Untold in this little book, do not be cross, but remember that, when you were very small, you would not have been able to understand things that seem quite simple and very interesting to you as you grow older. Then, when you find out how much has been left
So, although I hope you will not put this book beside your school books, but quite at the other end of the shelf, beside Robinson Crusoe and A Noah's Ark Geography, I hope, too, that it will help you to like your school history books better than ever, and that, when you grow up, you will want to read for yourselves the beautiful big histories which have helped me to write this little book for little people. But it seems to me that they are part of Our Island Story, and ought not to be forgotten, any more than those stories about which there is no doubt. But you will find some stories that are not to be found in your school books,–stories which wise people say are only fairy tales and not history. There are many facts in school histories, that seem to children to belong to lessons only. I must tell you, though, that this is not a history lesson, but a story-book. I hope it will interest not only the children in this big island, but some of the children in "the little island in the west," too. I think I must ask some one else to tell it to you."Īnd Daddy did ask some one else, and here is the story as it was told to Spen and Veda. "Yes," said Daddy, "it's a story, and a very long one, too. "Oh!" said Spen, "it's a story," and he settled himself to listen. "Well," said Daddy with a sigh, "long, long ago-" "Oh, Daddy, do 'splain yourself, you are not 'splaining yourself at all," said Veda. "Well, we do–at least, the big island and the little island belong to each other."
"But this is an island, a great big one, Mother says, so how can we belong to a little island?" asked Spen. "I mean, 'the little island in the west' to which we belong, and where I used to live," said Daddy. "The old country, Daddy?" said Veda, leaving her dolls and coming to lean against her father's knee, "the old country? What do you mean?" "From home!" said Spen, laughing, "why, Daddy, this is home." Listened to the crackle of the thin paper. "WHAT a funny letter, Daddy," said Spen, as he lookedĪt the narrow envelope which had just arrived, and
'CHARLES THE KING WALKED FOR THE LAST TIME THROUGH THE STREETS OF LONDON.'
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