Story Hour Readings: Seventh Year Part 51

3. Where does the interest in the story begin suddenly to increase? How does Scott make the situation exciting?

4. Describe the combat between Bois-Guilbert and the Disinherited Knight. Why did they not fight to a finish? What makes you think they do before the novel is finished? Tell of the succeeding combats in turn.

5. As you have probably guessed, the Disinherited Knight is Ivanhoe. Did anybody present recognize him? How do you think Prince John felt at the outcome?

6. _Gare le Corbeau_ means "Look out for the raven," a boast that the ravens would pick the bones of Brian's enemies. _Cave, adsum_ means "Beware, I am here." Select a list of ten other words or phrases for your cla.s.smates to explain.

7. Report either on Scott's life and writings or on another chapter from _Ivanhoe_.

THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM

The Bible serves, first, as a great religious teacher. Second, it stands as a model of literature whose greatness is everywhere acknowledged. Men like John Bunyan and Abraham Lincoln learned to write their beautiful prose through their close, continued reading of the Scriptures. No finer poetry exists than the Psalms of David, among which the following is a favorite.

The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 5

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup 10 runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

--_The Bible._

1. This psalm should be among your collection of memory gems. Repeat it aloud in unison with the other members of your cla.s.s. Why does it especially lend itself to being spoken?

2. Palestine is a semiarid country. Why should David make the reference to "green pastures" and "still waters"? Why is there no mention of running brooks and woods?

3. What is your understanding of lines 9-11?

4. What does David mean to convey to his hearers in this psalm?

DOUBTING CASTLE

BY JOHN BUNYAN

Books are like men: great ones are rare.

Occasionally a book is written that affects the thinking of people for centuries. To this cla.s.s belongs John Bunyan's _Pilgrim's Progress_, published 1678-1684.

It is the story of the journey of a man named Christian the Pilgrim, who travels from the City of Destruction to the Holy City. On this journey Christian is beset by all manner of terrors, temptations, and evils. The story is an allegory, portraying life and its struggles if one attempts to live righteously. Its language is that of the Bible. Its dialogue and characters seem real, and its narrative is full of action.

Now I beheld in my dream that Christian and Hopeful had not journeyed far until they came where the river and the way parted, at which they were not a little sorry; yet they durst not go out of the way. Now the way from the river was rough, and their feet tender 5 by reason of their travel; so the souls of the pilgrims were much discouraged because of the way. Wherefore, still as they went on, they wished for a better way.

Now, a little before them, there was on the left hand of the road a meadow, and a stile to go over into it; and that 10 meadow is called Bypath Meadow. Then said Christian to his fellow, "If this meadow lieth along by our wayside, let us go over into it." Then he went to the stile to see, and behold a path lay along by the way on the other side of the fence. 15

"'Tis according to my wish," said Christian; "here is the easiest going; come, good Hopeful, and let us go over."

"But how if this path should lead us out of the way?"

"That is not likely," said the other. "Look, doth it not go along by the wayside?"

So Hopeful, being persuaded by his fellow, went after him over the stile. When they were gone over, and were 5 got into the path, they found it very easy for their feet; and withal they, looking before them, espied a man walking as they did, and his name was Vain-Confidence: so they called after him, and asked him whither that way led. 10

He said, "To the Celestial Gate."

"Look," said Christian, "did not I tell you so? By this you may see we are right."

So they followed, and he went before them. But, behold, the night came on, and it grew very dark; so that 15 they who were behind lost sight of him that went before.

He, therefore, that went before--Vain-Confidence by name--not seeing the way before him, fell into a deep pit and was dashed in pieces with his fall.

Now Christian and his fellow heard him fall; so they 20 called to know the matter. But there was no answer, only they heard a groan.

Then said Hopeful, "Where are we now?"

Then was his fellow silent, as mistrusting that he had led him out of the way; and now it began to rain and 25 thunder and lightning in a most dreadful manner, and the water rose amain, by reason of which the way of going back was very dangerous.

Yet they adventured to go back; but it was so dark and the flood so high, that in their going back they had 30 like to have been drowned nine or ten times. Neither could they, with all the skill they had, get back again to the stile that night. Wherefore, at last lighting under a little shelter, they sat down there until daybreak. But being weary, they fell asleep.

Now there was, not far from the place where they lay, a castle, called Doubting Castle, the owner whereof was 5 Giant Despair; and it was in his grounds they now were sleeping. Wherefore he, getting up in the morning early, and walking up and down in his fields, caught Christian and Hopeful asleep in his grounds. Then with a grim and surly voice he bid them awake, and asked them whence 10 they were and what they did in his grounds.

They told him they were pilgrims, and that they had lost their way.

Then said the giant, "You have this night trespa.s.sed on me, by trampling in and lying on my grounds, and therefore 15 you must go along with me."

So they were forced to go, because he was stronger than they. They also had but little to say, for they knew themselves in a fault. The giant, therefore, drove them before him and put them into his castle, in a very 20 dark dungeon.

Here, then, they lay from Wednesday morning till Sat.u.r.day night, without one bit of bread, or drop of drink, or light, or any to ask how they did: they were, therefore, here in evil case, and were far from friends and acquaintance. 25

Now Giant Despair had a wife, and her name was Diffidence.

So, when he was gone to bed, he told his wife that he had taken a couple of prisoners, and had cast them into his dungeon for trespa.s.sing on his grounds. Then he asked her also what he had best do to them. So she asked him 30 what they were, whence they came, and whither they were bound; and he told her. Then she counseled him that when he arose in the morning he should beat them without mercy.

So when he arose, he getteth him a grievous crab-tree cudgel, and goes into the dungeon to them, and there first 5 falls to rating of them as if they were dogs, although they never gave him an unpleasant word. Then he fell upon them and beat them fearfully, in such sort that they were not able to help themselves or to turn them upon the floor.

This done he withdraws and leaves them there to condole 10 their misery and to mourn under their distress. So all that day they spent their time in nothing but sighs and bitter lamentations.

The next night she, talking with her husband further about them, and understanding that they were yet alive, 15 did advise him to counsel them to make away with themselves.