twelve years of age he had not yet learned to
read. This is not so strange, when we stop to think that it was long
before people knew anything about printing, and every letter in every
book had to be slowly made with a pen.

"This made books very expensive and rare, so that only a few people
could own even one. Still, you have no idea how beautiful some of those
books were. They were written on thin, fine-grained leather called
parchment, and were beautifully decorated in colors. The capital letters
which began paragraphs, and sometimes all the capital letters, were made
large, in fanciful shapes, and all around them were painted flowers,
birds, human beings, or pretty designs, so that each letter was a
beautiful picture in itself. Then in the margins, above the titles, at
every place where there was no writing were still other delicate
designs. Some of those wonderful old books are still in existence, and
people go long distances to see them. They are more valuable now than
ever, and most of them are safely guarded in museums.

"One day Alfred's mother was reading to her children, from one of those
beautiful books, some fine poems which the Saxons had written. The boys
all became very much interested in the rich little paintings that
decorated it. The mother pointed out its beauties and told the boys how
carefully the artists had worked and how long it had taken them to do
it.

"'Did you ever see its equal?' she asked.

"'No,' replied the oldest boy, 'I have not seen anything like it. I wish
I had one like it.'

"'Boys,' said the mother, 'this is one of the greatest treasures I have,
and I would not like to part with it. Yet I love my boys better than the
book, and I want them to learn to read. So this is what I will gladly
do: I will give this book to the first of you who comes to me and shows
that he can read it understandingly.'

"'It is my book, for I can read some already,' said the oldest.

"'But I can work harder than you, and I will learn faster,' said the
second.

"'I learn more easily than any of you,' the third boy added. 'I feel
sure I shall win the book.'

"Alfred said nothing, but as soon as his mother had ceased to read he
hurried away, found a wise man to teach him and began immediately to
work with great diligence. It was not long before he began to read for
himself, and before his brothers had made much progress Alfred went to
his mother.

"'I think I can read the book,' he said.

"'I