rimson and green parrots.

So, when he grew to be a man, and his fame began to spread, the first
great pictures he painted were of the story of St. Ursula, told in
loving detail, as only one who loved the story could do it.

But though Carpaccio might paint pictures of these old stories, it was
always through the golden haze of Venice that he saw them. His St.
Ursula is a dainty Venetian lady, and the bedroom in which she dreams
her wonderful dream is just a room in one of the old marble palaces,
with a pot of pinks upon the window-sill, and her little high-heeled
Venetian shoes by the bedside. Whenever it was possible, Carpaccio
would paint in those scenes on which his eyes had rested since his
childhood--the painted galleys with their sails reflected in the clear
water, the dainty dresses of the Venetian ladies, their gay-coloured
parrots, pet dogs, and grinning monkeys.

In an old church of Venice there are some pictures said to have been
painted by Carpaccio when he was a little boy only eight years old.
They are scenes taken from the Bible stories, and very funny scenes
they are too. But they show already what clever little hands and what a
thinking head the boy had, and how Venice was the background in his
mind for every story. For here is the meeting of the Queen of Sheba and
King Solomon, and instead of Jerusalem with all its glory, we see a
little wooden bridge, with King Solomon on one side and the Queen of
Sheba on the other, walking towards each other, as if they were both in
Venice crossing one of the little canals.

There were many foreign sailors in Venice in those old days, who came
in the trading-ships from distant lands. Many of them were poor and
unable to earn money to buy food, and when they were ill there was no
one to look after them or help them. So some of the richer foreigners
founded a Brotherhood, where the poor sailors might be helped in time
of need. This Brotherhood chose St. George as their patron saint, and
when they had built a little chapel they invited Carpaccio to come and
paint the walls with pictures from the life of St. George and other
saints.

Nothing could have suited Carpaccio better, and he began his work with
great delight, for he had still his child's love of stories, and he
would make them as gay and wonderful as possible. There we see St.
George thundering along on his war-horse, with flying hair, clad in
beautiful armour, the most perfect picture of a chivalrous kni