How to Tell Stories to Children, And Some Stories to Tell, page 120 by Sara Cone Bryant
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e said to the mourning people, "Weep not; she is not dead; she sleepeth."
When He had passed, they laughed Him to scorn, for they knew that she was dead.
Then Jesus left them all, and went alone into the chamber where the little daughter lay. And when He was there, alone, He went up to the bed where she was, and bent over her, and took her by the hand. And He said, "Maiden, arise."
And her spirit came unto her again! And she lived, and grew up in her father's house.
ESPECIALLY FOR CLASSES IV. AND V.
ARTHUR AND THE SWORD[1]
[1] Adapted from Sir Thomas Malory.
Once there was a great king in Britain named Uther, and when he died the other kings and princes disputed over the kingdom, each wanting it for himself. But King Uther had a son named Arthur, the rightful heir to the throne, of whom no one knew, for he had been taken away secretly while he was still a baby by a wise old man called Merlin, who had him brought up in the family of a certain Sir Ector, for fear of the malice of wicked knights. Even the boy himself thought Sir Ector was his father, and he loved Sir Ector's son, Sir Kay, with the love of a brother.
When the kings and princes could not be kept in check any longer, and something had to be done to determine who was to be king, Merlin made the Archbishop of Canterbury send for them all to come to London. It was Christmas time, and in the great cathedral a solemn service was held, and prayer was made that some sign should be given, to show who was the rightful king. When the service was over, there appeared a strange stone in the churchyard, against the high altar. It was a great white stone, like marble, with something sunk in it that looked like a steel anvil; and in the anvil was driven a great glistening sword. The sword had letters of gold written on it, which read: "Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England."
All wondered at the strange sword and its strange writing; and when the archbisho