Lies and blinks in the Nile, Swinging in a palanquin;— All its children, sweep and prince, Not a stir of child or mouse, Light a fire in the gloom And in a corner find the toys anchored (an'kerd): held securely bazaar (ba zär'): an Eastern store blinks: winks caravan (kǎr'a van): a company of people traveling on camels. cockatoo (kok'a too'): a kind of parrot cocoanut (kō'kō nut'): a nut that grows on the palm tree crocodile (krok'o dil): an animal with a horny skin devour (dē vour'): to eat greedily ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. festival (fes'ti vl): celebration flamingo (fla min'go): a bird with long legs and bright red feathers islands (i’luds) jungles (jun'glz): thick and tangled forests minaret (min'a ret): a slender pointed mosque (mosk): a temple with a HELPS TO STUDY 1. Which of the things you most like to see? expect to find them? 3. mentioned in this poem would 2. In what countries would you The Great Wall around China is a real wall, about 1500 miles in length, along the northern side of China. It was built more than 2000 years ago. 4. Why is the crocodile called " knotty"? 5. What is meant by the words, "the desert blows"? 6. Why are the cities said to "hum"? 7. What pictures does the boy expect to find in some deserted city? 8. What else does he think he may find there? 9. What things in your study of geography have made you want to travel? 10. As you read this poem through, see in your mind as many of the pictures as you can. 5 A MUNCHAUSEN ADVENTURE I went on; night and darkness overtook me. No village was to be seen. The country was covered with snow, and I was unacquainted with the road. Being tired, I alighted, and fastened my horse to something like a pointed stump of a tree, which appeared above the snow; for the sake of safety I placed my pistols under my arm, and lay down on the snow, where I slept so soundly that I did 10 not open my eyes till full daylight. Imagine my astonishment when I found myself in the midst of a village, lying in a churchyard. My horse was not to be seen; but presently I heard him. neigh somewhere above. On looking upwards I beheld him hanging by his bridle to the weathercock of the steeple. Matters were now very plain to me the village had been covered with snow overnight; a sudden change of weather had taken place; I had sunk gently down to the churchyard 20 while asleep, as the snow had melted away; and 15 what, in the dark, I had taken to be a stump of a little tree appearing above the snow, to which I had tied my horse, proved to have been the cross or weather-cock of the steeple! Without long consideration I took one of my 5 pistols, shot the bridle in two, brought down the horse, and proceeded on my journey. RASPE Travels of Baron Munchausen. alighted (a lit'ed): got down neigh (nā) : proceeded (pro sēd'ed): went on unacquainted (un ak kwant'ed) HELPS TO STUDY About a hundred and fifty years ago, Baron Raspe (pronounced Rås'pa), a German, wrote a book called The Travels of Baron Munchausen. In this book he made fun of the wild tales of travelers by telling a lot of lies even wilder and more ridiculous than any of them. This story is one of the best examples. You will notice the sober way in which he tells this thing, just as if it were an ordinary happening. REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Can you recall the title of the first selection? 2. Where was Lilliput? How large were the people there? How did they capture Gulliver? How did they feed him? 3. Where did you read about the Valley of Diamonds? What happened there? 4. Tell the story of Sindbad and the Old Man of the Sea. From what famous book is the story taken? 5. Who was Robert Louis Stevenson? Tell all you know about him. 6. What places and things does he say he wants to see in his poem, "Travel"? 7. What would the expression, "a Munchausen yarn" mean? 8. Which of the make-believe stories you have been reading is most interesting? 9. Which, if any, would you like to have happen to you? 10. What true tales of travel have you read? |