his　friend　standing　on　the　threshold；　waving　his　cap　and　beckoning　to　him。

The　clock　struck　four　times；　and　the　new　steed　began　to　stir；　as　it　struck　five；　he　moved　a　pace　forward；　as　it　struck　six；　he　stopped；　as　it　struck　seven；　he　　turned　himself　about；　as　it　struck　eight；　he　began　to　move　backward；　away　from　the　castle！

The　lazy　man　shouted；　and　beat　him；　but　the　beast　went　slowly　backward。　　And　the　clock　struck　nine。　　The　man　tried　to　slide　off；　then；　but　from　all　sides　of　his　strange　animal　great　arms　came　reaching　up　and　held　him　fast。　　And　in　the　next　ray　of　moonlight　that　broke　the　dark　clouds；　he　saw　that　he　was　mounted　on　a　monster　crab！

One　by　one；　the　lights　went　out；　in　the　castle　windows。　　The　clock　struck　ten。　Backward　went　the　crab。　　Eleven！　　Still　the　crab　went　backward。　　The　clock　struck　twelve！　　Then　the　great　doors　shut　with　a　clang；　and　the　castle　of　fortune　was　closed　forever　to　the　lazy　man。

What　became　of　him　and　his　crab　no　one　knows　to　this　day；　and　no　one　cares。　But　the　industrious　man　was　received　by　the　Fairy　of　Fortune；　and　made　happy　in　the　castle　as　long　as　he　wanted　to　stay。　And　ever　afterward　she　was　his　friend；　helping　him　not　only　to　happiness　for　himself；　but　also　showing　him　how　to　help　others；　wherever　he　went。



DAVID　AND　GOLIATH＇1＇

＇1＇　From　the　text　of　the　King　James　version　of　the　Old　Testament；　with　introduction　and　slight　interpolations；　changes　of　order；　and　omissions。


A　long　time　ago；　there　was　a　boy　named　David；　who　lived　in　a　country　far　east　of　this。　　He　was　good　to　look　upon；　for　he　had　fair　hair　and　a　ruddy　skin；　and　he　was　very　strong　and　brave　and　modest。　He　was　shepherd…boy　for　his　father；　and　all　dayoften　all　nighthe　was　out　in　the　fields；　far　from　home；　watching　over　the　sheep。　　He　had　to　guard　them　from　wild　animals；　and　lead　them　to　the　right　pastures；　and　care　for　them。

By　and　by；　war　broke　out　between　the　people　of　David's　country　and　a　people　that　lived　near　at　hand；　these　men　were　called　Philistines；　and　the　people　of　David's　country　were　named　Israel。　　All　the　strong　men　of　Israel　went　up　to　the　battle；　to　fight　for　their　king。　　David's　three　older　brothers　went；　but　he　was　only　a　boy；　so　he　was　left　behind　to　care　for　the　sheep。

After　the　brothers　had　been　gone　some　time；　David's　father　longed　very　much　to　　hear　from　them；　and　to　know　if　they　were　safe；　so　he　sent　for　David；　from　the　fields；　and　said　to　him；　〃Take　now　for　thy　brothers　an　ephah　of　this　parched　corn；　and　these　ten　loaves；　and　run　to　the　camp；　where　thy　brothers　are；　and　carry　these　ten　cheeses　to　the　captain　of　their　thousand；　and　see　how　thy　brothers　fare；　and　bring　me　word　again。〃　　（An　ephah　is　about　three　pecks。）

David　rose　early　in　the　morning；　and　left　the　sheep　with　a　keeper；　and　took　the　corn　and　the　loaves　and　the　cheeses；　as　his　father　had　commanded　him；　and　went　to　the　camp　of　Israel。

The　camp　was　on　a　mountain；　Israel　stood　on　a　mountain　on　the　one　side；　and　the　Philistines　stood　on　a　mountain　on　the　other　side；　and　there　was　a　valley　between　them。　　David　came　to　the　place　where　the　Israelites　were；　just　as　the　host　was　going　forth　to　the　fight；　shouting　for　the　battle。　So　he　left　his　gifts　in　the　hands　of　the　keeper　of　the　baggage；　and　ran　into　the　army；　amongst　the　soldiers；　to　find　his　brothers。　When　he　found　them；　he　saluted　them　and　began　to　talk　with　them。

But　while　he　was　asking　them　the　questions　his　father　had　commanded；　there　arose　a　great　shouting　and　tumult　among　the　Israelites；　and　men　came　running　back　from　the　front　line　of　battle；　everything　became　confusion。　　David　looked　to　see　what　the　trouble　was；　and　he　saw　a　strange　sight：　on　the　hillside　of　the　Philistines；　a　warrior　was　striding　forward；　calling　out　something　in　a　taunting　voice；　he　was　a　gigantic　man；　the　largest　David　had　ever　seen；　and　he　was　all　dressed　in　armor；　that　shone　in　the　sun：　he　had　a　helmet　of　brass　upon　his　head；　and　he　was　armed　with　a　coat　of　mail；　and　he　had　greaves　of　brass　upon　his　legs；　and　a　target　of　brass　between　his　shoulders；　his　spear　was　so　tremendous　that　the　staff　of　it　was　like　a　weaver's　beam；　and　his　shield　so　great　that　a　man　went　before　him；　to　carry　it。

〃Who　is　that？〃　asked　David。

〃It　is　Goliath；　of　Gath；　champion　of　the　Philistines；〃　said　the　soldiers　about。　〃Every　day；　for　forty　days；　he　has　come　forth；　so；　and　challenged　us　to　send　a　man　against　him；　in　single　combat；　and　since　no　one　dares　to　go　out　against　him　alone；　　the　armies　cannot　fight。〃　　（That　was　one　of　the　laws　of　warfare　in　those　times。）

〃What！〃　said　David；　〃does　none　dare　go　out　against　him？〃

As　he　spoke；　the　giant　stood　still；　on　the　hillside　opposite　the　Israelitish　host；　and　shouted　his　challenge；　scornfully。　　He　said；　〃Why　are　ye　come　out　to　set　your　battle　in　array？　　Am　I　not　a　Philistine；　and　ye　servants　of　Saul？　　Choose　you　a　man　for　you；　and　let　him　come　down　to　me。　　If　he　be　able　to　fight　with　me；　and　to　kill　me；　then　will　we　be　your　servants；　but　if　I　prevail　against　him；　and　kill　him；　then　shall　ye　be　our　servants；　and　serve　us。　　I　defy　the　armies　of　Israel　this　day；　give　me　a　man；　that　we　may　fight　together！〃

When　King　Saul　heard　these　words；　he　was　dismayed；　and　all　the　men　of　Israel；　when　they　saw　the　man；　fled　from　him　and　were　sore　afraid。　　David　heard　them　talking　among　themselves；　whispering　and　murmuring。　　They　were　saying；　〃Have　ye　seen　this　man　that　is　come　up？　　Surely　if　any　one　killeth　him　that　man　will　the　king　make　rich；　perhaps　he　will　give　him　　his　daughter　in　marriage；　and　make　his　family　free　in　Israel！〃

David　heard　this；　and　he　asked　the　men　if　it　were　so。　　It　was　surely　so；　they　said。

〃But；〃　said　David；　〃who　is　this　Philistine；　that　he　should　defy　the　armies　of　the　living　God？〃　　And　he　was　stirred　with　anger。

Very　soon；　some　of　the　officers　told　the　king　about　the　youth　who　was　asking　so