ROBERT BRUCE AND THE SPIDER ( stories for students of English )

Part I      

This is a beautiful  short story, oh no, absolutely not, it is not a story at all. Is it a legend, just as the legend of Mahabali? The truth is that it is neither a short story nor a legend. It really happened far, far away,  beyond the seas and mountains and valleys, and this eventful history occurred long, long ago in the twelfth century in Scotland.

 At that time Robert Bruce was tall and very handsome young Scottish warrior full of adventurous spirit, a little  naughty like all Scottish young men, and energetic. but kind hearted to children, women, the sick, and the poor. He had no rival in  Scotland in the art of warfare.

His favourite hobby was hunting. One day he was returning  home after a night’s hunting, very tired and he saw two rabbits leaping on the green turf on his way. He was a great lover of Nature and fond of innocent animals like birds, peacock and rabbits.  He netted the two rabbits which seemed to him coming from heaven to visit this beautiful Scotland. He wanted to bring home and keep these darling rabbits as his favourite pets.

 He looked around and noticed a smart looking girl child sitting alone on a bench in  the rose garden  nearby on the way side. She was wearing a straw hat and her sweet plumpy rosy cheeks sent strange feelings  of love to him.  He approached her and requested her to keep those two rabbit angels with  her until he came back.

She frowned at the young man’s face and asked him why they are called angels? The young man said, ‘These rabbits are more beautiful than any human being”

 Do you mean to say that I am not so beautiful as the rabbits?’ The naughty girl asked ,winking at him.   The young man was shocked but concealing his surprise said casually

 “yes, I think so”

 Bruce went to bath in the nearby pond and came back to her and demanded the rabbits. But she said looking into the warrior’s eyes “ one rabbit ran away”

 And Bruce angrily asked her how the rabbit fled?. She set free the rabbit in her hand and  said, “this way”. At once the sweet innocent creature leaped away to safety and life in the bushes.

One second, the young man stood spell bound and was at his wits end. But the next moment his heart whispered him that she is more beautiful than any creature in the world. She is right. She is the angel. He said nothing and stood before her in silence for a while.  The girl’s defiant nature attracted the brave warrior and he looked into her bright blue eyes and saw radiant love sparkled like a twinkling star in the dark sky.

 Bruce knelt down on the soft green grass covered with morning mist  and stretched out his rough hand towards the child girl and without any hesitation she put her rosy lips on the palm indicting her love and admiration to the Scottish young man. The truth was that both of the were transported to far, far away dream world. At that moment the Scottish soldier’s face was flushed and joy leaped in his heart.

 Robert Bruce lost the two sweet rabbits but earned angelic Elizabeth. Bruce was 28 years when he married Elizabeth who was only 13.                       Kjt/- 02-08-2019

Part II   Robert Bruce and the Spider     Stories for Students of English language.

Soon after the coronation ceremony, trouble began. Scotland was attacked by English army and Scottish army was crushed to defeat and soldiers ran for life, Robert Bruce’s wife and daughters were taken prisoners of war and three of his brothers were murdered. Robert Bruce was arrested as war prisoner.

 But he somehow fled from Scotland and escaped to Northern Ireland in disguise as a hermit and took shelter in a rocky cave in the dense jungle. The cave was mossy dripping water from all corners and the ground was damp and dirty.  Days passed by and he absorbed himself in contemplation how to fight for the independence of his motherland.

One day as he was in deep thoughts, his attention was arrested by a spider on the corner of the rocky cave. The spider was swinging between one side of the corner to the other side trying to anchor its web. Every time the spider leaped, it slipped and failed to make the web. Bruce counted, one, two, three, four and Bruce gazed at the spider what was its next plan. He thought the spider gave up its attempt and go else where to make web. But, oh no, the spider continued its effort  and the fifth time the spider jumped, but failed, sixth time also the spider was defeated, but not disappointed. This Bruce looked at the poor creature with admiration because of the will power of the spider. On the seventh time spider leaped to the other end and succeeded in making the web!

Bruce was excited. New ideas of warfare flashed through his mind. He was thrilled with joy and he walked through the dense forest in the dead of night and somehow he  landed at his native place encountering many obstacles on the  way, where English king ruled. He organized his Scottish soldiers in groups and trained them in  the art of  guerilla warfare. In the training camp Bruce drew the painting of his mascot ‘The Spider making web” which always inspired the brave soldier who  has now become the captain of Scottish guerilla army and fought against the huge English forces and won the independence of Scottish monarchy. Now Robert Bruce is known as the Father of Scottish independence. Robert Bruce and Elizabeth Bruce  had four children; Matilda, Margret, John and David who became the king of Scotland.                                                      Kjt/-03-08-2019