Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-04
The Tale of the
Wooden Horse
Grandfather Tells the Story of Greek
Craft

sat reading. He looked up and his eyes
lighted up with the glad smile which
always greeted his young friends while
he put his book down, not, however,
without reluctance.
at don't believe you want to see us
at all today" pouted Elise, "but you
know you promised us a story every
Saturday afternoon at this time If we
had been good at school,"
"Oh. we have been good, all right;
we wouldn't miss one of your stories
for anything" said one of the boys,
and then Jack, the oldest grandson,
said: "What were you reading, grand
father? It looks like a terribly old
book. Why don't you read some of the
nice new ones that are here" and
he looked with disdain at the worn
binding of calf and then proudly up
at the many shelves filled with books
gay with gold and morocco.
Grandfather picked up his book again
and looked at 1t affectionately. "Yes,
1t is an old book, and one which has
seen many hard days; but I love its
dog-eared corners and It's ragged pages
better than many Of those handsome
books with which the room is lined"
There was slight pause-grand-
fathers emotion had caused some en-
barrassment to the eager children, and
they hesitated before making a reply
to his remark.
At last, putting the book on the arm
of his chair, grandfather asked: "How
many Of you are studying Latin this
year?"
1T am" said Jack "Just started in
on The Orations of julius Caesar
and he pulled his book from his pocket
with little flourish of pride.
"Oh, well, you are year ahead OF
Art and me-" said Tom. wen be
there, too, next year. We are just
starting now. But why do you ASK,
grandpa? You aren't going to make
us study our lessons here, are your
and he looked q little alarmed.
mo, indeed; nothing like that" said
grandfather, shut I believe shall tell
YOU some of the stories from this book.
It Is the 'Aeneid,' a great poem IN
Latin by Virgil. You will have to study
1t later on in your school life, but
when the time comes for you to read
1t in the original you may be too busy
with nouns, verbs, conjugations and
declensions to get the full beauty of
the story, SO I shall tell you some of
the more interesting portions of the
book at the story hours, or at least will
start and see how you like them"
The words were hardly out Of his
mouth before the girls were nesting
comfortably on cushions and rugs all
about his chair, while the boys seated
themselves in chairs as close TO tneir
grandfather as they could place them.
The fire cracked pleasantly In the
crate and through the broad west Win
dow the sun streamed into the room,
casting a soft golden glow over the
group and bringing into strong contrast
fhe soft pink cheeks and golden brown
curls of the girls and the STURDY
limbs. brown, weather-tanned races OF
their brothers and cousins with the
silver hair and gentle smile OF tneir
grandfather.
at think shall begin by telling you
about the Wooden Horse.
s'You see. when Virgil lived the peo-
nle were nearly always at war and
when they were not fighting they loved
to read OF the great wars wnacn mao
taken place. So the poets, IN oroer TO
he sure OF an audience, were forceo 10
recite In verse the heroic deeds OF tine
warriors. Virgil related In his WONDER
full poetry this story about the siege OF
"The Greeks had been trying to cap
ture the proud city of Troy Tor ten
years. King Agamemnon himseiI WIN
his great army was In the fields wnich
law about the city, but even with his
powerful army he was unable TO enter
its oates because certain OF the gods
loved it well and defended 1t. Apollo
and Mars. the god of war, and even
Rather Jupiter himself watched over
and protected the city.
ssFinally Minerva, the goddess OF
wisdom, suggested a cunning device to
Epieus. q Greek officer. 1t would en-
able him to take the city.
sfHe built great horse OF wood.
which was to be a peace offering TO
Minerva that the Greeks should have
safe return to their homes, for In those
days the people thought that they
must make some such offering to their
gods in order to be protected from evil
and danger. But when the horse was
built several OF the brave Grecian
chiefs hid themselves within its belly.
Ulysses was one of these and Meneiaus
and Thoas were others, beside Epeius
himself. who had built the horse. :.
'Then the rest of the army departed
and made as though returning to It's
own country, although II only went 70
a nearby island called Tenedos.
'The people of Troy were overJoyed
when they knew that the enemy had
departed, and opened their gates and
went out to see the plain and the camp