1938-09-30 — Page 10

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The Adventures Of

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30,

Books edited by Roger Pippett

ROBIN HOOD WORDSWORTHY

THE STORY THUS FAR: King Richard, on leaving for Crusades In 1191, put England under a Regency, mistrusting his Saxon- hating brother, Prince John. At a jousting match before the latter Sezon, worsts Sir Guy of

Sir Robin of Locksicy, a swashbuckling, the dislike of Sir Guy's Gisbourne, a Norman, thereby sweetheart, the beautiful Lady Marian Fitzwalter.' King Richard is taken prisoner abroad and held for ransom, and Prince John plots to seize the throne. He beglus to lax and otherwise per- secute the Sazons--and Robin perforins many merry but vetorous deeda in their defense. He sually denounces Prince Johni da a traitor. Prince John outlaws Robin and places a price on his head. Robin organises the poor serfs as a band of Merry Men noured to free England from Prince John and restore Richard to the through Sherwood Forest where the outlaws hide--and Robin and his men capture the treasure to restore it to the King—and make the knights change clothes with the ragged serfs. Lady Marthi begins to understand why Rubin seas willing to give up all his possessions for the poor.

CHAPTER VII

"Would you really like to know and you, Saint Peter! Appoint six why I turned outlaw, my lady, or men to guide our gallant guest, Sir are you afraid of the truth... or Guy of Gisbourne and his brave of me?"

friend, the Sherif-to the Notting-

afraid,

of you

The crimi

of nothing. least of all ham Road!"

The Merry Men bowed and went crimson light Di sunset to do their duty. Altered through the leaves to the

"But our horses pleasant glade where the oulinws

our clothes

Nottingham,"

were cleuring away the last vestiges .“ gasped Sir Guy.

"You'll return to of the mighty feast where knights were parbed us serts and serfs nad Robin curtly, as you are! On

Ku pus in foot. knights and all was mad and merry.

of the Sheri

The shifting eyes of Nottinghaun

Guy,

* spied Robin Hood

teach you humility and if it's not too much hope... little mercyt The rest of your, people will be returned to-morrow!"

"ut

the Lady... "You'd better get started before 1 elge my mind!"

and Malti Marian standing on # flowery slope and he nudged Sir

The

jealous knight started to his feel angrily but Little John and Friar Tuck. with chuckling glee.

The High Sheriff plucked at Sir tripped him

and Up

sent him Guy's sleeve and waddied off at an alarming pace. - Sir Guy looked at sprawling

Several of

Robin's Merry Men Robin und then at Marian. Since passed bearing food and drink and neither spoke he betook hims:If to disappeared among Rending

the greenery, the trail, Tags fluttering. the question In Marian's "Little John, Friar Tuck!" erled eyes, Robin motioned her to follow Robin lustily. Giant and gnome→→ the two came hastily-not without

him.

"They

N

OWADAYS Wordsworth is out of fashilo,i (what is the fashion in postry, any

way?), I fancy most young people think of him as a morose old sheep.mooning about the Lake District in autumnal rain.

But make no mistake about it, ho was a great poet. He wrote far too many dull Ines-that's a linbit with even The greatest of them. Yot oven his most monotonous fatter-day blent would suddenly and surprisingly be come a menorable song.

He hind a sister, too. One of tho frat Englishwomen to write of coun. try scones and country folk. And, in William and Dorothy (Collins, Ba. 6d), Helen Ashton has written a novel about them and their circle.

Actually, Dorothy wrote a lot of it herself over a hundred years ago, for the author's note confesses that many of the scenic descriptions are hers and much of the narrative is "as far as possible in her own words."

If you happen have read Dorothy's Journals and the family letters, you may fret here and there at the half- Invented conversation. And you wil probably wonder why Miss Ashton had to stage that romance between Cole- ridge and Dorothy....

In fact, the book raises once more the whole question of the Imaginative Blography. Is semi-Bellon the proper wear for the immortals? Andro Maurois managed it perfectly in his little sketch of Shelley, Ariel, Wiliam and Dorothy comes some way after that.

Still, it is an honest, graceful effort→→ A true labour of love, And Mlas Ashton and I will be only too plessed if her story senda renders back to the origi nals. Especially to Wordsworth, blent and all.

