Jane Eayre Fryer

“ Now, had not the good knight, Sir Galahad, happened by adventure in those parts, they would have killed or captured Sir Percival instantly. But when he saw so many knights attacking one man, he cried, “Spare that knight’s life!”
With that he charged the twenty men at arms as fast as his horse might drive with spear in rest, and hurled the foremost horse and man to the ground. When his spear was broken he seized his sword and struck out right and left, so that it was a marvel to see. ”

“ Even the leaves seem to sing on the trees, the earth is so beautiful and gay. But the castle stands encircled by its high walls and deep ditch full of water, proud, haughty and forbidding, untouched by the loveliness round about it.
The drawbridge drops over the water with a surly clang, and through the dark arch across the bridge springs a charger, bearing Sir Launfal, dressed in his gilded armor which gleams brightly in the sun. He is setting forth wherever adventure may lead him in quest of the Holy Grail. ”

“ Here stood Camelot Castle, with its high towers and great jousting field in the meadow by the river, where the knights held their tournaments and performed their feats of arms.
At these times all the brave knights of Christendom flocked to Camelot, and the bravest were chosen to sit at the Round Table, where they feasted, told their adventures, and planned new deeds of valor. Here King Arthur would charge them to commit no murder, outrage, or treason; also to be courteous and never to refuse mercy; always to defend women and children on pain of death ”

“ As it was, he stood in the cold water up to his shoulders, clinging still to the rope, holding the teapot with one hand, and wildly vociferating to his admiring audience whose heads hung over the well-curb, and their faces, as seen in this position by Tom, looked like those of grinning fiends.
“What made you let go?” roared Tom, and his voice sounded hollow and unnatural as it resounded from the depths of his cool and shady retreat.
“Oh, Tom, have you got it? Have you really? Ain’t it cold? Are you hurt? Were you scared? Is the teapot broken?” ”

“ He sinks down by the gate and his mind wanders. He sees again the scenes of the desert, the camels as they pass over the hot sands, the vain search of the caravan for water, and then the slender necklace of grass about the little spring as it leaps and laughs in the shade.
Suddenly he hears a voice. “For Christ’s sweet sake I beg an alms.”
Sir Launfal is startled and looks around him. There at his side he sees the leper cowering, more wretched, more miserable, more loathsome than before. But he does not look at him in scorn this time. ”

“ Even as she spoke, every door and window of the castle opened and the Story People appeared.
“Thank you all! Thank you forever—and—ever! Thank you for all the girls and boys in the world!” cried Mary Frances.
“Have you your stories?” called the Story King.
“Yes, I have them here!” said Mary Frances, holding up her story satchel.
“When you want more, come again, dear child,” called the Story Queen.
“Oh, yes, come again!” called all the Story People. “For we love you! The Story People love all children. Take our love to all you can, and good-by! Good-by! Good-by!” ”

“ Now you may say what you choose about courage, but that is not a nice thing to see. But, as the men who were not killed picked themselves up, and as they and the surgeon’s people were carrying off the bodies, there appeared Nolan, in his shirt sleeves, with the rammer in his hand, and, just as if he had been the officer, told them off with authority—who should go to the cock-pit with the wounded men, who should stay with him—perfectly cheery, and with that way which makes men feel sure all is right and is going to be right. ”

“ Mary Frances, to her astonishment, saw great showers of electric sparks coming from the cat’s body.
“You look like a sparkler on the Fourth of July, Cat,” she said.
“Oh, isn’t that fine!” said the cat. “You see, it’s this way—the nearer we get to the story, the more sparklier my fur gets.”
“So we must be quite near,” said Mary Frances; “for I don’t see how you could get much more sparklier.”
“I forgot to tell you,” said the cat, “that after we find the story, the dolphin’s power to keep the pirate away is gone. We’ll have to race like a rocket to beat his boat.” ”

“ The knights went with him down to the river and saw there a stone of red marble floating, like a great millstone, and in the middle was stuck a beautiful sword, in the handle of which were words formed of precious stones set in gold, which said:
“Never shall man draw me out, save the one by whose side I ought to hang, and he shall be the best knight of the world.”
When the king read the letters, he said to Sir Launcelot, “Fair sir, this sword ought to be yours; for I am sure you are the best knight of the world.” ”

“ This island was the “enchanted island” of the good story-tellers which Mary Frances was allowed to visit. The story people who lived there believed in truth and beauty, and courage and kindness, and these were the theme of their stories. Like all good islands, this island had enemies, but they came to a bad end, as, in the long run, all evil persons will; and truth and beauty, and courage and kindness won the day, as they always must in every land where the searchlight of the sun flashes its beams. ”

“ Then the little girl saw a dolphin sitting on the top rail of the fence, holding on with one fin.
“Oh!” she cried, “do you really know where the ‘enchanted island’ is? Will you tell me how to get there?”
16 “That I will!” said the dolphin. “That I will, if you’ll get me a little of my element first.”
“What is that?” asked Mary Frances.
“Why, you couldn’t live without yours for one minute! I’ll die if I don’t get some soon!”
“Oh, dear, what can it be? Whatever in the world is your element? I don’t want you to die!”
“Be quick!” cried the dolphin, fanning himself with the other fin. ”

