We may be sure that when the day's work was done, when the fight or the chase was over, they gathered round the wood fire and listened to the tales of the
story-teller.
I believe, my dears, that I am the proudest
story-teller that ever lived.
Eustace put his bundle of manuscript into my hands; and I skimmed through it pretty rapidly, trying to find out its merits and demerits by the touch of my fingers, as a veteran
story-teller ought to know how to do.
He eyed the
story-teller with unspeak- able wonder.
The tall pines seemed sprinkled with a silver dust, and the willows, studded with minute icicles reflecting the prismatic rays, brought to mind the fairy trees conjured up by the caliph's
story-teller to adorn his vale of diamonds.
Hilda was a good
story-teller. She was sitting on the edge of her chair, as if she had alighted there for a moment only.
For the most part I was charmed with him because he was a delightful
story-teller; because he could thrill me, and make me hot and cold; because he could make me laugh and cry, and stop my pulse and breath at will.
Besides the salmi, which was made of Lord Steyne's pheasants from his lordship's cottage of Stillbrook, Becky gave her brother-in-law a bottle of white wine, some that Rawdon had brought with him from France, and had picked up for nothing, the little
story-teller said; whereas the liquor was, in truth, some White Hermitage from the Marquis of Steyne's famous cellars, which brought fire into the Baronet's pallid cheeks and a glow into his feeble frame.
In this position his duty would be partly to perform various humble work in the household, partly also to help amuse the leisure of the inmates, and it is easy to suppose that he soon won favor as a fluent
story-teller. He early became acquainted with the seamy as well as the brilliant side of courtly life; for in 1359 he was in the campaign in France and was taken prisoner.
"Every good
story-teller nowadays starts with the end, and then goes on to the beginning, and concludes with the middle.
"That is not what
story-tellers like," answered Grandfather, smiling.
And said most sage Cide Hamete to his pen, "Rest here, hung up by this brass wire, upon this shelf, O my pen, whether of skilful make or clumsy cut I know not; here shalt thou remain long ages hence, unless presumptuous or malignant
story-tellers take thee down to profane thee.