Here's Hilarity DIALOGUE between publisher

JANET RIESENFELD, who has torlitan a remarkable book about her experiences in Spain ("Dancer in Madrid, Harrap, 10s. d.)

of the types he most deteats, but soon the joke takes hold of him and the char actors begin to come wildly alive.

The story Charles anda himself writing is his own story and his own' wishes distorted in dream. It con- COTTIS mathematician who acelden- tally invents gadget to induce sleep. His overpowering wife crusades for it, financiers finance it, the public laps it up and the Church, the Gov- ernment and the Press get going.

An hilarious affair, what with Mra. Pry skilfully keeping Charles at it, his strange encounters with publishers when it is finished and his surprise when the reviewers unscrew their pens.

R. P.

•

Bolitho has the run of the brary at Windsor Castle, he naturally has access to any such papers which are released for publication.

So he has incorporated the new material, rewritten both his former books as one and-there you are.

They were both quite average, read- able books when first published. They seen much the same when furbished up anew.

Mr. Bolitho can look forward lo many years of prolife working in this vein that he has made his own. 1940. for instance, will be the centenary of Victoria's marriage. The Great Exhi billon-a Hundred Years After will do for 1031, and surely we can all look forward to... But decency draws a

yell.

This is how Mr. Bolitho writes: "Queen Victoria's Court was made up at people definite character and

high moral courage. It was part of her greatness that she never attracted second-rate people about her."

This little gem comes front pag 103. As I read it, I seemed to hear that high, quaint laugh which still dis tinguishies Lytton Strachey's ghost.

T. D.

Draughty WHATEVER the weather

there's always that damned draught.. In fact, it's so much a part of my life that I thought it only fair to put it in the title of this book."

Go Herbert Hodge, broadcaster, writer, Boclalist, Britain's best-known taxi-driver, in his autobiography. It's Draughly in Front (Michael Joseph, Bs. 6d.

Not that a whirlwind or two serl- ously upsets Mr. Hodge. A man who has been unemployed agitator, farmer's boy, lumberjack, cowman, fire-fighter, radio celebrity and author of a couple of successful plays must find a whirl- wind pretty lame.

From which you will see that Mr.

But Oh, Mr. Bolitho! Hodge has a lot of exciting things to

came 10 rude shelter Krim glances at each other-for

and author. Publisher: where

4 number

of men,

gaunt, rivalry hud sprung up between the "Well, you've written one novel broken creatures, Iny 011 green two "You will conduct the Lady and it's sold. For goodness sako get boughs. They reached their hands Murian-and

on with another!" Author: her charming lady-in- to Robin gratefully, Marian's eyes waiting. Bers

here bowed low what on earth am I to write about? were wide with horror at their before the simpering widow, "to the My own experiences7 plight.

OK. Here Abbey of the Black Canons. It is "Those men were once contented half way to Nottingham. Then, to- villagers, my lady," said Robin is narrow, the Bishop can escort the he led her away, "now... blinded ladies the rest of the way!... And

tongues slit

ears hacked see to it that the Bishop's men don't

3'oli!"

off by your Norman friends they have come to me for refuge AL

byes

AL

but you have taken

.. many of them

take

this point Much-the-Miller's. Son edged forward diffidently.

"If it ain't haskin' too muchi, Muster, might I

ergo along!"

Norman ilves

"Only the cruel and unjust!"

Seeing Besa's coy glances, Rob- She looked at him in bewilder- In quickly gave gave his consent. ment. "You are

a strange man," Little John mounted and with I

enough grace hauled Friar Tuck up her

Radule

she sighed.

Strange the helpless?!

"No!

. because I feel for behind him. Much boosted Bess to

with auch enthusiasm that. Strange because you she all but fell off on the other side)

want to do something about It Be at

willing to defy Sir Scared off beside her. Will Scarlet, Robin's square, cantered up,

cause you are Guy

even Prince John himself! and joined the merry company.

and the Lady Martan sald

To risk your own life! And one of Robln

those unhappy man Lack there was goodby casually enough but when

a Saxon understand how

"Norman or Saxon, what does

Normal! I

can't

youNorman

hatter? Aren't

English

not

Normans!"

