THE KNIGHTS OF THE SILVER SHIELD
I
Once upon a time, a long while ago, in a big dark forest there was a great gray castle. It had high stone walls and tall turrets that you could see a long way off over the tree-tops.
Perhaps you are wondering who lived in this castle far off in the woods.
Well, you see there were cruel giants in the forest—so cruel that the king kept a company of knights in the castle to help travelers.
These knights wore the most wonderful suits of armor you ever saw. They had tall helmets on their heads, with long red plumes floating behind. They carried long spears, too; but the most wonderful thing about them was their shields. These had been made by a great magician, and when the knights first got them they were all cloudy; but as their owners did more and more brave deeds, the shields grew brighter and brighter.
Once in a long while, when a knight had fought a terribly hard battle or had done a great many very, very brave deeds, a beautiful golden star would appear in the center of the shield.
One day a messenger came riding up to the castle in great haste. He was terribly excited and he shouted, “The giants are coming! They are all gathered together to fight you!”
You can imagine the commotion that took place in the castle! There was a great hurrying and scurrying to bolt and bar all the doors and windows, to polish armor, and to get everything ready.
The youngest knight of all, Sir Roland, was so happy that he did not know what to do! You see, he had done many brave deeds already, and he was thinking how much brighter his shield would be now that he had a chance to go into a real battle. He could hardly wait!
By and by, all the knights were ready and the lord of the castle said:
“Somebody must stay here to guard the gate. Sir Roland, you are the youngest; suppose you stay; and remember—don’t let any one in.”
Poor Sir Roland! I wonder if you can imagine how he felt. Why, he just felt as if he wanted to die! To think that he had to stay at home when he wanted to go more than anyone else. But he was a real knight, so he made no reply.
He even tried to smile as he stood at the gate and watched all the other knights ride away with their banners flying and their armor flashing in the sunshine and their red plumes waving in the wind. Oh, how he did want to go! He watched till they had galloped out of sight, and then he went back into the lonely castle.
II
After a long while, one of the knights came limping back from the battle.
“Oh, it’s a dreadful fight,” he said. “I think you ought to go and help. I’ve been wounded; but I’ll guard the gate while you go.”
You see, he wasn’t a brave knight and he was glad to get away from the battle. Sir Roland’s face became all happy again, for he thought, “Here is my chance!” And he was just about to go; when, suddenly, he seemed to hear a voice, “You stay to guard the gate; and remember—don’t let any one in.” So instead of going, he said, “I can’t let any one in, not even you. I must stay and guard the gate. Your place is at the battle.”
That sounds easy to say, doesn’t it? But it was very hard to do, when he wanted to go more than anything else in the world.
After the knight had gone, there was nothing for him to do but to wonder how the fight was going and to wish that he was right in the midst of it.
III
By and by, he saw a little bent old woman coming along the road. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that all around the castle there was a moat—a sort of ditch, filled with water—and the only way to get to the castle was over a little narrow drawbridge that led to the gate. When the knights didn’t want any one to come in, they could pull the bridge up against the wall.
Well, the little old woman came up and asked Sir Roland if she might come in to get something to eat. Sir Roland said, “Nobody may come in today; but I’ll get you some food.”
So he called one of the servants; and while she waited the old woman began to talk.
“My, there is a terrible fight in the forest,” she said.
“How is it going?” Sir Roland asked.
“Badly for the knights,” she replied. “It is a wonder to me that you are not out there fighting, instead of standing here doing nothing.”
“I have to stay to guard the gate,” said Sir Roland.
“Hm-m-m,” said the old woman. “I guess you are one of those knights who don’t like to fight. I guess you are glad of an excuse to stay home.” And she laughed at him and made fun of him.
Sir Roland was so angry that he opened his lips to answer; and then he remembered that she was old. So he closed them again, and gave her the food. Then she went away.
Now, he wanted to go more than ever since he knew that the knights were losing the battle. It was pretty hard to be laughed at and called a coward! Oh, how he did want to go!
IV
Soon a queer little old man came up the road. He wore a long black cloak and he called out to Sir Roland, “My, what a lazy knight! Why aren’t you at the fight? See, I have brought you a magic sword.”
He pulled out from under his cloak the most wonderful sword you ever saw. It flashed like diamonds in the sun.
See, I Have Brought You a Magic Sword
“If you take this to the fight you will win for your lord. Nothing can stand before it.”
Sir Roland reached for it, and the little old man stepped on the drawbridge. Suddenly, the knight remembered, and said, “No!” so loudly that the old man stepped back. But still he called out, “Take it! It is the sword of all swords! It is for you!”
Sir Roland wanted it so badly that, for fear he might take it, he called the porters to pull up the drawbridge.
Then, as he watched from the gate, what do you think happened? It was the most wonderful thing you could imagine! The little old man began to grow and grow till he was one of the giants! Then Sir Roland knew that he had almost let one of the enemy into the castle.
V
For a while, everything was very quiet. Suddenly, he heard a sound, and soon he saw the knights riding toward the castle so happily that he knew that they had won. Soon they were inside, and were talking together about all the brave deeds they had done.
The lord of the castle sat down on his high seat in the main hall with all his knights around him. Sir Roland stepped up to give him the key of the gate. All at once, one of the knights cried, “The shield! Sir Roland’s shield!”
And there, shining in the center, was a beautiful golden star. Sir Roland was holding his shield in front of him, so he could not see it. But the others looked and wondered; and the lord of the castle asked, “What happened? Did the giants come? Did you fight any alone?”
“No,” said Sir Roland. “Only one came, and soon he went away again.”
Then he told all about the little old woman and the little old man, and the knights still wondered about the star. But the lord of the castle said, “Men make mistakes, but our shields never do. Sir Roland has fought and won the greatest battle of all today.”
—Raymond M. Alden—Adapted.
QUESTIONS
It was much harder for Sir Roland to stay and guard the gate than it would have been for him to go to the fight, wasn’t it?
How many times was he tempted?
What might have happened if he had not guarded the gate?
Which knight gained the greatest victory of all?
Over whom did he gain it?
Can you remember a time when you did the right thing even though you felt very much like doing something else?
MEMORY GEMS
He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city.—Bible.
A strong heart may be ruined in fortune, but not in spirit.—Victor Hugo.
Be sure to put your feet in the right place; then stand firm.—Lincoln.
He who cannot control himself cannot control others.
