"Bravo!" cried the king. "The spider has taught me a lesson. I too will try until I win." Bruce kept his word. He led his brave men to battle, again and again, until at last the English were driven back to their own land, and Scotland was free. [Illustration: BRUCE WATCHING THE SPIDER] [Illustration: RICHARD LION HEART FIGHTING IN THE HOLY LAND] =Richard and Blondel= In a gloomy prison, in a foreign land, lay Richard I, King of England. He had been with some other kings to a great war in the Holy Land, where he had won battles, and taken cities, and gained much honour. Men called him Richard Lion-heart, because he was as brave as a lion in fighting, and his soldiers loved him and would follow him into any danger. One strong city, called Acre, held out for nearly two years against the armies of the other kings, but when Richard arrived it gave way almost at once. Because of his bravery, and his many victories, all men praised King Richard, and this made some of the other kings hate him, for they were jealous that he should have more honour than they. When he was on his way back to England, one of these envious men seized him secretly, and threw him into prison. And now poor Richard could fight no more, nor could he see the blue sky, and the green fields which he loved. One day, as he sat sad and lonely in his prison, he heard a voice singing, beneath the window. He started. "Surely," said he, "that is the voice of my old friend Blondel, and that is the song we used to sing together." When the song was ended, the king sang it again in a low voice. Then there was a joyful cry from the man outside, and Richard knew that it was indeed his friend. Blondel had journeyed many days seeking his lost master. Now he hastened to England, and told the people where to find their king, and very soon Richard was set free, and went back to his own land. [Illustration: BLONDEL SINGS BENEATH RICHARD'S WINDOW] =The White Ship= The night was dark, and a stormy wind was blowing, when the _White Ship_ set sail from the shore of France. Prince William of England and his sister and their young friends were going back to their own land, after a visit to the French king. The English king, Henry I, with his courtiers, had sailed earlier, and had now almost reached home. But the prince would not go with them, he wished to make merry before starting. There had been eating, and drinking, and dancing, and singing on board the _White Ship_, and everyone was merry. But the sailors had drunk so much wine that they could not see to steer aright. Soon there was a crash, and the ship trembled. It had struck a rock, and was sinking.