These five boys were broad, and sturdy, like their father. Like him, also, they were fond of noise and hammering. They hammered the furniture of their father’s cottage, until all of it that was weak was smashed, and all that was strong became dreadfully dinted. They also hammered each other’s noses with their little fat fists, at times, but they soon grew too old and wise for that; they soon, also, left off hammering the heads of their sister’s dolls, which was a favourite amusement in their earlier days.
The mention of dolls brings us to the sister. She was like her mother—little, soft, fair, and sweet-voiced; just as unlike her brothers in appearance as possible—except that she had their bright blue, blazing eyes. Her age was eight years.
It was, truly, a sight to behold7 this family sit down to supper of an evening. The blacksmith would come in and seize little Jim in his brawny8 arms, and toss him up to the very beams of the ceiling, after which he would take little Molly on his knee, and fondle her, while “Old Moll,” as he sometimes called his wife, spread the cloth and loaded the table with good things.
A cat, a kitten, and a terrier, lived together in that smith’s cottage on friendly terms. They romped9 with each other, and with the five boys, so that the noise used sometimes to be tremendous; but it was not an unpleasant noise, because there were no sounds of discontent or quarrelling in it. You see, the blacksmith and his wife trained that family well. It is wonderful what an amount of noise one can stand when it is good-humoured noise.
Well, this blacksmith had a favourite maxim10, which he was fond of impressing on his children. It was this— “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, doing it as if to the Lord, and not to men.” We need hardly say that he found something like this maxim in the Bible—a grand channel through which wisdom flows to man.
Of course he had some trouble in teaching his little ones, just as other fathers have. One evening, when speaking about this favourite maxim, he was interrupted by a most awful yell under the table.
“Why, what ever is the matter with the cat?” said the blacksmith in surprise.
“It’s on’y me, fadder,” said little Jim; “I found hims tail, and I pulled it wid all my might!”
“Ah, Jim!” said Mrs Thorogood, laughing, as she placed a huge plate of crumpets on the table, “it’s only when a thing is right we are to do it with our might. Pulling the cat’s tail is wrong.
“‘When a thing’s wrong,
Let it alone.
When a thing’s right,
Do it with might.’
“Come now, supper’s ready.”
“Capital poetry, Old Moll,” shouted the blacksmith, as he drew in his chair, “but not quite so good as the supper. Now, then—silence.”
A blessing11 was asked with clasped hands and shut eyes. Then there was a sudden opening of the eyes and a tendency in little hands to grasp at the crumpets, buttered-toast, bacon, and beans, but good training told. Self-restraint was obvious in every trembling fist and glancing eye. Only curly-haired little Jim found the smell too much for him. He was about to risk reputation and everything, when a glance from his father quelled12 the rebellious13 spirit.
“Come, Jim, fair-play. Let it go right round, like the sun,—beginning wi’ mother.”
Then silence reigned14 for a time—a profound silence—while upwards15 of two hundred teeth went to work. Ere long most of the children were buttered to the eyes, and their rosy16 cheeks glistened17 like ripe apples. Soon the blacksmith drew a long breath and paused. Looking round with a benign18 smile he asked little Jim how he got along.
“Fust rate,” said Jim.
“How I wish,” said Dick, with a sad look at the toast, “that we might go on eatin’ for ever.”
“Is it right, daddy,” asked Tom, during a pause, “to eat with all our might?”
“Certainly, my boy, till you’ve had enough. After that it’s wrong to eat at all. ‘Enough’s as good as a feast,’ you know. Now, Old Moll, one more cup to wash it all down, and then we’ll go in for a confabulation round the fire.”
Now, nothing rejoiced the hearts of that family so much as a confabulation round the fire on a winter night, or under the great elm in front of the forge on the village green in summer.
The table was cleared as if by magic, for every member of the family helped. Soon, little Jim was sleeping as sound as a top in his crib, and Mrs Thorogood, with her knitting, joined the others at the fire, by the light of which the blacksmith made a little boat for Harry with a gully knife and a piece of stick.
“It’s a stormy night,” said Mrs Thorogood, as a violent gust19 of wind came down the chimney and rattled20 the window-frames.
“Ah, it was on just such a night that, my dear old father and mother were burnt out of house and home,” said the blacksmith; “well do I mind about it, for I was over ten years old at the time. We never found out what it was that set the house alight, but when it had once caught, it fetched way like lightning—the wind was so high. The first thing that woke me was sneezin’ wi’ the smoke. Then, I’d just opened my eyes when I saw the head of a ladder come crash through the window. It was the fire-escape. Father tried to save mother, but he was lame21, and fell down half-choked. I tried to help him, but I was too young. Then a strapping22 fireman stepped in at the window, as cool as a cucumber, pitched us all into the escape, one after another; and so, through God’s mercy, we were saved. I’ve loved the firemen ever since. They are the boys to show you how to do things well; to do things with might and main, and no fuss, and to submit to discipline without a word.”
“Oh, father!” cried Harry with blazing eyes, “I should dearly like to be a fireman, an’ go fightin’ the flames.”
“And Dick?” asked Mrs Thorogood, “wouldn’t you like to be one, too?”
“No, mother. It’s very grand, but I don’t like smoke. I’d rather be a lifeboat-man, to fight wi’ the storm, and save people from the roarin’ waves.”
Tom glanced at one of his toy ships, and said he’d like to fight the battles of his country on the sea. Bob looked affectionately at a wooden sword and gun which stood in a corner, and thought he’d prefer to fight his battles on the land.
“You’re all for fighting, I see,” chimed in soft-eyed Molly; “I wonder what little Jim would like to be, if he was awake.”
“I know what battles I would like to see him fighting,” said Mrs Thorogood.
“Why,” exclaimed the blacksmith in surprise, “I thought you hated fighting of all kinds?”
“No, not all kinds. I should like to see little Jim fighting the battle of the Prince of Peace.”
Of course there was a clamorous23 questioning as to what that meant, but we must not devote space to this subject. Neither can we afford to follow the history of each member of this family step by step. We will grow them up at once, and tell you what came of all their enthusiastic desires and lofty aspirations24 in succeeding chapters.
Only thus much will we say in conclusion; when the blacksmith said it was time to be off to bed that night, the children rose at once; gave and received a hearty25 kiss all round, and went off to “turn in,” as sailors express it, “with a will.” They had learned obedience—the most difficult lesson that man has got to learn—the lesson which few learn thoroughly26, and which our Lord sets us as a test of our loyalty27 to Himself, when He says says,— “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”
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1
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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anvil
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| n.铁钻 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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7
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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romped
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| v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜 | |
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maxim
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| n.格言，箴言 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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12
quelled
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| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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14
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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benign
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| adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的 | |
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gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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21
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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strapping
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| adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式 | |
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clamorous
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| adj.吵闹的，喧哗的 | |
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24
aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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26
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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27
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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