1. Reading Lesson

Sir Lark And King Sun

"Good morrow, my lord !" in the sky alone Sang the lark as the sun ascended his throne. " Shine on me, my lord: I only am come, Of all your servants, to welcome you home! I have shot straight up, a whole hour, I swear, To catch the first gleam of your golden hair."

"Must I thank you then," said the king, "Sir Lark,

For flying so high and hating the dark?

You ask a full cup for half a thirst:

Half was love of me, half love to be first.

Some of my subjects serve better my taste:

Their watching and waiting means more than your haste."

King Sun wrapped his head in a turban of cloud;

Sir Lark stopped singing, quite vexed and cowed;

But higher he flew, for he thought, "Anon,

The wrath of the king will be over and gone;

And, scattering his head-gear manifold,

He will change my brown feathers to a glory of gold !"

He flew, with the strength of a lark he flew, But as he rose the cloud rose too; And not one gleam of the flashing hair Brought signal of favor across the air; And his wings felt withered and worn and old, For their feathers had had no chrism of gold.

Outwearied at length, and throbbing sore,

The strong sun-seeker could do no more;

He faltered and sank, then dropped like a stone

Beside his nest, where, patient, alone,

Sat his little wife on her little eggs,

Keeping them warm with wings and legs.

Did I say alone? Ah, no such thing !

There was the cloudless, the ray-crowned king !

"Welcome, Sir Lark ! - You look tired !" said he;

"Up is not always the best way to me:

While you have been racing my turban gray,

I have been shining where you would not stay !"

He had set a coronet round the nest;

Its radiance foamed on the wife's little breast;

And so glorious was she in rusSet gold

That Sir Lark for wonder and awe grew cold;

He popped his head under her wing, and lay

As still as a stone till King Sun went away.

- George McDonald.

2. Study

(Numbers refer to stanzas.)

1. Why are the names of the sun and the lark begun with capitals in the poem? Why is the sun called King? Why is the lark called Sir?

The sort of lark that this poem is about is an English bird. Did you ever see our meadow lark or any other bird "shoot straight up"?

What did the lark want the sun to do? Why did he expect it?

What is the sun's golden hair?

What do the words "I swear" mean here?

2. Explain just why the sun did not feel very grateful to the lark. Find two reasons.

What does subjects mean here? What does the line that contains the word mean? Put the words into a plainer order.

3. Describe a turban. Why was the cloud like a turban?

How far away might the cloud be? Have you any idea how far the sun is from us? Could the sun really "wrap his head in a turban of cloud "? Could the cloud hide the sun from the whole earth?

How did the lark feel at first? Cowed means discouraged. How did he encourage himself? Anon means in a short time. What was the "head-gear manifold"?

4. What was the "gleam of the flashing hair" that Sir Lark looked for when he rose again? Why didn't he see it? How did he feel? Chrism is a sacred ointment sometimes used in the service of baptism. 5, 7. Describe the descent of Sir Lark. Describe the little wife. What did King Sim say to Sir Lark? How did Sir Lark feel, and what did he do?

3. Word Study

Which ones of these pairs of words are found in the poem? Read the sentences that contain them. See if the other words would do as well.

Awe is a feeling of wonder and fear. What does awful mean? Use it in a sentence. Do you ever use it incorrectly?

4. Oral Reading

Read the poem to the class and try to bring out the meaning. You must think it yourself as you read.

5. Written Exercise

This poem might be called a fable. Tell in a single sentence the lesson that it teaches. Compare your sentences in class and decide who has the best one.

6. Oral Exercise

1. Tell the story in the lesson as if you were telling it to a young child.

2. Tell a story of your own to illustrate the lesson of the poem. Perhaps you had better write it out first.

3. Describe the picture in the poem that you like best.