"But it has lost

we all

men? It's injustice I hate

your lands...

hunted outlaw

have. Ind

comfort

little distance off she turned and green raised her hand. Robin waved his the hut in

air and stood watching till a turn in the way hid her. from view.

Sir Gdy and the High Sheriff, af- you your rank ter a wearisome journey, limped up made you a to the Nottingham Castle to find the when you might portculits down. They shouted

security! themselves hoarse

before the What is your reward for all this?" tonished guarda let them in.

18- "You wouldn't understand, beau- greatest orden) lay ahead.

The tiful lady

he said sadly. "Oh, but I

Prince John went into such JL pulsively, laying her hand on his, him to tal! In a foaming t at any she spoke in towering ruge that they expected ... Ittle... moment. In vain they tried to ex-

plain how nobly they had fought!

"Where are you wounds then?" roared Prince John. "Where are Where is the ransom

"I do begin to see

now

"Ther

Then, my indy greater reward

I want' no

They looked into each other's eyes, your men? She put out her hand and he raised money? More than thirty thousand it to his lips. Tinglingly aware of mares in the hands of that.

that

the change that had come over them wolf's-head! The fellow's got to be In the green solitude,, they returned

I tell you! He's got to be

"But how low

to the camp, where strings strum- taken!" med, and rough voices joined

Bre

fa

ribald song, about the newly-kindled Implored Sir Guy at his flattery Stre?"

Sir Guy was standing by

again. wagons-guard-the

I muster an army," blustered Sherlit the High Sheriff, "ond .surround

High

Die

"You?" sneered Sir Guy,

"you

cowering nearby-when the Man him!" and the Mald came into view. "Now that you've robbed us--Robin Hood!" eculdn't catch Robin Hood if he sat Sir Guy called angrily, "and had in your lap shooting arrows at n your fill of insulting us

Suddenly another idea hit to leavel Comte, Mariant we wish crow"

the Sherif.

"Why not hold an archery t-tour- and batt

Slr

Guy looked so like a scare- crow in his beggar's rugs that she nament," he cried, "... turned away, hardly able to conceal him to it?"

"Bait him me eye!" bawled "Prince will escort my John.

her amusement.

ly,

"My own men

"Saved

mean?"

tady, Str Guy," replied Robin calm "True, Sire!" said Guy.

"but may suggest that before. "I will like the iden of the t you bid her good night, you thank tournament!" anorted the Sheriff. her for having saved your life!" "And have him fly in on the end my life? What do you of one of his arrows!" scoffed Sir "Do you really think, Sir, that "I said and I say again," repeated

"A marvelous Idea!" you'd have left Sherwood Forest the Sheriff stubbornly, "with all the alive, if the Lady Marian had not best archers of England at our t- been with you?”

tournent we couldn't keep Robin Sir Guy was too infuriated to re- Hood

We'd bait him, Your ply. Robin halled two of his Merry Highness, see? Bait him!" Men.

John began to consider it. "Ho, Harold Broadbutt there

(Continued to-morrow)

THE

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I am, writing a novel. And don't say you didn't ask for it!

A purely imaginary talk, of course. Yet this might be the story behind the story behind the story in Asteop In the Afternoon, by E. C. Largo (Cape. 16. ad.). which continuca the spacious adventures of Charles Pry, the chemist-hero of Sugar in the Air,

Bored with everything, this discon Derting young man gets the notion, of ail notions, to write a novel,

It starts as rather heavy satiric fan- tasy, decorated with crudo caricatures

HECTOR BOLITHO knows when

he is on a good thing-Queen Victoria and her Albert. And 80, like a sensible man, ho has turned out yet another book about them. This time it is called Victoria and Albert.

(Cobden - Sanderson,

12s. 6d.),

He started off six years age with Albert the Good. That went very well, so he followed it up with Victoria the Widow and fler Son

Bince then they have unearthed some letters Albert wrote to his tutor and a few other papers, and, as Mr.

