When the ship came into port he sent for the sailors and asked them: "Where is Arion? Have you heard anything of him? He is my friend, and I am anxious to have him come back to Corinth."

They said, "We left him well and happy at Taren- 5 tum."

Then Arion stepped forward, dressed just as he was when he threw himself overboard at their command. The sailors fell on their faces. "He is a god," they said. "We killed him, and he is alive."

The king said: "You meant to kill him, but Heaven took care of him. Go, miserable wretches. Arion forgives you, but go to some wild land where nothing beautiful can ever give you pleasure."

QUESTIONS AND HELPS

1. Who was Arion? 2. Why was he so well liked? 3. Why did n't the sailors on the ship like him? 4. What did he ask them to let him do before they killed him? 5. Why did he put on his best clothes? 6. Why was he not afraid? 7. Who did he say would suffer the most, he or the sailors; and why? 8. Why did all the fish gather around Arion and how did he reach the land? 9. Did Arion care more for the gold that he won or for the glory of winning? 10. What did the king of Corinth do to the sailors and how did Arion show his noble nature?

This story is from Mr. Shaw's "Stories of the Ancient Greeks." You will find other Greek stories in the same book.

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lyre (lyre): a musical instrument somewhat like a harp.

chords (chords): two or more musical tones sounded in harmony. shades (shades): spirits of the dead. sea-nymphs (sea-nymfs): sea fairies. dolphin (dol'fín): a large fish. Tarentum (Tå rěn'tŭm): an ancient city in Italy.

wretches (wretch'ès): wicked persons.

A ROMAN LEGEND

There is a legend that once in the market place at Rome the ground suddenly opened. The people were terribly frightened, because the priests told them that the hole would never close until they threw into it the most pre5 cious thing in Rome. They threw in their jewels, their gold, and their silver, but it did not close. They threw in

their armor, their spears, and their shields.

Still it did not

close. At last Marcus Curtius, a noble youth, who was more greatly loved than any one else in Rome, said, "Rome's 10 most precious gift is the brave heart of one of her sons. Here is one who will die for her." With that, he leaped in himself, on horseback and in armor, just as he was. The earth closed over him, and the city was at peace.

ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

AN OLD ENGLISH LEGEND

RETOLD BY HORACE ELISHA SCUDDER

In the country of Libya there was a town called Silene, and near the town was a pond, and this pond was the roving place of a monster dragon. Many times had great armies been sent to slay him, but never had they been able to overcome him. Instead, he had driven them 5 back to the walls of the city.

Whenever this dragon drew near the city walls, his breath was so full of poison that it caused the death of all who were within reach of it; and so, to save the city, it was the custom to throw, each day, two sheep to feed the dragon 10 and satisfy his hunger. So it went on, until not a sheep was left, and not one could be found in the neighborhood.

Then the people took counsel, and they drew lots, and each day a man or a woman and one of their cattle were given to the dragon, so that he might not destroy the 15 whole city. And their lot spared no one. Rich or poor, high or low, some one must each day be sacrificed to the dreadful dragon.

Now it came to pass one day that the princess herself was drawn by lot. The king was filled with horror. He 20 offered in exchange his gold, his silver, and half his realm

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if she might but be spared. All he could obtain was

a

respite of eight days in which to mourn the fate of the girl. At the end of that time the people came to the palace and said:

"Why do you spare your daughter and kill your subjects? Every day we are slain by the breath of the monster." So the king knew he must part with his daughter. He dressed her in her richest apparel and kissed her and said: Ah, my dearest daughter, what an end is this! I had 10 thought to die and leave you happy. I hoped to have invited princes to your wedding and to have had music and dancing. I hoped to see your children, and now I must send you to the dragon."

The princess wept and clung to her father and begged 15 him to bless her. So he did, weeping bitterly, and she left him and went, like those before her, to the lake where the dragon dwelt.

Now these people of Libya were heathen; but in Cappadocia, not far away, was a Christian named George, and 20 this George was a young man of noble bearing. He heard in a vision that he was to go to Libya, and so he rode his horse toward the city. He was hard by the lake, when he saw the princess standing alone, weeping bitterly. He asked her why she wept, and she only said:

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"Good youth, mount your horse again quickly and fly, lest you perish with me.'