The child's interest being assured, the problem is to make this interest of use in the process of his education. The purpose of this series is to relate this fascinating and heroic past to the present by telling the stories from the point of view of the contribution of the Middle Ages to the world of to-day. The heroes gain a new importance and the stories a new meaning by this treatment. Who the "mediaeval builders" were may be seen by the titles of the following books which make up the series: "Barbarian and Noble," "Patriots and Tyrants," "Sea Kings and Explorers," "Kings and Common Folk," "Cavalier and Courtier," "Craftsman and Artist."

In this volume are grouped stories of that early period of the Middle Ages when Europe was the meeting place of many races and tribes which were later to make up the nations of the modern world. In its broad lines the historical epic of the wandering of the nations, and of the formation of Christendom out of a chaos of tribes and peoples and tongues, is as stirring as any saga; in its details there are many bits of epic prose, many quaint scenes from the life of the time, and many pictures of well known heroes. It is, moreover, with all its tragedy of the fall of the Roman Empire, a tale of hope; for there runs through it a single line of progress,—that the barbarian of one age appears as the noble of the next, taking his turn in defending his world against the onrush of new barbarians. Barbarian becoming noble unconsciously, uncivilized becoming civilized, that is the tale of the early Middle Ages in relation to the world of to day; and it is a tale fascinating beyond one's most hopeful anticipations.

From this material Kingsley and Scott, Dickens and Miss Yonge and Freeman drew what suited their purpose as writers of England's story; but the history of the early Middle Ages in its relation to the progress of civilization has never been adequately told for younger readers. The table of contents will indicate the story interest of the tales; the deeper purpose of the book has been carefully traced out in the notes.