ULYSSES

A GREEK TALE

Homer, the poet, told many stories about the great men in Greece. Here is one about Ulysses, the wisest of all the Greeks who fought against Troy.

Ulysses, in the course of his long voyage by sea from Troy to his home, had to pass the island where the Sirens lived. Now these Sirens sang so sweetly that men who heard them could think of nothing else, and had no desire but to get nearer and nearer the sweet music. As they listened, they forgot friends and home and children. They could neither eat nor work nor think nor speak. They could do nothing but listen till they died. And all the island of the Sirens was covered with the bones of men who had been brought to their death by these songs.

Ulysses had not feared to meet giants on land and mighty storms at sea, yet he knew better than to expose himself to the power of this wonderful music. Yet, longing to hear it, he hit upon a plan. As his ship drew near to the island, he told his men of their danger. He said that, to save them, he would stop their ears with soft wax. Then they must tie him to the mast and on no account untie him until they were out of sight of the island.

As the ship drew near the island, the Sirens be

gan to sing such sweet music as Ulysses had never heard. Yet the ship went on her way. Never had the Sirens seen such a thing happen. They made their songs even sweeter than before, till Ulysses, no longer able to resist, ordered the ship to be put about. But the man at the helm could not hear. Eager to make his orders obeyed, Ulysses struggled

with all his might to free himself from the cords. which bound him. But he was helpless, and the sailors, remembering his commands, looked the other way.

It was not till the ship had passed far beyond the Sirens' isle that the sailors unbound their leader. So Ulysses, alone of mortals, heard the Sirens' song and escaped.

FORTUNE AND THE BEGGAR

IVAN KIRLOFF

One day a ragged beggar was creeping along from house to house. He carried an old purse in his hand, and was asking at every door for a few cents to buy something to eat. As he was grumbling at his lot, he kept wondering why it was that folks who had so much money were never satisfied but were always wanting more.

"Here," said he, "is the master of this house-I know him well. He was always a good business man, and he made himself very rich a long time ago. Had he been wise he would have stopped then. He would have turned over his business to someone else, and then he could have spent the rest of his life in ease. But what did he do instead? He built ships and sent them to sea to trade with foreign lands. He thought he would get mountains of gold.

"But there were great storms on the water; his ships were wrecked, and his riches were swallowed up by the waves. Now all his hopes lie at the bottom of the sea, and his great wealth has vanished.

"There are many such cases. Men seem to be never satisfied unless they gain the whole world. "As for me, if I had only enough to eat and to wear, I would not want anything more."

Just at that moment Fortune came down the street. She saw the beggar and stopped. She said to him:

"Listen! I have long wished to help you. Hold your purse and I will pour this gold into it, but only on this condition: all that falls into the purse shall be pure gold; but every piece that falls upon the ground shall become dust. Do you understand?"

"Oh, yes; I understand," said the beggar.

"Then have a care," said Fortune. "Your purse is old, so do not load it too heavily."

The beggar was so glad that he could hardly wait. He quickly opened his purse, and a stream of yellow dollars poured into it. The purse grew heavy. "Is that enough?" asked Fortune.

"Not yet."

"Isn't it cracking?"

"Never fear."

The beggar's hands began to tremble. Ah, if the golden stream would only pour forever!

"You are a very rich man now!"

"Just a little more, add just a handful or two." "There, it's full. The purse will burst." "But it will hold a little, just a little more!" Another piece was added, and the purse split. The treasure fell upon the ground and was turned to dust. Fortune had vanished. The beggar had now nothing but his empty purse, and it was torn in two. He was as poor as before.

THE STORY OF ROBINSON CRUSOE

DANIEL DEFOE

I was born in York, England, in the year 1632. My father gave me a good education for he desired me to be a lawyer, but I had a great wish to be a sailor. My parents were much opposed to this, and would not give their consent to my going to sea.

One day as I walked along the docks looking at the vessels, a sailor invited me to go on his ship to London, saying it should cost me nothing for my passage. I was so delighted with the offer that I did not stop to send word to my parents, but went at once on board the ship.

After my first voyage, which was full of adventure, I got a place on board another ship bound on a long voyage.

But I had worse luck on this trip than before, for when we were far out at sea a pirate ship met and attacked us.

When we saw that we were not able to escape we began to fire our guns, and were able to keep them off for a time. But soon they came so close to us that sixty of their men got on board our ship.

When three of our men were killed and eight

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