"All mankind, all living things, even the trees and stones, shed tears for Baldur," said the loyal Hermod.

"This will I do," said Queen Hela, at length. "Prove to me that everything in the world mourns for Baldur, 5 and I will give him up. But if a single thing refuses to weep for him, then he must stay with me."

Hermod was not quite satisfied with this promise, but he made ready to return, and in nine days more he gave the message to Odin. Then there was rejoicing among 10 the gods. Surely no living thing would refuse to weep for Baldur. And so the word went forth through all the wide world.

Everywhere there was weeping for the lost Baldur. Men and beasts, trees and stones, ice and metals wept 15 together—all but one old woman, who said, “Why should I weep for Baldur? Let him stay where he is."

One story says that Baldur was never allowed to return; but another says that Queen Hela was better than her word, and that for six months in every year 20 Baldur lives in his own home and gladdens the earth with his presence. And this is why the sun is bright and warm, and beasts and birds and trees are happy from April to October; but during the rest of the year all growing things are sad and silent because Baldur is with 25 Queen Hela.

MEN'S FIRST HOMES

EDWARD CLODD

EDWARD CLODD, F.R.A.S. (1840- ), is an English writer and

scientist.

At first men lived in caves, which were hollowed out by water ages before any living thing dwelt here. Besides living in caves, holes were dug in the ground, a wall being 5 made of the earth which was thrown out, and a covering of tree boughs put over it. Sometimes, where blocks of stone were found lying loosely, they were placed together, and a rude, strong kind of hut made in this way.

There have been found in lakes, especially in Swiss 10 lakes, remains of houses which were built upon piles driven into the bed of the lake. The shape of many of these piles shows that they were cut with stone hatchets; and this proves that people lived in this curious fashion in very early times. It is thought that they did so to be 15 freer from the attacks of their enemies and of wild beasts.

These lake-dwellers, as they are called (and they not only lived thus in the Stone Age, but there are people living in the same manner in the East Indies and other places at this day), made use of their stone hatchets to cut 20 down trees and to kill such animals as the bear, wolf, and

wild boar. They had learned to fish with nets made of flax, which they floated with buoys of bark.

There have been found on the shores of Denmark, Scotland, and elsewhere, enormous heaps of what are called 5 "kitchen middens." These were really the feeding places of the people who lived near those coasts, and are made up of piles of shells, largely those of the oyster, mussel, periwinkle, etc. With these there have also been found the bones of animals and birds, as well as flint knives and 10 other things.

The three things which man would first need were food, fire, and shelter; and now you are perhaps wondering how these people of the Stone Age spoke to each other, and what words they used. This we shall never know; 15 but we may be sure that they had some way of making their thoughts known, and that they learned to speak and write and count little by little, just as they learned everything else. They had some idea of drawing; for bones and pieces of slate have been found with rough sketches of 20 the mammoth, bull, and other beasts scratched on them. These pictures witness to the truth that man is greater than the brutes; since no brute has yet been known to draw a picture, write an alphabet, or make a fire.

Abridged.

the Stone Age: a period in the early history of mankind when stone and bone were the only materials used for weapons and tools.

THE HERMIT CRAB

ELIZABETH R. CHARLES

MRS. ELIZABETH R. CHARLES (1828-1896) was an English writer. "Chronicles of the Schönberg-Cotta Family" is her best-known book.

NOTE. This selection is taken from a little book called "The Song without Words."

The Child was eager to reach his friends and playfellows 5 on the seashore. Much as he loved the trees and flowers and delicate mosses, he would soon have grown weary of their mute, quiet ways.

"Do you never wish to wander, and never long for change?" he said to them one day. "I wish I could 10 take you with me to see some of the wonderful things there are in the world. You must not be grieved if I go."

But as he spoke a breeze shook the branches of the tree above him, and gently parting them, let in a whole train of sunbeams on the mossy bank. And the young fern 15 leaves and the tender green mosses and the violets and all the flowers with the dewdrops on them sparkled in the sunshine and waved to and fro in the breeze and seemed to grow even as he looked at them. Then the Child comprehended that every creature had its own meas- 20 ure of gladness full, and tripped joyfully away. But when he reached the gleaming strip of sunny sand at the

foot of the rocks, he stepped more slowly and carefully, for all around him were his playfellows, and he often found some of them in want of his help.

This morning the shore was strewn with many well 5 known to him, and some that were strange; for in the night the winds and waves had played rough gambols together, and had greatly disturbed many of the peaceful little dwellers in the deep.

The first thing he met was a sea anemone stranded 10 high on the beach, folding all its pretty flower leaves into

itself and making itself look as ugly as it could. But the Child knew it well; and he laid his hand on it to carry it into a safer place. The little red and green and orange ball resented his interference, rolled itself a little 15 on one side, and tried to bury itself in the sand; but he

gently carried it to a favorite pool of his among the rocks. There he laid it down near the edge, where the water was shallow, and in a few minutes it shot out its pretty feelers and rooted itself on the rock and expanded into a 20 floral crown, every petal striped with rose and fawn, every petal like a little busy finger, tossing to and fro in search of food and in the enjoyment of life.

He tripped back over the rocks to the beach, treading softly over the leaves of the large brown seaweeds, whilst 25 their air bladders cracked cheerily under his feet; and on