or at least different difficulties (complication) leading up to the deciding struggle (crisis), which brings about the final solution (dénouement). Do not permit evil to triumph at the last and so offend the feelings (poetic justice).

The Monster and the Man is a fairy story and has elements which are probable only in fairyland. The use of the walking stick and of the sheep illustrates the principle of economy. Homer's audience would feel content with the punishment inflicted on the cruel and inhospitable monster and on the venturesome and boastful man. Novelty, alternation, complication, and crisis are exemplified by the following arrangement of the incidents:

10. Boasts and sails away. (Dé- 10. Prays and is promised re

1. Arrange the incidents of a story or play according to the plan just given.

2. Transfer the character of a play or story to another situation, keeping probability:

Ulysses, a reporter seeking an interview.

Ulysses in business coping with a Cyclops of finance.

Macbeth in modern politics.

Achilles, a city chauffeur.
President Portia.

3. Transpose the characters of different stories and discuss changes in the plot:

Macbeth, Prince of Denmark.

Cinderella, the Giant-killer.

4. Illustrate from the following fable as far as possible all the points of a story.

Once upon a time, a Giant and a Dwarf were friends, and kept together. They made a bargain that they would never forsake each other but go seek adventures. The first battle they fought was with two Saracens, and the Dwarf, who was very courageous, dealt one of the champions a most angry blow. It did the Saracen but little injury, who, lifting up his sword, fairly struck off the poor Dwarf's arm. He was now in a woful plight; but the Giant, coming to his assistance, in a short time left the two Saracens dead on the plain, and the Dwarf cut off the dead man's head out of spite. Then they travelled on to another adventure. This was against three bloody-minded Satyrs, who were carrying a damsel in distress. The Dwarf was not quite so fierce now as before; but for all that, struck the first blow; which was returned by another, that knocked out his eye; but the Giant was soon up with them, and had they not fled, would certainly have killed them every one. They were all very joyful for this victory, and the damsel who was relieved fell in love with the Giant, and married him. They now travelled far, and farther than I can tell, till they met with a company of robbers. The Giant, for the first time, was foremost now; but the Dwarf was not far behind. The battle was stout and long. Wherever the Giant came, all fell before him; but the Dwarf had like to have been killed more than once. At last the victory declared for the two adventurers; but the Dwarf lost his leg. The Dwarf had now lost an arm, a leg and an eye, while the Giant was without a single wound. Upon which he cried out to his little companion:

"My little hero, this is glorious sport; let us get one victory more, and then we shall have honor for ever."

"No," cried the Dwarf, who was by this time grown wiser, "no, I declare off; I'll fight no more: for I find in every battle that you get all the honor and rewards, but all the blows fall upon me.'

The fable points the moral that "unequal combinations are always disadvantageous to the weaker side."

5. Write stories suggested by these remarks:

"You lost the game but won something better." "You'll never get me to read the life of a Saint."

"You wait and see; Hankie will never be class president." "I'll sell her that book."

"I'll never cook another meal here," said the angry cook. "No flag for me."

"She's fickle," said Dogan; "She's constant," replied Tearl; "She's a woman," added Bampell.

6. Tell the story suggested by a proverb:

Can a mouse fall in love with a cat?

A joke never gains an enemy, but often loses a friend.

A fox should not be of the jury at a goose's trial.

A friend's frown is better than a fool's smile.

Grief pent up will burst the heart.

7. Two men mention the ideal woman and both, without knowing it, speak of the same woman (DOBSON: An Autumn Idyll). Same of two women and a man.

8. Summaries of stories and plays may be found in Brewer's Reader's Handbook, Warner's Library of the World's Best Literature, Author's Digest, Baker's Dictionary of Fiction. Stories may be written from these summaries and then compared with the original.

CHAPTER XV

VERSIFICATION

103. The study and practice of versification develop the imagination, refine the taste, and enrich the mind with great thoughts and high ideals. For these reasons the following chapter with its exercises has been included. But apart from its excellence in itself, versification is most useful for the acquisition of prose. "Nothing is better as a discipline for writing good prose than the study of the poets" (EARLE, English Prose). The large number of standard prose authors who have written verse proves the utility of its composition. Consider Dryden, Addison, Goldsmith, Macaulay, Newman, Arnold, Poe, Holmes, and many others.

Franklin in his Autobiography practised versification and urged it as a help towards acquiring a large vocabulary. "The continued need of words of the same meaning but of different lengths for the measure or of different sounds for the rime, would have obliged me to seek for a variety of synonyms and have rendered me master of them." Kingsley (Essays) asserts that "the exquisite models of prose with which English literature abounds will not supersede the careful training in versification, nay, will rather make such a training all the more requisite for those who wish to imitate such excellence. He enumerates several benefits, which he claims no practice in prose themes can ever give." They are "a measured, deliberate style of expression, a habit of calling up clear and distinct images on all subjects, a power of condensing and arranging thoughts."

Finally, Newman, in the preface of his Idea of a University, declares:

"I hold very strongly that the first step in intellectual training is to impress upon a boy's mind the idea of science, method, order, principle and system; of rule and exception, of richness and harmony." This is done, Newman continues, by grammar, mathematics, chronology, and geography. "Hence, too, metrical composition, when he reads poetry; in order to stimulate his powers into action in every practicable way and to prevent a merely passive reception of images and ideas, which in that case are likely to pass out of the mind as soon as they have entered it."

Even if a student should not succeed in achieving musical verse or the fine thoughts of poetry, his imagination will be developed and his taste refined by his endeavor. To imitate is not the same as to parody. A parody follows a model on a wholly incongruous subject, and for purposes of ridicule. An imitation is a sincere attempt with a serious topic to express poetic thoughts under the guidance of another. Should even such imitation seem unacceptable, then a change of meter and form may be exacted. In any event, it should be remembered that exercises at best are crude performances. If a student by wide reading of poetry has skill in versification, he may be permitted to strike out for himself with his own subject and form.

104. Versification in English is the art of arranging words so as to form a regular succession of accented and unaccented syllables. A line of such syllables makes a verse.

Commonplace, prosaic thought may be put into verse. Such verses will not make poetry, which must be distinctive in thought as well as rhythmical in expression. Poetry is best learned by diligent reading of the poets and by practice in verse composition. Such practice, if persevered in, will reveal whether the student has poetical talent and will in any event gain for him many benefits for his prose composition.

I. Elements of Verse

105. In a line of verse a group of syllables, one of which is accented, is called a foot or measure.

The common measures in English verse are four. Two are of two syllables: the iamb, accenting the second syllable (u_), and the trochee, accenting the first syllable (). The two other measures are of three syllables: the anapest, accenting the third