The Britons and Their Brave Chief

M ANY, many years ago the people in England were called Britons. They lived in rude huts of wood and turf. Their clothes were not like ours, but were made of the skins of sheep and deer, and were coarse and rough. But in spite of all this, the Britons loved their island home. They loved the great forests, and often spent the whole day hunting. They used bows and arrows, and taught their sons to shoot the deer, the wild boar, and the wolf. They killed the wild beasts with their spears, too, which were short poles pointed with a sharp stone or a piece of bronze.

The Britons were also daring fishermen. Their boats were nothing but twigs woven together into a kind of basket. The outside was covered with skins to keep the water out. These basket boats were sometimes so light that a boy could put one on his back and carry it home. The Britons caught their fish by spearing them, or by using hooks made of bone.

At this time there lived far away to the south, in Italy, a people who called themselves Romans, after the name of their great city Rome. These Romans were the best soldiers in the world, and were not often beaten in battle. They went from one country to another fighting and conquering the people. Then they ruled over the land and called it their own.

About two thousand years ago, Julius Caesar, who was Rome's greatest general, started across the sea to take the land away from the poor Britons.

On the eastern side of England are high, white cliffs. Here the Britons often stood and looked out over the sea. It must have been lonely. There was no sound but the wind in the dark forests, and the waves breaking on the rocks far below.

One bright July morning, just as they were ready to start fishing, they caught sight of hundreds of strange boats coming straight across the water. The Britons had never seen anything like them. Some of the boats were large and some were small, but all were filled with Roman soldiers.

The Britons were fierce and brave. They fought more than a hundred years to drive the Romans out. One Briton chief, Caradoc, fought so many battles with the Romans and fought them so well that they wanted to catch him. At last, after nine years of fighting, they made him prisoner. They put his hands and feet in chains, and took him with his wife and children to Rome.

The people in Rome soon heard of the famous chief that had been brought from over the sea. And when he was to be led in chains through the streets, they came together in crowds to see the strange sight.

When the Briton chief was led before his captors, he showed no signs of fear. He lifted his head proudly and looked upon the beautiful marble buildings.

"Why did you come and rob us of our poor huts when you have such great houses and temples of your own?" he asked. "Now that I have lost my country, I do not fear to die."

"How kingly he is!" the Romans cried; and they were so pleased with his noble looks that they took off his chains and set him free.