to afford rich
and varied matter for adventures.

412

One of the best of Mr. Scudder's many fine
compilations for children is his _Book of
Legends_ from which the following story is
taken. It is the same story that Longfellow
tells in his _Tales of a Wayside Inn_ under the
title of "King Robert of Sicily." ("The Proud
King" is used here by permission of and special
arrangement with the publishers, The Houghton
Mifflin Co., Boston.)

THE PROUD KING

HORACE E. SCUDDER

There was once a king who ruled over many lands; he went to war, and
added one country after another to his kingdom. At last he came to be
emperor, and that is as much as any man can be. One night, after he was
crowned emperor, he lay awake and thought about himself.

"Surely," he said, "no one can be greater than I am, on earth or in
heaven."

The proud king fell asleep with these thoughts. When he awoke, the day
was fair, and he looked out on the pleasant world.

"Come," he said to the men about him; "to-day we will go a-hunting."

The horses were brought, the dogs came leaping, the horns sounded, and
the proud king with his courtiers rode off to the sport. They had hunted
all the morning, and were now in a deep wood. In the fields the sun had
beat upon their heads, and they were glad of the shade of the trees; but
the proud king wished for something more. He saw a lake not far off, and
he said to his men:

"Bide ye here, while I bathe in the lake and cool myself."

Then he rode apart till he came to the shore of the lake. There he got
down from his horse, laid aside his clothes, and plunged into the cool
water. He swam about, and sometimes dived beneath the surface, and so
was once more cool and fresh.

Now while the proud king was swimming away from the shore and diving to
the bottom, there came one who had the same face and form as the king.
He drew near the shore, dressed himself in the king's clothes, mounted
the king's horse and rode away. So when the proud king was once more
cool and fresh, and came to the place where he had left his clothes and
his horse, there were no clothes to be seen, and no horse.

The proud king looked about, but saw no man. He called, but no one heard
him. The air was mild, but the wood was dark, and no sunshine came
through to warm him after his cool bath. He walked by the shore of the
lake and cast about in his mind what he s