With high hopes and the coveted diamond mines beckoning in the far distance, Ali Hafed began his wanderings. During the first few weeks his spirits did not flag, nor did his feet grow weary. On and on he tramped, until he came to the Mountains of the Moon, beyond the bounds s of Arabia. Weeks stretched into months, and the wanderer often looked regretfully in the direction of his oncehappy home. Still no gleam of waters glinting over white sands greeted his eyes. But on he went, into Egypt, through Palestine and other eastern lands, always looking 10 for the treasure he still hoped to find.

At last, after years of fruitless search, during which he had wandered north and south, east and west, hope left him. All his money was spent. He was starving and almost naked, and the diamonds - which had lured him 15 away from all that made life dear where were they? Poor Ali Hafed never knew. He died by the wayside, never dreaming that the wealth for which he had sacrificed happiness and life might have been his had he remained at home.

"Here is a diamond! here is a diamond! Has Ali Hafed returned?" shouted an excited voice.

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The speaker, no other than our old acquaintance, the Buddhist priest, was standing in the same room where years before he had told poor Ali Hafed how the world was 25 made and where diamonds were to be found.

successor.

"No, Ali Hafed has not returned," quietly answered his "Neither is that which you hold in your hand a diamond. It is but a pretty black pebble I picked up in my garden."

"I tell you," said the priest excitedly, "this is a genuine

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diamond. I know one when I see it. Tell me how and where you found it."

"One day," replied the farmer slowly, "having led my camel into the garden to drink, I noticed, as he put his s nose into the water, a sparkle of light coming from the white sand at the bottom of the clear stream. Stooping down, I picked up the black pebble you now hold, guided to it by that crystal eye in the center, from which the light flashes so brilliantly."

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"Why, thou simple one," cried the priest, "this is no common stone, but a gem of the purest water. Come, show me where thou didst find it.”

Together they fled to the spot where the farmer had found the "pebble," and turning over the white sands with 15 eager fingers, they found, to their great delight, other stones even more valuable and beautiful than the first. Then they extended their search, and, so the Oriental story goes, "every shovelful of the old farm, as acre after acre was sifted over, revealed gems with which to decorate 20 the crowns of emperors and moguls.”

-Stories from Life.

1. What is a legend? Distinguish between "legend" and "story." In what country is the scene of this legend laid?

2. What is your opinion of Ali Hafed? What happened to his family?

3. Do we have any Ali Hafeds in this country to-day? What do we mean by "Get-rich-quick" schemes? Illustrate.

4. If you were writing this story in these days of intensive farming, in what form would you have the "diamonds" come to the farmer?

S. H. R. SEVEN-2

HOW KILHUGH RODE TO ARTHUR'S HALL

By JAMES BALDWIN

This is a British legend of the days “when good King Arthur ruled the land." In his castle at Caerleon, according to legend, Arthur had gathered the most famous of his knights about the Round Table; and thither every aspiring knight journeyed in quest of adventure.

PRINCE KILHUGH blushed. The love of Olwen, the

daughter of Thistlehair, filled his heart, although he had not heard her name before. His face flushed with happiness, and his eyes shone with joy.

"What is the matter, my son?" asked his father. "Why s are you so gay and glad?"

"Father," answered Kilhugh, "my stepmother says that no one but Olwen shall be my wife."

"Well," quoth the king, "I doubt not there will be trouble enough before that saying comes true. But do 10 not fear, my son. Thou art first cousin to King Arthur. Who but he should cut thy hair and be thy lord? Go to him, and crave this of him as a boon."

To Arthur's Hall, therefore, Prince Kilhugh made ready to go; and his father chose fifty of his bravest knights 15 to go with him, that he might present himself to King Arthur in a befitting manner.

So gayly the youth rode forth upon a steed of dappled gray, four summers old, with shell-shaped hoofs and wellknit limbs. His saddle was of burnished gold, his bridle 20

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of shining gold chains. His saddle cloth was of purple silk, with four golden apples embroidered in the four

corners.

The war horn slung over his shoulder was of ivory; the ssword that hung by his side had a golden hilt and a twoedged blade inlaid with a cross of gold that glittered like the lightning of heaven. His shoes, from the knee to the tip of the toe, were embossed with gold worth three hundred cattle; and his stirrups also were of gold.

In his hand he held two spears, with shafts of silver and heads of tempered steel, and of an edge so sharp as to wound the wind and cause the blood to flow. Two white-breasted greyhounds bounded before his steed. Broad collars set with rubies were on their necks; and to and fro they 15 sprang, like two sea swallows sporting around him. The blades of reed grass bent not beneath him, so light was his courser's tread, as he journeyed toward the gate of Arthur's palace.

The Wide White Hall of Arthur had been built by Rear20 fort, the architect. Eight and forty were the rafters of its roof. It would hold all Arthur's companions and his nobles, his warriors, his retainers, and his guests.

While Kilhugh was riding thither, the tables were set for the evening meal. The king, with his knights, his 25 friends, and his attendants, were in their places around the board. And the gate of the outer court was locked.

As the prince rode on, he beheld from afar the walls and towers of Arthur's Hall. When he drew rein within the shadow of the vast portal, he saw that the door was closed 30 and barred, and an armed warrior, stalwart and strong, was standing before it.

"O chieftain," he said, "is it King Arthur's custom to have a gatekeeper stationed here?"

"It is," replied the warrior sternly; "and if thou dost not hold thy peace, scant shall be thy welcome. I am Arthur's porter every New Year's Day, and that is why I s am here now."

"And who is the porter at other times?" asked Prince Kilhugh.

"At other times the gate is guarded by four lusty chieftains who serve under me," answered the Dusky Hero with 10 the Mighty Grasp. "The names of the first two are Blandmien and Speedguest. The third is Grumgruff, a man who never did anyone a favor in his life. The fourth is Rumbleroll, who goes on his head to save his feet. He neither holds it up to the sky like a man, nor stretches it 15 out toward the ground like a brute; but he goes tumbling about the floor, like nothing but a rolling stone."

"Unbar the door and let me in," commanded Kilhugh. "Nay, that I will not," answered the Dusky Hero with the Mighty Grasp.

"And why not?" cried the prince.

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"The knife is in the meat and the drink is in the horn, and there is revelry in Arthur's Hall; and no man may enter in save the son of a king from a friendly land. But never shall it be said that a wayfarer was turned harshly 25 away from Arthur's door. Food enough for thee and thy fifty men shall be prepared; collops shall be cooked and peppered for all. In the stables there is fodder for thy horses and food in plenty for thy dogs. And thou shalt fare as well in the guest chamber as in the hall; only be 30 content, and disturb not the king and his knights at the table."