Then they mocked at him, and Sir Kay said," He will never make a gentleman, else he would ask for a horse and arinor. I will give him a name Sir Fair-hands he shall be called. I make him one of my kitchen lads." But Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were angry with Sir Kay, for the lad pleased them well, and they gave him gold to spend and clothes.

When the feast of Whitsuntide was come, and the court stayed again, waiting for adventure, there came a fair damsel into the hall and saluted the King, and prayed for help. "Sire," she said, "a lady of great renown is besieged in her castle by a tyrant, and never can she come out of it. His name is the Red Knight of the Red Lawns, and he hath two brothers, the Black Knight and the Green Knight. They guard all the ways, and he who would come to my lady must first slay them."

Then Sir Fair-hands claimed his two promises of the King, and Arthur said, "Ask on." Fair-hands asked first knighthood at the hands of Sir Lancelot, and after, to undertake the adventure.

By this time Sir Lancelot had ridden up, and Fair-hands said, "Gentle Knight, will you joust with me?"

Sir Lancelot set spear in rest, and they rode together so fiercely that both their horses fell to earth. Sir Lancelot was astonished at the strength and skill of the boy, and, after jousting for some time longer, he said, "Fairly and bravely you have earned your spurs." Then Lancelot gave him the order of Knighthood and bade him Godspeed. Then, glad at heart, Sir Fair-hands with the damsel proceeded on his journey. . .

...

After a while they saw in the distance a fair, white tower. Over the tower gate hung fifty shields of many colors. "Fair damsel, whose are they?" said Sir Fair

hands.

"They are the shields of those knights whom the Red

Knight of the Red Lawns hath slain," said the damsel. "Now we will see if a kitchen boy will be better than they.” But she said other things when she had seen him fight the Red Knight.

Looking down on him from the white tower was the fairest face Sir Fair-hands had ever seen. It was the face of Lady Lyonesse. All the courage of Sir Fair-hands swelled up in his heart; for such a maid he would fight to the death. Many long hours the battle between the Red Knight and Sir Fair-hands lasted. It was late evening before Sir Fair-hands overcame him. At the last Sir Fair-hands was so spent and wounded and battered with blows that he fell forward on his face.

Then the damsel Lynette cried out: "Sir Fair-hands, Sir Fair-hands, alas, the Lady Lyonesse beholds thee! Where is thy courage gone? She weeps and wrings her hands, and my heart is heavy for her."

When Sir Fair-hands heard that, he was filled with new life. He started to his feet and, grasping his sword, he came to the Red Knight and brought him to his knees. smote him on his helmet till he fell to earth.

Then he

There he

would have slain him outright, but the Red Knight cried, "O noble Knight, I yield me to thy mercy!"

"Only if the damsel Lynette prays for thy life will I give it thee," said Sir Fair-hands.

"I pray you slay him not," she said, at length, reluctantly.

The Lady Lyonesse, after he had fought for her many a battle and won many a prize in great tournaments, married Sir Fair-hands, whose real name was Sir Gareth. And the Lady Lynette married his brother, Sir Gaheris. Queen Guinevere made a great feast for them and the Archbishop of Canterbury performed the ceremony in the great minster.

- LOUISE MAITLAND, from Heroes of Chivalry.

Make an outline of the story. Tell it in class, following the outline you have made.

(2)

Find out all you can about chivalry, its customs, the dress and the manners of knights and ladies, and its tournaments and battles. Then talk it over in class, telling all you have found out. Bring pictures to illustrate it.

Then make together a careful outline, using all the material that the different ones have brought; write it on the blackboard and correct it till your teacher Then each write an account, following the

approves. outline.

Write the story of Sir Fair-hands as a play; make the costumes and the armor, choose the parts, and act your play.

(3)

Write all the rules of capital letters that are illustrated in the story of Sir Fair-hands and name an example of each.

XXXIII

THE BEATITUDES

Read, copy, and commit to memory:

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.

Observe that the inverted order is used in these sentences. Can you see a reason for it?

See page 167, Grammar.

Write five sentences in the inverted order.

XXXIV

BIOGRAPHY

Benjamin Franklin

Gather all the facts you can about Franklin. Study them in class; then write the story of his boyhood and youth, following the outline given under heading 1, below. Then make together outlines under as many of the other headings as you can, and write the history, illustrating it with pictures collected, or with your own drawings.

Suggestions:

1. Boyhood and Youth (autobiography).

(a) Boyish experiences.

(b) Apprenticeship..

(c) Trip to Philadelphia.

(d) Experiences in Philadelphia.

(e) Growing influence.

(f) First trip to England.

(g) Final establishment in Philadelphia.

2. Early Manhood.

3. The Citizen.

4. Franklin and the Revolution.

"When I arrived at the summit of the hill, I scanned the horizon for my two companions. Neither of them was in sight. I called aloud, hoping that I might at least attract the attention of some hunter. No one responded. I never felt so absolutely alone in my life."

What is the number of neither?

Either and neither are singular, whether used alone or with a noun or pronoun, and take singular verbs. Either and neither are used to distinguish between two. See page 246.

Either you or I must go.

Neither answer is correct.

In the sentence, "No one responded," observe that no one means no one of all, not merely of two.

In speaking of one among more than two, the proper words to use are any, any one, no, none, no one.

Use in sentences the adjectives either, neither, any, no, each, every.

Either...

or, neither . . . nor, used as in these sentences, are conjunctions. See page 246.