Little stories of France

Preface

The child needs the background of history as an aid to the interpretation of his experience and for the understanding of current events. In our cosmopoUtan life, since we are in close touch with all peoples and are constantly hearing about them, there is need at least of the simplest elementary facts in the history of the great nations. The French people have held such a central position in the world's affairs, and have contributed so much to civilization, that the young student should at an early stage possess himself of the outlines of their history. He is then enabled to put together the past and present of that interesting country and to view the one in the light of the other. Then, too, the fact that French is the first foreign language which American children are expected to study is another valid reason for placing before them in its most interesting form the main facts of French history.

These little stories may be read by children from seven to fourteen years of age. They may be read while the geography of France is being studied, so that the subject may be clothed with human interest and so made more valuable.

These stories are about kings and courts in the days when peace had fewer advocates than now, but they are so written that there is nothing in them which cannot be read with profit, and the picturesque, agreeable aspects of the narrative are given

prominence.

SAMUEL T. DUTTON.

Contents

PAGE

France of Long Ago 9

Vercingetorix, the Bravest of the Gauls . . .12