Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile literature; Children's poetry; Children's stories; Conduct of life -- Juvenile literature
One day as he looked from his elegant window he saw a poor boy passing
drawn in a little wagon by a goat; then he set up a loud cry that he
must have that very wagon and goat. It did no good for his mother to
promise him just as good an one if it could be found in the Central
Market, where almost everything could be bought. No, he must have
that. That boy must sell it to him or it must be taken from him. What
right had that poor boy to something that he (Claude) didn’t have?
His mother reasoned with him, but all to no purpose; he stormed about,
stamping his foot, saying he would have it if he had to kill the boy to
get it. When he got over his rage somewhat his mother said: “You remind
me of another Claude, only his real name was Claudius.”
Then Master Claude quieted down and listened, for he was fond of
stories, and now he knew his mother had one for him. So she went on
thus: “Two thousand years ago there lived a large family in the country
that is now called England. Their name was Briton. They were not the
handsomest or wisest folks in the world, nor were they always gentle
among themselves. Their houses were mere huts and their dress was the
skins of wild animals. They were a brave people, but generally minded
their own business. The great father of this family—I should say one of
the big brothers—was Caractacus. He was strong and fearless, and very
wise and good in his way. When they were in trouble they went to him,
and somehow he always knew just what to do. So they thought of him just
as American people think of Washington.
“Miles and miles away across the great waters lived another family in
an elegant marble palace”—
“Now you are going to tell a story about me,” interrupted Claude.
—“in an elegant marble palace. Everything without as well as within
this beautiful mansion was costly and wonderful. There was nothing just
like it on all the face of the earth.
“But they were unhappy. They wanted something more. One day while they
were sitting and feasting, dressed in purple and fine linen, and bands
of music were playing, word came from one of their travelers about a
fair island far away, and about this Briton family who owned it, and
were living there so contentedly.
“Then uprose the father of the Roman family—for that was their name—and
the music ceased, the feasting was over, and the men put off their
showy dress and put on their soldier clothes, and the father or big
brother, whose name was Claudius”—
“Now, mother, more about me?”
“His name was Claudius, and he mounted his war horse and blew a loud
blast that made the marble halls ring again, and with waving banners
and peals of music away marched this Roman family to conquer the Briton
family and make them give up their”—
“Little wagon and goat?”
—“give up their beautiful farm. On they went on foot and on horse and
by boats till they landed one dark night and stole up to the back yard
of the Britons.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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