"Sir Knight Iscawndred, I wonder much that, whatever the path you walk,
No reed-grass trembles beneath your feet, no blossom bends on the stalk."
"Hold fast my hand with never a fear-I know the ways I tread;
And my feet are sure on the paths of air or the tree-tops overhead."

Like a woven wall the forest grew, with no path that a man might see;
But the Golden Knight and the Wondering Boy rose high as the tallest tree,
No tiny leaf on the topmost bough bent lower beneath their weight;
And afar came the roar of the giant's voice that threatened at England's gate:

"Now he who will match his might with mine must be tall as the tallest tree;
For I am the tallest of living men, and as tall as ten men be.
Bow down, bow down, ye coward wights, or never ye pass this path!
My mantle is broidered with beards of kings who dared to defy my wrath."

In the road to the sea, aflame with rage, the Red-Beard stood astride;
And he seemed as tall as ten tall men, so swollen was he with pride;
While the trembling folk who bowed in fear rose not to their height again;
They dwindled down till, to make one man, there would have been needed ten.

"Now courage, courage!" Iscawndred cried, "and challenge his dastard might;
For you are a child of England's own, and he but a caitiff knight."
High in his arms he held the Boy. "Bow down!" cried the child, with a will.
"You are tall, Sir Red-Beard, and very tall, but see, I am taller still!"

Hither and yon the giant gazed; then, over the tree-tops high,
At the Wondering Boy and the Golden Knight, agleam in the primrose sky.
Fear came on him and bowed him down, and he leaned on his staff in dread.
His knees in a trembling terror fell. "Leave me half my height," he said.

Sternly Iscawndred spoke: "Bow down! For never again shall be
A tyrant to menace the ways of men." The monster shrank to his knee.
"Leave me but this," he begged once more; " 't is little enough to spare!"
"Bow down! bow down!" And he shrank so small, that he vanished away in air.

The road was clear, and the timid folk came running and rubbed their eyes;
And, "Who was afraid?" they asked themselves, and grew to their former size.
The Golden Knight and the Wondering Boy turned back to the High Hall towers;
Light-footed among the leaves they went and softly above the flowers.

The dusk drooped down with her plumy wings and a primrose on her breast,
Scattering sleep over English homes, where now all men might rest.
Iscawndred whispered a parting word: "It was not that my aid was nigh,

Nor because you were tall as the tallest tree, but because your heart was high!"

A CHILD'S THOUGHT

WHEN all the magic spirits of the rain
Tap somberly upon my window-pane,
And all is still and dark, I softly pray

For other children, ah, so far away,

In saddened Belgium and in France-alone,
Orphaned, and hungry; and the wind's drear tone
Seems like their little voices calling me

Across the great expanse of earth and sea.

I shall do all I can to sow the seed

Of joy within their hearts-supply their need.
Their tears, their hungry grief I understand,
As, safe and loved, I touch my mother's hand.
Eleanor Johnson.

THE NEW YEAR'S PROGRAM FOR THE JUNIOR

RED

WITH 8,376,634 patriotic young Americans enrolled in 61,217 separate school auxiliary chapters, the Junior Red Cross started its second year,-its first full year of activity, and what will probably be its greatest year of usefulness.

For months the executives at the head enormous organization of young people for war service had been planning for the opening of the present school year. Last year was the year of organization and enrollment, and of experi

CROSS

mentation until the Junior Red Cross could find itself and its place in the national war effort. These things have been accomplished, and now a year of work is ahead, work so abundant and important that not even the most enthusiastic pioneers in Junior Red Cross work a year ago could realize how important this organization of boys and girls was going to become in Uncle Sam's war plans.

One of the big pieces of work which headquarters in Washington has completed