[Sidenote: =Childhood of Alfred=]
=301. Alfred the Boy.= Alfred was born in 849. His mother was a good
woman who gave much time and care to her children. Alfred learned
early to read and to love books. A story is told of how Alfred won
a beautiful book as a prize from his mother for learning to read it
sooner than the other children. He spent much time in learning about
wise men, in order to become wise himself.
[Sidenote: =Alfred fights the Danes=]
As he grew older he found other serious work to do. He aided his
brother Ethelred, king of Wessex, to give battle to the Danes, who were
moving south. In one battle Alfred led the English "with the rush of a
wild boar," and defeated the Danes. Later the Danes drove them back and
killed the English king. Alfred now became king of Wessex (871).
[Sidenote: =The story of the cakes=]
=302. Alfred as King.= Soon after Alfred became king his army was
beaten and his men fled. With a little band of followers he hid in the
marshes and there built a fort on an island. A story is told of how he
was lost while wandering alone, and asked for shelter at the hut of a
herdsman. The good wife told him to watch some cakes on the fire while
she was busy. Alfred was bending his bow and arrows, and forgetting the
cakes, let them burn. When she came back and saw the burnt cakes the
good wife scolded the king.
"Can't you mind the cakes, man?
And don't you see them burn?
I'm bound you'll eat them fast enough,
As soon as 'tis the turn."
Of course she did not know he was the king or she would not have
scolded him.
[Sidenote: =Makes a treaty with the Danes=]
The next spring Alfred raised a large army, drove the Danes back, and
forced them to make peace. By this treaty, and another later one, the
Danes were given that part of England north and west of the river
Thames. Alfred and his people ruled over the country south of them. The
land of the Danes was called "Danelagh." They soon settled down to till
the soil. Years later they became Christians and intermarried with the
English.
To protect England from other sea-rovers, Alfred now built many ships,
and thus became the father of the English navy. The army was also
made larger. Later, Vikings again reached the shores of England, but
Alfred's navy beat them off. Peaceful times now gave Alfred a chance to
help his people in other ways.
[Illustration: STATUE OF ALFRED AT WINCHESTER]
=303. What Alfred Did for England.= It is difficult to know what
the law is if it is not written, and injustice is often done to the
people. Alfred now began the work of collecting and changing the laws
of England. It is interesting to know what he thought of his work, as
shown in his writing: "I, Alfred, gathered these laws together, and
commanded many of them to be written which our forefathers held, those
which seemed to me good. And many of those which seemed to me not good,
I rejected, and in other wise commanded them to be held. For I durst
not venture to set down in writing much of my own, for it was unknown
to me what if it would please those who should come after us."
[Sidenote: =Advances learning=]
In those far-away days learning and schools were found in monasteries
and in the churches. When the Danes came they destroyed most of these
buildings. The people, therefore, were growing up in ignorance. Alfred
felt then, as we feel now, that the people should be educated. So he
invited wise men from other countries to come to England to teach his
people. He built many churches and monasteries, and set up schools
where the people might go to learn. But there must be books for them to
read.
The learning of that day was mostly in Latin. Besides the priests and
monks very few could read that language. "I wondered extremely," said
Alfred, "that the good and wise men who were formerly all over England,
and had perfectly learned all the books, did not wish to translate them
into their own tongue."
[Sidenote: =Translates Latin books into English=]
He now began earnestly the work of making English books for his people.
He translated a book containing a history of the world, and an account
of two voyages to the north seas. He then put into English the famous
book _Bede's History of England_. A book on religion by Pope Gregory
the Great, and another of wise sayings, were soon after translated into
English. In this way Alfred helped his people to learn to read, and to
read good books. The English people have saved these works that their
children for many generations to come might learn good things from
them. Now, however, they must be translated into the English of our day
before most of us can read them, for our language has changed greatly
since Alfred's time.
Alfred also helped his people to learn new trades, and to do their work
better in those trades they already knew. He had skilled workers from
other countries come to England to help his people.
[Sidenote: =King Alfred's purpose=]
Alfred was a true and good man. He loved his home and his people. He
said: "To sum up all, it has ever been my desire to live worthily while
I was alive, and after my death to leave to those that should come
after me my memory in good works."
[Sidenote: =His time well-ordered=]
The daily life of the king was orderly. The twenty-four hours were
divided into three parts; eight hours were given to the business of the
people (governing), eight hours to study and prayer, and eight hours
to exercise and rest. "As he had no clock, he measured out his time by
burning candles, each of which lasted for four hours. In order that the
candles might burn evenly and mark the time properly, he enclosed them
in lanterns of thin horn" which he had invented.
[Sidenote: =Alfred the Great=]
Good King Alfred died in 901. A thousand years later the English raised
a statue to him at Winchester. Because of his many good works he is
called "Alfred the Great." He is one of the noblest men in all history.