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The Elson Readers, Book 5

W >> William H. Elson and Christine M. Keck >> The Elson Readers, Book 5




In Gulliver's Travels we pass from stories like the Arabian Nights
and "Robin Hood," which grew up among the common people, to a story
composed by a single author who wrote out his material and then had it
printed in order that all might enjoy it. We do not know who wrote the
story of Ali Baba or the adventures of Robin Hood, but we know all
about Jonathan Swift, the great English writer who tells us the story
of Gulliver's adventures among the little people, or Lilliputians.
Gulliver also had wonderful experiences among a race of giants, and in
a land where the citizens were horses that were more intelligent than
men.

Somewhat different from all the other tales in this part of our book
is the story of Robinson Crusoe, written by Daniel Defoe about two
hundred years ago and here condensed for your enjoyment. There was, in
Defoe's time, a sailor, Alexander Selkirk by name, who was left by his
shipmates on an island and who lived by himself for four years before
he attracted the attention of a passing ship. This suggested the idea
of Robinson Crusoe to Defoe, but he has greatly expanded the story.
Crusoe lived on his lonely island for twenty-seven years. During this
time he learned how to make tools, to build his house, to cultivate
his farm, to prepare to defend himself against an enemy's attack, and
to civilize barbarous people.

In its original form each of the stories in this group makes a
good-sized book. While some incidents and many details have been
omitted here in order to shorten and simplify the stories, the main
plot and all the most interesting incidents are given.

The world is full of stories of adventure; these are only samples of
the joyful experiences that you may have through your power to read.
And you boys and girls are more fortunate than those who lived in the
time of Aladdin, or even those who lived in the time of Robin Hood or
Robinson Crusoe, for they had no books at all, or only a few, and
if they had any, these books were poorly printed, with very ugly
illustrations, not at all like the wonderful books that you may have
at will.

But of all the stories that might have been selected, the ones placed
before you have been chosen for two reasons. First of all, they are
interesting, and are to be read for pure enjoyment. And next, these
stories leave with you certain ideas that are well worth while.
Aladdin and Ali Baba, the heroes of the Arabian Nights stories, who
became rich through their strange adventures, helped their neighbors
with their wealth. Robin Hood, too, helped the poor oppressed people
of his time, though he did many things that would be wrong today.
Robinson Crusoe's lonely life on a desert island shows us how much we
depend upon the work of those about us. And Captain Gulliver, in the
midst of his wonderful adventures, always kept in mind the ideas of
justice and honor.

So in all these stories there is a sense of justice and
responsibility. Nowadays--at least in America--men are free. Buried
treasure is as hard to find as ever, but it can be found. The man who
works hard, who seizes opportunities, who builds up a business or runs
a farm, can find his treasure. The government will protect him; we
no longer need to use the methods of Robin Hood to get justice. The
important question is whether the Ali Babas and Aladdins of our day
will feel just such responsibility to others as you find recorded in
these stories, and whether the desire to help the unfortunate is as
strong in our free America as it was in the heart of Robin Hood.


STORIES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

ALADDIN, OR THE WONDERFUL LAMP

(Ed.--This story, in it's original, uncondensed version, in addition

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