THE FAMOUS FREE-LANCE

NORA PERRY

The pages of history teem with thrilling adventure. Five or six centuries ago in Europe a king owed his power largely to the devoted valor of his knights and nobles, whose trusty spears were pledged to uphold the kingdom. A free-lance in those days was a knight who kept himself free of allegiance to any monarch and thus could roam at will, fighting where he would. Bertrand Du Guesclin was the most famous free-lance of the fourteenth century.

Procedures. Divide the class into three groups, to read for the following purposes:

(a) To find the main events in Du Guesclin's life.

(b) To find the characteristics that made Du Guesclin famous.
(c) To see how he would compare with modern heroes.

F

IVE centuries and more ago,

When English Edward at Bordeaux
Flung back upon the proud French king
His bold reply of threatening
To the imperious French demand,
He little recked that all the land
At sound of the usurper's threat
Would then and there forswear, forget,
Their wild contentions, and unite
For France alone in his despite.

But from his vantage-ground the king
Said to his heralds, "Go and bring
My Breton soldier to me here,
Bertrand Du Guesclin; who is dear
To every loyal heart in France;
Go bring him here, my bold free-lance."

And when he came, this Breton chief,
Whose sword had won broad lands in fief
Throughout the valley of the Seine,
Restored to France her own again,
The king, amidst his nobles there,
Turned with a smiling, gracious air

Of gracious greeting to Bertrand,
And said, "Du Guesclin, from my hand
I pray you take my royal sword,
And 'gainst the usurper's ruffian horde
Fight for your king, my brave free-lance,
Henceforth as Constable of France."
Red rose the blood of swift surprise
To Bertrand's cheek. "Ah, sire!" he cries,
"I am not fit, a rough free-lance,
Above these gentlemen of France

To take my rank." But, as he spoke,
From all the assembled throng there broke
A hearty cheer for Lord Bertrand,

The chosen soldier of the land!

So, sped alike by prince and king,
He put aside his faltering,

This modest Breton chief, whose name
Already rang with warlike fame;

And buckling on his sovereign's sword,
Rode forth against the invading horde,
With fifty thousand men-at-lance,
The flower and chivalry of France.
All Europe rang with his renown
When, conquering hero, he rode down
To storm and take the rebel band
That held Auvergne's fair border-land.
High beat the French king's heart with pride.
"What may not France become," he cried,
"With brave Du Guesclin for my sword

Against the whole usurping horde!"
Ev'n as he spoke, with eyes that glowed,
Into the palace court-yard rode
A breathless herald for the king.

"What news," the king cried, "do you bring Of fair Auvergne?" "Tis ours, my liege." "Ha, ha!" the king laughed; "and the siege,

How sped the siege?" "The siege sped well.”
"And Lord Bertrand?" "O sire, he fell
When all was won, and at the gate

Is lying now in mournful state.

His last words, sire, to those who bent
Above his couch, before he went,
'Remember, comrades, when you stand
A hostile force in any land,

Bertrand Du Guesclin, the free-lance.""

Further reading. "Chivalry." Compton's Pictured Encyclopædia, vol. 2, pp. 753-54.

Newbolt, Sir Henry. Book of the Happy Warrior, pp. 110-44. Longmans. "A book of chivalry telling of deeds of fighting men.'

Lanier, H. W. The Book of Bravery. Scribner.

Composition subjects. Select from the following:

My Favorite Hero in History (why I consider him great).
Instances of Heroism in Other Lines than Military Life.
Opportunities for Heroism in Everyday Life.

CHINESE LYRICS

Translated by HELEN WADDELL

On the next page you will find two poems from Chinese literature. One was written over 2500 years ago, before Greece rose to power as a civilization. The other shows that blossom-time is the same the world - whether it is here in America or in far-distant China.

over

Procedures. Divide the following among the class:

(a) Which poem shows resourcefulness? How?

(b) What phases of Chinese life are reflected?

(c) Find points of similarity and contrast with modern life.

"Is there anything whereof it may be said, 'See, this is new? It hath already been of old time, which was before us.'"

1

I

WOULD have gone to my lord in his need,

Have galloped there all the way,

But this is a matter concerns the State

And I, being a woman, must stay.

I watched them leaving the palace yard,
In carriage and robe of state.

I would have gone by the hills and the fords;
I know they will come too late.

I may walk in the garden and gather
Lilies of mother-of-pearl.

I had a plan would have saved the State,-
But mine are the thoughts of a girl.

The Elder Statesmen sit on the mats,

And wrangle through half the day;

A hundred plans they have drafted and dropped,
And mine was the only way.

Further reading. "Ancient China, Vast and Strange," Compton's Pictured Encyclopædia, vol. 2, pp. 739-52.

Magazine articles. "In the Land of Kublai Khan” (pictures of Mongolia), National Geographic Magazine, May, 1922, pp. 465-72.

"A Thousand Miles Along the Great Wall of China," National Geographic Magazine, February, 1923, pp. 113-43.

66

'Experiences of a Lone Geographer," National Geographic Magazine, September, 1925, pp. 331-47.

THE FOOL'S PRAYER

EDWARD ROWLAND SILL

When you go adventuring through the realms of history, you are sure to meet the Court Fool, dressed in his vari-colored costume with jingling bells. He was often one of the wisest of men, but his job was to attend the king and enliven the time with merry jest or shrewd wit. Procedures. Select one of these for your first reading; then read again for the other purposes.

1

2

(a) Read to explain the different thoughts in the Fool's prayer.
(b) Read to discover the contrasts.

(c) Read to find how the different characters showed greatness.

HE royal feast was done; the King

TH

Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool,

Kneel down, and make for us a prayer!"

The jester doffed his cap and bells,

And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the monarch's silken stool;
His pleading voice arose: "O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin; but, Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"Tis not by guilt the onward sweep

Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay; 'Tis by our follies that so long

We hold the earth from heaven away.