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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 against the first。
〃Thy reward；〃 said the nextand the next
and the nextand the next； every man wore
his shield on his left arm。
So Tarpeia lay buried beneath the reward
she had claimed； and the Sabines marched past
her dead body； into the city she had betrayed。
THE BUCKWHEAT＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen。
Down by the river were fields of barley and
rye and golden oats。 Wheat grew there； too；
and the heaviest and richest ears bent lowest；
in humility。 Opposite the corn was a field of
buckwheat； but the buckwheat never bent； it
held its head proud and stiff on the stem。
The wise old willow…tree by the river looked
down on the fields； and thought his thoughts。
One day a dreadful storm came。 The field…
flowers folded their leaves together； and bowed
their heads。 But the buckwheat stood straight
and proud。
〃Bend your head； as we do；〃 called the field…
flowers。
〃I have no need to；〃 said the buckwheat。
〃Bend your head； as we do！〃 warned the
golden wheat…ears； 〃the angel of the storm is
coming； he will strike you down。〃
〃I will not bend my head；〃 said the buckwheat。
Then the old willow…tree spoke： 〃Close your
flowers and bend your leaves。 Do not look at
the lightning when the cloud bursts。 Even men
cannot do that； the sight of heaven would strike
them blind。 Much less can we who are so
inferior to them！〃
〃‘Inferior；' indeed！〃 said the buckwheat。
〃Now I WILL look！〃 And he looked straight
up； while the lightning flashed across the sky。
When the dreadful storm had passed； the
flowers and the wheat raised their drooping
heads； clean and refreshed in the pure； sweet
air。 The willow…tree shook the gentle drops
from its leaves。
But the buckwheat lay like a weed in the
field； scorched black by the lightning。
THE JUDGMENT OF MIDAS＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from Old Greek Folk…Stories； by Josephine Preston
Peabody。 （Harrap & Co。 9d。）
The Greek God Pan； the god of the open air；
was a great musician。 He played on a pipe of
reeds。 And the sound of his reed…pipe was so
sweet that he grew proud； and believed himself
greater than the chief musician of the gods；
Apollo； the son…god。 So he challenged great
Apollo to make better music than he。
Apollo consented to the test； for he wished to
punish Pan's vanity； and they chose the mountain
Tmolus for judge； since no one is so old and
wise as the hills。
When Pan and Apollo came before Tmolus；
to play； their followers came with them； to hear；
and one of those who came with Pan was a
mortal named Midas。
First Pan played； he blew on his reed…pipe；
and out came a tune so wild and yet so coaxing
that the birds hopped from the trees to get near；
the squirrels came running from their holes；
and the very trees swayed as if they wanted to
dance。 The fauns laughed aloud for joy