the
besiegers by taking them by surprise. It also has the more general
meaning of an excursion, such as the going forth to a crusade. It
means literally a "leaping out," and comes from the Latin word
_salire_, "to leap." The word _sally_ is also used to mean a sudden
lively remark generally rather against some person or thing. It is
interesting to notice that the fish salmon also probably takes its
name from this Latin word meaning "to leap."

Any child with a dictionary can find for himself many hidden metaphors
in the commonest words; and he will learn a great deal and amuse
himself at the same time.

CHAPTER XII.

WORDS FROM NATIONAL CHARACTER.

There is one group of metaphorical words which is specially
interesting for the stories of the past which they tell us if we
examine into their meaning. Many names of ancient tribes and nations,
and some names of modern peoples, have come to be used as general
words; but the new meanings they have now tell us what other peoples
have thought of the nations bearing these names in history.

One of the best things that can be said about a boy or a girl is that
he or she is "frank," by which we mean open and straightforward. The
Franks were, of course, the Teutonic tribe which conquered Gaul (the
country we now call France) in the sixth century. Unlike the English
when they conquered the Britons, the Franks mixed with the Gauls and
the Roman population which they conquered; but for a long time the
Franks were the only people who were altogether free. From this fact
the word _frank_ came into use, meaning "free." A "frank" person is
one who speaks out freely and without restraint.

The name _Frank_ has given us a word with a very pleasant meaning, but
this was not the case with all the Teutonic tribes which broke in upon
the Roman Empire. A person who is very uncivilized in his manners is
sometimes called a "Goth." The word is often especially used to
describe a person who does not appreciate pictures and books and works
of art. Sometimes architects will pull down beautiful old buildings to
make place for new, and the people who appreciate beautiful things
describe them as "Goths." More often, perhaps, the word _Vandal_ is
used to describe such people. The Goths and Vandals were two of the
fiercest and most barbaric of the German tribes which overran the
Roman Empire from the third to the fifth century. They showed no
respect for the beautiful buildings and the grea