ho.v to use the sword and shield, together with
various other branches of education, in which
the lads of those days used to be instructed, in-
stead of writing and arithmetic.

I have sometimes suspected that Master Chi-
ron was not really very different from other peo-
ple, but that, being a kind-hearted and merry old
fellow, he was in the habit of making believe that
he was a horse, and scrambling about the school
room on all fours, and letting the little boys ride
upon his back. And so, when his scholars had
grown up, and grown old, and were trotting
their grandchildren on their knees, they told
them about the sports of their school days; and
these young folks took the idea that their grand-
fathers had been taught their letters by a Cen-
taur, half man and half horse. Little children,
not quite understanding what is said to them,
often get such absurd notions into their heads,
you know.

Be that as it may, it has always been told for
a fact, (and always will be told, as long as the
world lasts,) that Chiron, with the head of a
schoolmaster, had the body and legs of a horse.
Just imagine the grave old gentleman clattering

[[273]]

p272b _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p273w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p274

v?