1. More than a thousand years ago, (in the year 849), a prince was born in
England, who afterwards became one of the most celebrated and best loved
kings in the world. His name was Alfred--afterwards called Alfred the
Great--and he was the favorite son both of the king and queen.
2. In those days the common people were very ignorant; few of them could
even read and write. There were no schools, and the monasteries, where
almost the only teaching had been done, were nearly all destroyed in the
wars which were continually going on. Only the higher classes had any
chance to study, and even they paid much more attention to fighting than
to studying.
3. But Alfred was different from most persons of his time. Even when a
little boy, he delighted in listening to poems and to the ballads which
harpers used to sing, and he learned many of them by heart. When he was
twelve years old, his mother, the queen, offered to give a volume of poems
to that one of her four sons who would first learn to read it. Alfred was
the youngest of them all, yet he easily won the prize of which his
brothers thought so little.
4. But, as has been said, these were stirring times, and Alfred was soon
called on to show his great abilities as a soldier. The Danes, a warlike
people, were continually swooping down in their vessels upon the coast of
England. Often they spread over the entire country, plundering and burning
the towns, and killing the people.
5. In the midst of these invasions Alfred became king, when he was only
twenty-two years old. He proved as good a warrior as he was a student. He
thought that whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. He was
generally successful against the Danes, but at one time they seemed to
have the country entirely in their power, and Alfred was compelled to hide
for his life.
6. For some time he dressed as a peasant, and lived in the cottage of a
cowherd, who was so careful of his king's safety that he did not even tell
his wife who he was. So she treated the king as a common peasant, and one
day gave him a sharp scolding because he allowed some cakes to burn on the
griddle, after she had left him to watch them. She told him he was clever
enough at eating cakes though he managed so badly at baking them.
7. When the search for him grew less active, Alfred gradually collected
some of his followers, with whom he encamped on a small spot of firm
ground in the center of a bog. It was surrounded by almost impassable
forests, and Alfred fortified the place so that it could not well be
taken. Then he made frequent sudden and successful attacks on the enemy
until his troops and the people became encouraged.
8. One victory in particular, when they captured a banner which the Danes
thought enchanted, led Alfred to take bolder steps. He wished to find out
the exact condition of the enemy, and, for this purpose, disguised himself
as a harper and entered their camp. He was so successful in his disguise
that he remained there some days, even being admitted to the tent of the
Danish leader Guthrum.
9. He found their entire army living in careless security, and so he
determined to make a sudden and bold attack on them, to try and rid his
country once more of these cruel invaders. He summoned his people about
him from far and wide. Many of them had long thought their beloved king
dead, but now all eagerly obeyed his call.
10. He at once led them against that part of the camp which he had seen to
be most unguarded. The attack was entirely unexpected; and, although the
Danes were greater in numbers, they were defeated with great slaughter.
Some of them, with their leader, fled to a fortified place, but were soon
obliged to surrender.
11. Alfred granted them their lives, and settled them in a part of his
kingdom where nearly all his own people had been destroyed. He hoped by
this to change obstinate enemies into useful friends who would protect
England from further attacks of their own countrymen. However, some years
later, when the Danes made another invasion, these people joined them in
fighting against Alfred, but he soon succeeded in driving them all out of
the country.
12. Much as Alfred did for his people in war, he did more in time of
peace. Above all else he gave careful attention to their education. He
rebuilt the monasteries and aided the young University of Oxford. He also
founded many schools, to which every owner of a certain portion of land
was compelled to send his children.
13. But he did as much good by the example that he set as by these acts.
His time was divided into three parts. One was given to business, one to
refreshment by sleep and food, and the third to study and devotion. Clocks
and watches, and probably even sundials, were then unknown, so these
divisions were marked by burning candles of equal lengths.
14. Alfred did not study for his own pleasure merely, but translated and
wrote many works for the good of his people, using the simple language
which they could easily understand and enjoy. His person was handsome and
dignified, full of grace and activity. But the more noble beauty was
within, in the enlightened mind and virtuous heart of the king. After his
name, which has its place on an ancient record of English kings, is
written the noble title of "Truth Teller."
DEFINITIONS.--2. Mon'as-ter-y, a religious house where monks live. 5.
In-va'sion, the warlike entrance of an army. 8. Dis-guised', hidden by an
unusual dress and appearance. 12. U-ni--ver'si-ty, a school of the highest
grade, in which are taught all branches of learning. 14. Trans-lat'ed,
changed from one language to another. En-light'ened, well informed.