“ Then he laid aside his arms and said to his squire, “Hang these idle weapons upon the walls and let the spiders weave their webs about them. Whoever would find the Holy Grail must wear another sort of armor—the armor of unselfish kindness.”
Now, the castle gates stand wide open and those in need are as welcome there as the birds in the elm-tree’s branches. No matter what the weather outside, it is summer in the castle the year round, for hearts are happy in giving and sharing the great blessings there bestowed; and the happiest of all is the good knight himself. ”

“ That you think so little of all the kind actions which are the ornament of your life, assures me of the purity of your motives; for it is our duty to forget the good we do to others, and to remember only the good that others do to us. You have always done so, my dear Patty.
“To reward you, I will place a spell upon your pitcher, which will always be full of water or milk, as you may desire. It will also be able to move and work whenever you wish it, and will always prove your firm friend in any trouble. ”

“ Better the truth than to deceive so true and kind a person as my queen.”
“I warn you,” replied Herlo, “that if I once take off the magic mask, you can never have it replaced. Think carefully before I remove it.”
“Yes,” said the king, “I know, and I have weighed the question carefully. It is better to be my own true self than to live behind a false face. Better that the queen should despise me than to live under false pretenses and have her love when unworthy.”
So the enchanter took off the mask, and bade the king good-speed. ”

“ Tiny laughed so that the woods echoed, and no wonder she did—for just at her feet lay the tiniest little bit of a town with real houses, no bigger than bird-houses; real people, too, not much taller than pins; real street-lamps no bigger than pencils; real carts no bigger than peanuts; real horses no bigger than katydids. ”

“ During a lull in the conversation, Mary Frances asked the King, “Won’t you tell me where all the stories come from?”
“With pleasure,” he replied. “They come from all countries. The world is full of people who are doing brave and noble deeds, and when we hear of such deeds, we have them written down and pass them on.”
“Of course,” he added, “there are other people who are doing cowardly and selfish things, but we don’t bother with them, except to punish them as we did the pirate. We see to it that no good story is ever lost; that is why we were so concerned about the lost story.” ”

“ The knights of the Round Table wondered greatly at Sir Galahad, because he was so youthful, and because he dared to sit in the Perilous Seat; and they did not know where he was from, save from God, and they said, “This is he by whom the Holy Grail shall be achieved, for no man ever before sat there unhurt.”
Sir Launcelot looked at his son with great joy, and Sir Bors said to his comrades, “Upon pain of my life, this young knight shall come to great honor.”
There was so much noise in the hall that the queen heard it, and she had a great desire to see the knight who dared such an adventure. ”

“ Then suddenly all the carrots that were lying about sprang up, and those that were in the duck-pond sprang out of it. They were joined by those in the gardens near, and they came trooping along like an army. They could walk as well in the air as on the ground; and they whirled around Linda and pulled her hair and pinched her arms, till she cried aloud for mercy.
“Ho! ho! ho! only see
What it is our foe to be,” shouted the carrots, as they twirled up and down and round and round. ”

“ The late hour at which the guest had arrived left no time for talk. The stranger attempted again to tell his sad news, but the baron would not listen, and immediately led the way to the untasted banquet.
The feast was served in the great hall of the castle. Around the walls hung the portraits of the bride’s ancestors, and the horns and tusks of animals they had killed in the hunt. Armor and spears, and torn banners hung next to jaws of wolves and tusks of boars, and spears and battle axes. A large pair of antlers hung just over the head of the youthful bridegroom. ”

“ Her mother was very sorry to see that Linda was selfish, and used to talk very seriously to her about it, and to tell her that no one would love her if she did not mend her ways.
But Linda did not care, and she did not believe what her mother said.
“You will always love me, Mother,” said she.
“Perhaps so,” said her mother; “but then you are my own little girl, and it is my duty to take care of you. Besides, I shall be very sorry for you, because you will be very unhappy. But no one else will care for you. Every one will dislike you because you are selfish—every one in the world.” ”

“ Sir Launcelot looked at the young squire and thought that, for his age, he had never seen so fine a man.
“Is this your own desire?” he asked.
“Yes,” replied his son.
“Then you shall receive the high order of knighthood to-morrow,” said Sir Launcelot.
Early in the morning at Galahad’s desire he made him a knight, and said, “God make him a good man, for he is as handsome as any man that lives.” This he did in the presence of his two cousins and the ladies of the abbey.
“Now, fair sir,” said he, “will you come with me to the court of King Arthur?” ”

“ This made him very eager to try his fortune; so he vowed that some day he too would set out in quest of the Holy Grail.
Now, Sir Launfal lived in a cold gray castle in the North Country, whose gates were never opened save to knights or ladies of high degree, who were as proud and haughty as himself.
One beautiful June day, Sir Launfal was in the happy mood which often comes to people after the passing of a cold, bleak winter; a day when it seems easy for the grass to be green, the sky to be blue, and the heart to be brave. ”

“ She knew him in a minute.
“Where did the giant take the old witch, do you think, Peter Pan?” she asked.
“To the Devil’s Den,” said Peter. “I saw them go.”
“To the Devil’s Den!” cried Mary Frances. “How dreadful!”
“It’s not such a bad place,” said Peter. “It is just a deep cave. It is lighted from a large opening in the top. Its name is the worst thing about it; but the old witch cannot get out of it if they lock her in.” ”