HOW THE GREEKS TOOK TROY

ADAPTED

Now Paris, son to Priam, King of Troy, had carried away to his father's city, Helen, wife to Menelaus King of Sparta, the fairest woman in all Grece. Whereupon the chiefs of the Greeks banded themselves together to avenge the wrong done to Menelaus. Having gathered a mighty fleet at Aulis, they sailed across the Egean Sea and laid siege to Troy. But the Trojans, issuing forth on the plain before their city, gave battle to their enemies and fought for their city so bravely that for ten years the Greeks fought against it in vain.

So, when fighting could not win the city, the Greeks saw that they must gain their end in some other way. And taking counsel with Ulysses, the wisest of them all, they devised a cunning plan. They built a huge wooden horse and spread about a report that it was an offering to the goddess Minerva for their safe return. In its hollow sides they hid the bravest of their warriors and, breaking up their camp and launching their ships, they sailed away as if returning home. Not far off lay the island of Tenedos and hiding there the Greeks waited to see what would happen.

Meanwhile the Trojans, rejoicing that their long troubles were at an end, went forth in crowds from the city gates to see their enemies' camp, and wondered much to behold the wooden horse. Now, whilst they were doubting as to what they should do with this, there appeared among them a certain

Greek named Sinon, left behind for that very purpose. His hands were bound and he was besmeared with blood and filth. With bitter cries he lamented his fate and prayed for pity. "For," said he, "the Greeks chose me as a victim to sacrifice to the gods for their safe return. But I escaped out of their hands and hid myself all night in the grass. And now my countrymen are sailed away

and never again shall I see my fatherland and the children whom I love."

Then the Trojans bade him be of good cheer and to tell them what this very large horse might mean. And Sinon, as the wise Ulysses had instructed him, answered how that the horse was a peace-offering to Minerva, and how the Greeks had made it thus large, so that the Trojans could not drag it through their gates and bring a blessing upon the city.

Thereupon the Trojans cried with one voice that the sacred offering to Minerva must be drawn within the city walls. So they made a great opening in the walls, and put rollers under the monster and fastened ropes about it, and with hymns and dancing they drew it into the heart of the city.

But now, when night drew on and darkness fell upon the sleeping Troy, the Grecian fleet stole silently back to the familiar landing place. Suddenly the signal flame shot forth and Sinon unbarred the wooden horse. Ulysses and his fellow chieftains glided out into the silent streets. The guards slain, the gates were thrown open, the city was presently in flames, and Troy, that had defended herself for ten years against the powers of her enemies, fell in a single night before their cunning.

RUMPELSTILTSKIN

DINAH MARIA MULOCK CRAIK

There was once a miller who was very poor, but he had a beautiful daughter. Now, it happened that he came to speak to the king, and, to give himself importance, he said to him, "I have a daughter who can spin straw into gold."

The king said to the miller, "That is a talent that pleases me well; if she be as skillful as you say, bring her tomorrow to the palace, and I will put her to the proof."

When the maiden was brought to him, he led her to a room full of straw, gave her a wheel and spindle, and said, "Now set to work, and if by the morrow this straw be not spun into gold, you shall die.” He locked the door, and left the maiden alone.

The poor girl sat down, very unhappy. She could not for her life think what she was to do, for she knew not how could she?-the way to spin straw into gold; and her distress increased so much that at last she began to weep. All at once the door opened, and a funny little man entered and said, "Good evening, my pretty miller's daughter; why are you weeping so bitterly?"

19

"Ah!" answered the maiden, "I must spin straw into gold, and I do not know how to do it."

The little man said, "What will you give me if I do it for you?"

"My neckerchief," said the maiden.

He took the kerchief, sat down before the wheel, and grind, grind, grind-three times did he grind— and the spindle was full; then he put another thread on, and grind, grind, grind, the second was full. So he spun on till morning, when all the straw was spun, and all the spindles were full of gold.

The king came at sunrise, and was greatly astonished and overjoyed at the sight; but it only made his heart the more greedy for gold. He put the miller's daughter into another much larger room, full of straw, and ordered her to spin it all in one night, if life were dear to her. The poor helpless maiden began to weep, when once more the door flew open, the little man appeared, and said, "What will you give me if I spin this straw into gold?"

"My ring from my finger," answered the maiden. The little man took the ring, began to turn the wheel, and, by the morning, all the straw was spun into shining gold.

The king was highly delighted when he saw it, but was not yet satisfied with the quantity of gold; so he put the damsel into a still larger room full of straw, and said, "Spin this during the night, and if you do it you shall be my wife." "For," he