For Our Junior Readers

T

Driving out of the dawn

10 Apollo, the sun-god, and Clymene, a beautiful ocean- nymph, there was born in the pleasant land of Greece a child whom they named Phaeton, the Bright and Shining One.

At noon, Phaeton would gate fear- lessly up at the brazen sky.

Behold my father drives his cliariot across the heavens!" ho proudly pro- claimed. "In a lttle while I, also, will drive the four snow-white steeds." Epaphos, half-brother of Apollo, be held the child, Phaeton, grow into ap arrogant lad, and one day he turned upon Phaeton and spoke scomfully:

Dost say thou art son of a god?

A boaster and a lar art thou!"

His pride aflame at the cruel taunt, the boy cried aloud: "I have but to sak my father, and thou shalt see me drive his golden chariot nero the sky."

To his mother he hastened, to got balm for his hurt pride, and he poured forth his story.

write about, And some wise things. too: you're a Fascist and I'm A Socialist, we can't avoid fighting. Booner or later we must both reach a point where each blocks. the progress of the other. And since we can't. achileve a compromise of any sort, we must fight."

Do get this book: you'll be helping Mr. Hodge to take a fów weeks off from his cub. And during those few weeks he ought to start work on a book about taxis and their drivers, about "peters" (luggage),

(theatres) 'gafa'

and "mooching (cruising),

And maybe a bit more about that "damned draught.”

I. W.

CHARIOT

of the SUN

ANCIENT

retold by JEAN LANG

-do this thing," anaworod Apollo, “Nono but I, Phoebus Apollo, may drive the flaming chariot of the sun,"

“Only tell me the way, my father)" cried Phaeton,

"The first part of the way is uphill," said Apollo.. · So steep that only very slowly can my horses climb it. High in the heavens is the middle. The end is a precipice so steep that I can scarce check the mad rush of my horses'

"By the horns of the Bull I have to drive, past the Archer whose bow is ready to slay, close to where the Bcorpion stretches out ila armis."

"I fear none of those!" cried Phac- lon "Grant that for one day only I drive thy white-maned steoda] "

Very pitifully Apollo looked at him. "The little human hands,” he said at length, and with them the soul of a god." But he granted Phaeton his heart's desirg.

From the courtyard of the Palace the four white horses were led. They drew the chariot whose axis and pola and wheels were of gold, with spokes of allver, Then Apolló placed upon And then the stars went away, and, at Phaeton's head the rays of the sun.

Apollo's signai, Aurora' threw open the purple gates of the cast,

True it is," he said, "that my father has never deigned to speak to me. Yet I know that he is my sire. And now my word is pledged. Apollo must let me drive his steeds, ciso I am for over- more branded braggart and llar."

Clymeno listened with grief. "Truly thou ort the son of Apollo," she said. "Yet only partly a god art. thou, and it were mad folly to think of doing what a god alons can do.”

But at last she said to him. Nalight that I can say is of any avail...the golden reira Barely did he hear seek thy father, and ask him.”.............

A long way Phaeton trávoliedr. Wilks never a stop, yet when the glittering dome and Jewelled turrels and minarets of the Palaco'of the Eun came into view, he forgot his wearincas aid. hastched up the steep ascent to the home of his father, NY

Phoebus Apollo, clad in purple that glowed like the radiance of a cloud in thỏ sunset sky, fat upon holder *throne, The god greeted Phaeton

kindly and asked Him why he came."

Phaeton told kils tale, and his father listened, half in pride and aplusement, half in piled” vexation,"

In truth thou art my dear son," he said. Báð Gever shall I grant thee the boon of driving my chariot” Zojaki ***I am ashamed for ever, my father," pleaded the boy, "Burely thou wouldst not have son of thine proved lart

Not even the gods themselvès can-

With ery of exultation, the boy leapt into the chariot and Inid hold of

MYTH

they heard him shout in rapture, Quicker still, brave onest" it made them speed onwards, blindly.

1998,

There was no hope to keep on the beaten track, and soon Phaeton had hts rapture checked by the terrible realisation that they had strayed for out of the course. Close to the Great Bear and Little Ber they passed, and these were scorched with heat.

Downward galloped the maddened horses, and soon Phaeton saw the sch se a shield of motten brass, and the earth so near that all things on it were visible. Fear entered into the boy's heart. His mother had spoken truth. He was only partly a god.

