Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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ULYSSES AND THE CYCLOPS I Ulysses was a warrior brave, He sailed the deep sea o ' er. He had to sail for twenty years To find his native shore. n Many adventures he did have ' Ere he arrived at home. He had a ship and trusty crew To take him o ' er the foam. HI. One day he saw a rocky isle, He landed on the shore. He left the ship at anchor there. And started to explore. IV. The Cyclops was a giant, who Inhabited this isle. And when he saw Ulysses come, He smiled an evil smile. V. This giant lived within a cave Right down among the rocks. And there he kept his sheeps and goats Which he had by the flocks. VI. He had but one eye large and fierce With the eyebrow just below, He used a pine-tree for his club And was a dreadful foe. VII. Before his cave there was a door, Made of rock strong and wide. Ulysses found this open, so He quickly went inside. VIII. The Cyclops soon came to the cave His footsteps shook the ground, And echoed loud throughout the place In all the rocks around. 14

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THE PHANTOM COACH The new bridge is finished, quite finished, Grandma, cried An- toinette as she danced gaily into the parlour of the old Manoir. Finished, said the old lady, Finished at last! And what will be done with the old one? The beams are to be sawn through and it will drop into the rapids to-morrow as part of the ceremony of the opening of the new bridge. What a splash there ' ll be! I won ' t go too near in my new muslin gown. All the parish is to come. M. le Cure will bless the new bridge: M. le Maire is to make a speech and there will be a grand concert at the convent in the evening. Such fun we ' ll have, Grandma! And the Phantom Coach, my dear, what of that! The Phantom Coach is too much of a phantom for any one to bother about nowa days. ' ' And Antoinette, seeing Gabrielle wending her way to where the bridge builders were collecting their tools, ran out to join her friend. The old lady rose and from the window of the house on the hill looked over the narrow winding river, crossed just below the hill by two bridges, the old one and the new. The old bridge had many memories for the old lady: across it she had driven as a bride: from that window had watched her children cross it on their way to school and afterwards on their way from the secluded home life to the school of the world. Strange emotions rose in her memory at the thought of the Phantom Coach. Many times had she heard the clatter of the horses ' hoofs, the rumble of the heavy coach, which, coming from nowhere, dashed down the steep hill, crossed with thundering noise the bridge, passed her g ates and disappeared going — where? Each time the ghostly coach rolled by the manor gates, the soul of a member of the St. David family passed to the world beyond. The streets of the little village were decorated for the celebration on the morrow and tired with the day ' s work, the inhabitants were wrapped in slumber. The air was still and hot. A rumble sounded in the distance, followed by a flash of lightning. Madame St. David rose from her bed and looked out. A vivid flash showed her the two bridges, then with quivering heart she heard the Phantom Coach rapidly ap- proaching. Madly dashing down the road on the far side of the river, it drew near the bridges. Which bridge would the ghostly driver choose? A flash! A crash! With half blinded eyes, Madame gazed again into the darkness. A flash! One bridge only could she see — the new one — and no rattling coach drove past the Manor gate that night or ever again. — L.F. VI. 13

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IX. He then proceeded to devour Two of Ulysses ' men; He went out of the cave, and closed The rock door up again. X. Ulysses and his comrades were Entrapped within the cave, And so he pondered on a plan. Whereby he them might save. XI. And so he gave the giant wine. And when he fell asleep, He pushed a stake within his eye. Which made the giant leap. XII. The Cyclops then was blinded And he ran toward the door. He pushed it open and sat down Upon the sandy shore. XIII. Ulysses then thought of a way To save a comrade, so He tied them underneath the sheep, And then he let them go. XIV. Himself he tied right underneath The leader of the flock. And all the sheep went straight away Toward the door of rock. XV. The giant felt along their backs As they passed by his side. He never thought that underneath Ulysses ' men were tied. XVI. Ulysses and his comrades, were Quite free at last, so they Did hasten down to where the ship Was lying in the bay. XVII. Ulysses quickly went on board The sailors plied their oars. And then the ship sped safely on Toward their native shores. — E.M. IVa. 15