While everybody was laughing, Alexander ran up to Bu-ceph-a-lus, and
turned his head toward the sun. He had noticed that the horse was
afraid of his own shadow.
He then spoke gently to the horse, and patted him with his hand. When
he had qui-et-ed him a little, he made a quick spring, and leaped upon
the horse's back.
Everybody expected to see the boy killed outright. But he kept his
place, and let the horse run as fast as he would. By and by, when
Bucephalus had become tired, Alexander reined him in, and rode back to
the place where his father was standing.
All the men who were there shouted when they saw that the boy had
proved himself to be the master of the horse.
He leaped to the ground, and his father ran and kissed him.
"My son," said the king, "Macedon is too small a place for you. You
must seek a larger kingdom that will be worthy of you."
After that, Alexander and Bucephalus were the best of friends. They
were said to be always together, for when one of them was seen, the
other was sure to be not far away. But the horse would never allow any
one to mount him but his master.
Alexander became the most famous king and warrior that was ever known;
and for that reason he is always called Alexander the Great.
Bucephalus carried him through many countries and in many fierce
battles, and more than once did he save his master's life.
DIOGENES THE WISE MAN.
At Cor-inth, in Greece, there lived a very wise man whose name was
Di-og'e-nes. Men came from all parts of the land to see him and hear
him talk.
But wise as he was, he had some very queer ways. He did not believe
that any man ought to have more things than he re-al-ly needed; and he
said that no man needed much. And so he did not live in a house, but
slept in a tub or barrel, which he rolled about from place to place.
He spent his days sitting in the sun, and saying wise things to those
who were around him.
At noon one day, Di-og-e-nes was seen walking through the streets with
a lighted lantern, and looking all around as if in search of
something.
"Why do you carry a lantern when the sun is shining?" some one said.
"I am looking for an honest man," answered Diogenes.
When Alexander the Great went to Cor-inth, all the fore-most men in
the city came out to see him and to praise him. But Diogenes did not
come; and he was the only man for whose o-pin-ions Alexander cared.
[Illustration: Diogenes and Alexander.]
And so, since the wise man would not come to see the king, the king
went to see the wise man. He found Diogenes in an out-of-the-way
place, lying on the ground by his tub. He was en-joy-ing the heat and
the light of the sun.
When he saw the king and a great many people coming, he sat up and
looked at Alexander. Alexander greeted him and said,--
"Diogenes, I have heard a great deal about your wisdom. Is there
anything that I can do for you?"
"Yes," said Diogenes. "You can stand a little on one side, so as not
to keep the sunshine from me."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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