Contents

IN THE FOREST OF STONE
THE SONG OF THE MINSTER
THE PILGRIM OF A NIGHT
THE ANCIENT GODS PURSUING
THE DREAM OF THE WHITE LARK
THE HERMIT OF THE PILLAR
KENACH'S LITTLE WOMAN
GOLDEN APPLES AND ROSES RED
THE SEVEN YEARS OF SEEKING
THE GUARDIANS OF THE DOOR
ON THE SHORES OF LONGING
THE CHILDREN OF SPINALUNGA
THE SIN OF THE PRINCE BISHOP
THE LITTLE BEDESMAN OF CHRIST
THE BURNING OF ABBOT SPIRIDION
THE COUNTESS ITHA
THE STORY OF THE LOST BROTHER
THE KING ORGULOUS
THE JOURNEY OF RHEINFRID
LIGHTING THE LAMPS

List of Illustrations

Women lived the life of prayer and praise and austerity and miracle

"These are the fields in which the Shepherds watched"

Hilary wondered and mused

A gaunt, dark figure, far up in the blue Asian sky

"Come not any nearer, turn thy face to the forest,
and go down"

"I am not mad, most noble Sapricius"

They won their long sea-way home

"And four good Angels watch my bed, two at the foot
and two the head"

And again in the keen November

The eight hundred horsemen turned in dismay

"Surely in all the world God has no more beautiful
house than this"

St. Francis of Assisi

Itha rode away with her lord

King Orgulous

_A saint, whose very name I have forgotten, had a vision, in which he
saw Satan standing before the throne of God; and, listening, he heard
the evil spirit say, "Why hast Thou condemned me, who have offended
Thee but once, whilst Thou savest thousands of men who have offended
Thee many times?" God answered him, "Hast thou_ once _asked pardon of
me?"_

_Behold the Christian mythology! It is the dramatic truth, which has
its worth and effect independently of the literal truth, and which even
gains nothing by being fact. What matter whether the saint had or had
not heard the sublime words which I have just quoted! The great point
is to know that pardon is refused only to him who does not ask it._

COUNT DE MAISTRE.

A Child's Book of Saints

In the Forest of Stone

Looking down the vista of trees and houses from the slope of our
garden, W. V. saw the roof and spire of the church of the Oak-men
showing well above the green huddle of the Forest.

"It is a pretty big church, isn't it, father?" she asked, as she
pointed it out to me.

It was a most picturesque old-fashioned church, though in my
thoughtlessness I had mistaken it for a beech and a tall poplar growi