Children -- Books and reading; Children's literature -- Bibliography; Children's stories -- Bibliography; Storytelling
And then Christopher set his staff in the earth and when he arose on
the morrow, he found his staff like a palm-tree bearing flowers,
leaves and dates.
From THE LEGENDA AUREA TEMPLE CLASSICS.
ARTHUR IN THE CAVE.
Once upon a time a Welshman was walking on London Bridge, staring at
the traffic and wondering why there were so many kites hovering about.
He had come to London, after many adventures with thieves and
highwaymen, which need not be related here, in charge of a herd of
black Welsh cattle. He had sold them with much profit, and with
jingling gold in his pocket he was going about to see the sights of
the city.
He was carrying a hazel staff in his hand, for you must know that a
good staff is as necessary to a drover as teeth are to his dogs. He
stood still to gaze at some wares in a shop (for at that time London
Bridge was shops from beginning to end), when he noticed that a man
was looking at his stick with a long fixed look. The man after a
while came to him and asked him where he came from.
"I come from my own country," said the Welshman, rather surlily, for
he could not see what business the man had to ask such a question.
"Do not take it amiss," said the stranger: "if you will only answer my
questions, and take my advice, it will be of greater benefit to you
than you imagine. Do you remember where you cut that stick?"
The Welshman was still suspicious, and said: "What does it matter where
I cut it?"
"It matters," said the questioner, "because there is a treasure hidden
near the spot where you cut that stick. If you can remember the place
and conduct me to it, I will put you in possession of great riches."
The Welshman now understood he had to deal with a sorcerer, and he was
greatly perplexed as to what to do. On the one hand, he was tempted
by the prospect of wealth; on the other hand, he knew that the
sorcerer must have derived his knowledge from devils, and he feared to
have anything to do with the powers of darkness. The cunning man
strove hard to persuade him, and at length made him promise to shew
the place where he cut his hazel staff.
The Welshman and the magician journeyed together to Wales. They went
to Craig y Dinas, the Rock of the Fortress, at the head of the Neath
valley, near Pont Nedd Fechan, and the Welshman, pointing to the stock
or root of an old hazel, said: "This is where I cut my stick."
"Let us dig," said the sorcerer. They digged until they came to a
broad, flat stone. Prying this up, they found some steps leading
downwards. They went down the steps and along a narrow passage until
they came to a door. "Are you brave?" asked the sorcerer; "will you
come in with me?"
"I will," said the Welshman, his curiosity getting the better of
his fear.
They opened the door, and a great cave opened out before them. There
was a faint red light in the cave, and they could see everything. The
first thing they came to was a bell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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