Oral Exercise. In the following sentences, which words show possession? Which are singular? Which plural?

1. What doth the poor man's son inherit?

2. Rip's story was soon told.

3. The dwarfs' chain was the strongest ever made.

4. A Roman's arms, a Roman's life,

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And hurl it afar off;
This is my girdle;
Whenever I brace it,
Strength is redoubled!

The light thou beholdest
Stream through the heavens,
In flashes of crimson,
Is but my red beard
Blown by the night wind,
Affrighting the nations!

Jove is my brother;

Mine eyes are the lightning;
The wheels of my chariot
Roll in the thunder,
The blows of my hammer
Ring in the earthquake!

Force rules the world still,
Has ruled it, shall rule it;
Meekness is weakness,
Strength is triumphant,
Over the whole earth
Still is it Thor's-Day!

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW: The Saga of King Olaf.

fast'ness, place that remains fast or firm or safe, fortress; Jove, Jupiter or Zeus.

1. Why does Thor call himself "the Thunderer"? 2. What part of the world is referred to by "Northland"? 3. What are sorcerers? 4. What light is referred to in the fourth stanza? Have you ever seen this light? What does Thor say causes it? What is it really? 5. Who was Jove? By what other name is he known? Why does Thor call him "brother"? 6. Give the old Norse belief as to the cause of lightning, thunder, earthquakes.

Sings of his earthly bridal

Priest, knights, and ladies gay. "And who art thou," the priest began,

"Sir Knight, who wedd'st to-day?"

"I am no knight," he answered;

"From the sea waves I come." The knights drew sword, the ladies scream'd, The surplic'd priest stood dumb.

He sings how from the chapel
He vanish'd with his bride,
And bore her down to the sea halls,
Beneath the salt sea tide.

He sings how she sits weeping
'Mid shells that round her lie.
"False Neckan shares my bed," she weeps;
"No Christian mate have I."-

He sings how through the billows
He rose to earth again,

And sought a priest to sign the cross,
That Neckan Heaven might gain.

He sings how, on an evening,
Beneath the birch trees cool,
He sate and play'd his harp of gold,
Beside the river pool.

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