_Opportunity for service lies at our door, and we need not seek far
for great things to do._
This story begins in the summer time when everybody and everything
was bright and happy. The flowers were blooming, the birds were
singing, and every leaf and blade of grass made a home for some
little creature.
Amidst all the joy of summer time a great castle stretched its
towers toward the sky, gray and cold. It was not at all like the
beautiful summer. It looked like winter. It was a proud old castle
and its gates were opened only to admit rich lords and ladies. The
poor were always turned away.
A young knight named Sir Launfal lived in this castle. He was
strong and brave and very proud of his old home. He was a good
young man but he had not yet learned to be kind to the poor. He
decided to travel the world over seeking for something to do that
would please God. He had his beautiful armor brought out and
everything made ready for an early start one summer morning. Then
he threw himself down on his bed for a few hours’ sleep.
Around the castle was a ditch which was crossed by a drawbridge.
This was let down by chains, but when it was up no man could leave
the castle. As Sir Launfal rode across this bridge the next morning
the sun shone upon his armor turning it to gold, and he felt so
strong and happy that it was a joy just to be alive. The birds were
singing in the tall trees of the forest around his castle; the
cattle were peacefully grazing in the meadows, the flowers were
blooming. The knight looked up at the blue sky, and said: “I want
to do some great thing for my Lord.” He was thinking of some great
victory in battle over many enemies, and hardly looked down at the
road under his feet.
As he came out from the castle he came upon a leper, a poor man,
ragged and dirty, and sick with a dreadful disease. He was lying on
the side of the road and was very pitiful in his poverty. Now, it
was the custom for those who were lepers, or who were very poor, to
lie at the gates of the castle and beg for food or for money, or
for anything that would be given them. So this leper cried out to
the young man:
“Sir Knight, help me in the name of the Master!” Sir Launfal looked
down at the poor beggar, and the sunshine went out of his heart.
Instead of helping the man he scornfully tossed him a piece of
gold and turned away. The leper did not pick up the gold. He would
rather have had a kind word even from the poor, than unwilling gold
from the rich.
Sir Launfal rode on looking for a great adventure, while the gold
lay untouched on the ground and the leper turned sadly away.
To-morrow we shall see how Sir Launfal learned to serve the Lord in
the right way.