King Canute on the Seashore

This beautiful book is a set of 50 short easy to read stories with slightly historical value based on fairy tales, the fables or the myths. The moral of the King Canute story is that wise man , like King Canute was, knows that there is only One King and no one is higher.

"“Sea,” cried Canute, “I command you to come no farther! Waves, stop your rolling, and do not dare to touch my feet!” But the tide came in, just as it always did. The water rose higher and higher. It came up around the king’s chair, and wet not only his feet, but also his robe. His officers stood about him, alarmed, and wondering whether he was not mad. Then Canute took off his crown, and threw it down upon the sand. “I shall never wear it again,” he said. “And do you, my men, learn a lesson from what you have seen. There is only one King who is all-powerful; and it is he who rules the sea, and holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand. It is he whom you ought to praise and serve above all others.”"

James Baldwin, "Fifty Famous Stories Retold", 3.15

Comments

The Bell of Atri

This story teach reader to be responsible to their pets, and remind someone that animals also could sometimes ring into bell of justice. "One hot afternoon, when no one was upon the street, the horse chanced to wander into the market place. Not a man nor child was there, for the heat of the sun had driven them all indoors. The gates were wide open; the poor beast could roam where he pleased. He saw the grapevine rope that hung from the bell of justice. The leaves and tendrils upon it were still fresh and green, for it had not been there long. What a fine dinner they would be for a starving horse! He stretched his thin neck, and took one of the tempting morsels in his mouth. It was hard to break it from the vine. He pulled at it, and the great bell above him began to ring. All the people in Atri heard it. It seemed to say,— “Some one has done me wrong! Some one has done me wrong! Oh! come and judge my case! Oh! come and judge my case! For I’ve been wronged!” The judges ...

Bruce and the Spider

This short and nice story explains that any episode of our life teaches us and provide us with hope and solution. "“Poor thing!” said Bruce: “you, too, know what it is to fail.” But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure. With still more care, she made ready to try for the seventh time. Bruce almost forgot his own troubles as he watched her swing herself out upon the slender line. Would she fail again? No! The thread was carried safely to the beam, and fastened there. “I, too, will try a seventh time!” cried Bruce." James Baldwin, "Fifty Famous Stories Retold", 8.5

Horatius at the bridge

Great story about a man who saved Rome "He leaped into the deep, swift stream. He still had his heavy armor on; and when he sank out of sight, no one thought that he would ever be seen again. But he was a strong man, and the best swimmer in Rome. The next minute he rose. He was halfway across the river, and safe from the spears and darts which Porsena’s soldiers hurled after him. Soon he reached the farther side, where his friends stood ready to help him. Shout after shout greeted him as he climbed upon the bank. Then Porsena’s men shouted also, for they had never seen a man so brave and strong as Horatius. He had kept them out of Rome, but he had done a deed which they could not help but praise. As for the Romans, they were very grateful to Horatius for having saved their city. They called him Horatius Co´cles, which meant the “one-eyed Horatius,” because he had lost an eye in defending the bridge; they caused a fine statue of brass to be made in his honor; and they gav...

WholeReader. One month study class

Search This Blog