In helpless horror he tugged at the reins to try to check the horeca' descent; then, forgetful of Apollo's warning, he sanote them angrily.

With a toss of their mighty heads they lore the reins from his grasp.

Then the boy beheld the havoc that his pride had wrought. That blazing chariot of the Bun inado the clouds smoke, and dried up all the rivers Red water-springs Firo burst from the mountain tops. The beauty of the earth кал ravished, woods and meadows and all green and pleasant places were laid wasle.

Over Libya the horses took him, and the desert of Libya remains a barren wilderness to this day, while those sturdy Ethiopians who survived ars black even now as a consequence of that cruel heat.

From the havoc around her the Earth at last poked up, and, with blackened face and blinded eyes, called to Zeus to look down from Olympus and behold the ruit wrought by the chariot of the Sun.

And Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, looked down and beheld. And at the sight

Apollo's parting words:- "Hold fast tie reins, and apare the whip." La Uphill at first the white steeds made their way, and the fire, from their nostrils tinged with flame-colour theof that pitecus doraelations great wa dark clouds that hung over land and 204. With mapturk, Phacton felt that “'truly be was the son of a god.

the

He was driving the chariot whose progrém even now was awaking the sleeping earth. The radiance from its wheels and from the rays he wore round head' was painting clouds, in rapture he saw below the sea, and the firers, mirror the gold and silver, and fierce crimson, that he, Phasion, was placlrig in the sky. The grey mist ralled from the mountain tops. All living things awoke.

Quicker and yet more quick grow the pace of the white-maned steeda.. Boon they know that these were not the hands of the god, their makier, that held the golden reina,

Yet Phaeton had no fear, and when

the reins of the charlot. Re flung a his wrath against him who had held

lightning bolt, the Hory chariot was dashed into fragmenta."-

Phaeton fell like a bright shooting star, from the heavens above, into the river Eridanus. The steeds returned to their master, Apollo, and in rage and grief Apollo lashed them.

Bitter was the mourning of Olymena over her beautiful only son, and so ceaselessly did his three sisters, the Hellades, weep for, their brother, that the gods turned them into poplar trees that grow by the bank 'of the river, and their tears turned · into precious 'amber, as they fell

From "A Book of Mythận published

by Thomas Nelson and Sons, Ltd.

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GO VIA CANADA

and seg for Yourself the GLORIOUS SCENERY of the CANADIAN ROCKIES as shown in "SILENT BARRIERS"

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NEXT SAILING:

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OUR

BRITISH

CROSSWORDS

ACROSS

5 Slimming advice about a fam❤

ous leader (6).

8 A product of any reign (8). 9 This canine is not father's quar

rel (7).

10

Ghastly result of puiting an- clent city in cover (5),

11 A relative, by marriage

(9).

only

13 Awurd Д medal and Anally

make a speech (8).

14 A very fair specimen (8),

17 A peeper? (3),

10 This ends nowhere. (3),

20 Do you, dear reader, do it

23

custom? (0).

range with the giri It within (8) (8).

20 Puncture for the middle (9).. 28 Hopping Is all part of the game

here (0).

29 The essence of competition (7).. 30 With all excluded this London way would be the afternoon (two words-4, 4),.

31 This politician, when upset, in

plak (0);

DOWN

1 The vigilant should not let it

drop for long (6)

2 Bowlers may rest on it. 17)%%

3 A Dickens character (9).

(8).

4 Almost bare financial advice

Come again

Count the TELEGRAPHS" everywhere and there in th

fruft (4) A langungo (8),

7 Box Lorch as part of male ald

to clathing (8). 12 This is put up in 16 down (3). 15 "Ho sold ale" (anag.) (9), 16 This Italian may be merely a blind to some people (8).

10 A windfall of a sweetmeat?

(8).

21 in price it gives rehearsal' (3). 22 He may be sweet In the garden

(7).

24 The landlubber calls it lost ground.. but would the sailor? (0).

25. Once every so often

27 A candid fellow (5)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION MATCHMAKBB EPA)

DEUTA LEPI

18 224

A

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