STUDY 25

A VIEW OF THE EARTH FROM THE MOON

Suppose that you had reached the moon and were able to look out upon the world from that station. Some evening after the sun has gone down you look up into the sky and there in plain sight rolls the great earth, appearing many times as large as our full moon.

We will suppose that the moon is so placed between the sun and the earth that the earth appears like a big full moon in the sky.

Looking at the earth through a large telescope, what would you see that you could recognize? Under these conditions describe what you could see on the surface of the earth. In the course of twelve hours the earth would turn half-way round so that you would see its whole surface.

By way of suggestion we will mention continents, oceans, islands, lakes, mountain chains, forests, cities, valleys, deserts, rivers, canals, gulfs and bays, prairies, snow fields and glaciers, storms and clouds, forest fires, the ice fields around the poles.

Tell in class about these things and how they would appear. Name any particular parts of the earth's surface that you could recognize, as if shown on a map.

STUDY 26

KING RICHARD MEETS ROBIN HOOD IN SHERWOOD FOREST

Richard, King of England, had heard much of Robin Hood's exploits and was very desirous of meeting him. So he rode with his followers to Sherwood Forest, hoping to find the outlaw, but he sought in vain.

One day Richard complained that Robin Hood seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth, when an old forester who stood by his knee smiled and said: "Nay, my Lord, he is in the forest as surely as I stand here, and ye may easily see him."

"How?" demanded the king.

"Why, my Lord, you go in armour and with a train of soldiery: think ye that the outlaws will set green jacket against coat of mail? I trow not; but should ye go in guise of a fat abbot, whose mails would yield rich plunder, I warrant me that Robin would appear fast enough."

King Richard saw the force of these words and nodded gaily. The adventure was just to his liking, and the very next day he slipped secretly from Nottingham in the ab

bot's dress, with half-a-dozen followers, dressed as monks, and a couple of led horses, heavily laden with stores and baggage.

Sure enough he had not gone three miles into the forest before he was called upon to stand. At a bend of the way, a man, dressed in Lincoln green, bow in hand, and quiver full of shafts, stepped from a thicket and laid his hand on the abbot's bridle.

The yeoman's sun-burned face and bright eyes were full of amusement as he said in gentle tones: "Sir Abbot, by your leave, you must abide a while with me and my men." He waved his bow, and at once a score of hardy, active fellows burst from the bushes and surrounded the monks. At their head was a huge yeoman, grinning at the sight of this rich haul, and on him Richard's eyes were at once fixed: it was easy to know Little John again. Then Richard looked at the first man and knew at last

that Robin Hood stood before him.

"And who are ye who bar my way?" asked the King quietly in his deep, rich voice.

Robin Hood started slightly at hearing these commanding tones and looked keenly at the stranger. But the great hat and hood that Richard wore quite concealed his features. Then Robin replied:

"We be yeomen of this forest,
Under the greenwood tree;

We live by our king's deer-
Other means have not we.

And ye have houses, and rents, both,

And gold full great plenty.

Give us some of your spending,

For Saint Charity!"

"In truth, good yeoman," said Richard, "I have brought to the greenwood no more than forty pounds. For I have lain at Nottingham with the king's court and spent much on feasting these great lordlings who follow the king."

"Art thou a true follower of the king?" asked Robin. "That I am," replied Richard. "I love him with all my heart."

"Then for that speech thou savest half thy money, Sir Abbot," said Robin. "Give me twenty pounds for my men, and keep the other twenty for thy own needs.”

"Thanks," said Richard, "but thou art a very gentle yeoman. And thou must know that my errand into this forest is to search for thee and bid thee come to Nottingham to meet the king; he is full of longing to see thee, and he sends thee a safe conduct, and here is his seal to assure thee."

Richard now drew the Royal seal from beneath his cloak and showed it. Robin bent his knee in respect before it, and every yeoman pulled off his hood and stood bareheaded.

"Why," said Richard in surprise, "I was told, yeoman, that thou wert a disloyal fellow who set the king's law at nought, and did all kinds of evil."

"Nay, Sir Abbot," replied Robin. "I hate unjust sheriffs and greedy rich men, but I love no man in all the world so well as I do my gallant king, and if thou art his messenger and bear his seal I make thee welcome to the greenwood, and to-day thou shalt dine with me for the love of our king under my trysting-tree."

Exercises

1. Study this selection through first as a reading lesson. Notice the old-fashioned words and phrases, as, think ye, I trow not, I warrant me, by your leave, who are ye, we be yeomen, and gold full great plenty, Art thou a true follower of the king? Thou must know, He bids thee come, safe conduct, Thou wert a disloyal fellow and set the king's law at naught, Nay, if thou art the messenger of the king. Change these words and phrases into the common form.

2. Divide the story and read the parts as a dia