with Iron leaped up, angry and biting and fierce.
He was not a soft and ductile metal as before, but Iron 30
hardened into tough blue steel. Showers of sparks flew
from him, snapping, burning, threatening; and from among
them sprang swords and spears and battle-axes, and daggers
keen and pointed. Out of the smithy and out through
the great world these cruel weapons raced, slashing and
clashing, thrusting and cutting, raging and killing, and 5
carrying madness among men.

The wicked hornet, idling under the eaves, rejoiced at
the mischief he had wrought. But the Smith was filled
with grief, and the music of his anvil became a jangling
discord. 10

"Oh, Iron," he cried, "it was not for this that I caused
you to leave your hiding places in the hills and bogs! The
three sisters intended that you should be a blessing to
mankind; but now I greatly fear that you will become a
curse." 15

At that moment the honeybee, laden with the sweets of
field and wood, came buzzing into the smithy. It whispered
hopefully into the ear of the Smith: "Wait until
my gifts have done their work."

--Retold from the _Kalevala_.

1. Find on a map the country from which this legend
comes.

2. According to this story, where did iron come
from? Why was it fearful of fire? Who finally
enticed it into the fire's embrace?

3. Why did the smith cease to be happy? What did
the honeybee have in mind in the last sentence?
Show how the honeybee's prophecy has come true, by
naming the peaceful uses of iron.

4. A good description of an ancient forge is given.
Of what did it consist? How is iron handled to-day
in modern iron foundries and steel mills?

THE WONDERFUL ARTISAN

BY JAMES BALDWIN

There are enough Greek legends to fill several
volumes. They relate the doings of the gods and
heroes of ancient Greece, and endeavor to account
for the origin of plants and animals and the
founding of cities. This story no doubt contains
many facts but it is chiefly fiction.

While Athens was still only a small city there lived
within its walls a man named Daedalus (d