Own a fault if you are wrong;
If you’re angry, hold your tongue.
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.