
audiobook
by H. E. (Henrietta Elizabeth) Marshall
Chapter I IN THE LISTENING TIME Chapter II THE STORY OF THE CATTLE RAID OF COOLEY Chapter III ONE OF THE SORROWS OF STORY-TELLING Chapter IV THE STORY OF A LITERARY LIE Chapter V THE STORY OF FINGAL Chapter VI ABOUT SOME OLD WELSH STORIES AND STORY-TELLERS Chapter VII HOW THE STORY OF ARTHUR WAS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH Chapter VIII THE BEGINNING OF THE READING TIME Chapter IX "THE PASSING OF ARTHUR" Chapter X THE ADVENTURES OF AN OLD ENGLISH BOOK Chapter XI THE STORY OF BEOWULF Chapter XII THE FATHER OF ENGLISH SONG Chapter XIII HOW CAEDMON SANG, AND HOW HE FELL ONCE MORE ON SILENCE Chapter XIV THE FATHER OF ENGLISH HISTORY Chapter XV HOW ALFRED THE GREAT FOUGHT WITH HIS PEN Chapter XVI WHEN ENGLISH SLEPT Chapter XVII THE STORY OF HAVELOK THE DANE Chapter XVIII ABOUT SOME SONG STORIES Chapter XIX "PIERS THE PLOUGHMAN" Chapter XX "PIERS THE PLOUGHMAN" — continued Chapter XXI HOW THE BIBLE CAME TO THE PEOPLE Chapter XXII CHAUCER—BREAD AND MILK FOR CHILDREN Chapter XXIII CHAUCER—"THE CANTERBURY TALES" Chapter XXIV CHAUCER—AT THE TABARD INN Chapter XXV THE FIRST ENGLISH GUIDE-BOOK Chapter XXVI BARBOUR—"THE BRUCE," THE BEGINNINGS OF A STRUGGLE Chapter XXVII BARBOUR—"THE BRUCE," THE END OF THE STRUGGLE Chapter XXVIII A POET KING Chapter XXIX THE DEATH OF THE POET KING Chapter XXX DUNBAR—THE WEDDING OF THE THISTLE AND THE ROSE Chapter XXXI AT THE SIGN OF THE RED PALE Chapter XXXII ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF THE THEATER Chapter XXXIII HOW THE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCKS Chapter XXXIV THE STORY OF EVERYMAN Chapter XXXV HOW A POET COMFORTED A GIRL Chapter XXXVI THE RENAISSANCE Chapter XXXVII THE LAND OF NOWHERE Chapter XXXVIII THE DEATH OF SIR THOMAS MORE Chapter XXXIX HOW THE SONNET CAME TO ENGLAND Chapter XL THE BEGINNING OF BLANK VERSE Chapter XLI SPENSER—THE "SHEPHERD'S CALENDAR" Chapter XLII SPENSER—THE "FAERY QUEEN" Chapter XLIII SPENSER—HIS LAST DAYS Chapter XLIV ABOUT THE FIRST THEATERS Chapter XLV SHAKESPEARE—THE BOY Chapter XLVI SHAKESPEARE—THE MAN Chapter LXVII SHAKESPEARE—"THE MERCHANT OF VENICE" Chapter XLVIII JONSON—"EVERY MAN IN HIS HUMOUR" Chapter XLIX JONSON—"THE SAD SHEPHERD" Chapter L RALEIGH—"THE REVENGE" Chapter LI RALEIGH—"THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD" Chapter LII BACON—NEW WAYS OF WISDOM Chapter LIII BACON—THE HAPPY ISLAND Chapter LIV ABOUT SOME LYRIC POETS Chapter LV HERBERT—THE PARSON POET Chapter LVI HERRICK AND MARVELL—OF BLOSSOMS AND BOWERS Chapter LVII MILTON—SIGHT AND GROWTH Chapter LVIII MILTON—DARKNESS AND DEATH Chapter LIX BUNYAN—"THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS" Chapter LX DRYDEN—THE NEW POETRY Chapter LXI DEFOE—THE FIRST NEWSPAPERS Chapter LXII DEFOE—"ROBINSON CRUSOE" Chapter LXIII SWIFT—THE "JOURNAL TO STELLA" Chapter LXIV SWIFT—"GULLIVER'S TRAVELS" Chapter LXV ADDISON—THE "SPECTATOR" Chapter LXVI STEELE—THE SOLDIER AUTHOR Chapter LXVII POPE—THE "RAPE OF THE LOCK" Chapter LXVIII JOHNSON—DAYS OF STRUGGLE Chapter LXIX JOHNSON—THE END OF THE JOURNEY Chapter LXX GOLDSMITH—THE VAGABOND Chapter LXXI GOLDSMITH—"THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD" Chapter LXXII BURNS—THE PLOWMAN POET Chapter LXXIII COWPER—"THE TASK" Chapter LXXIV WORDSWORTH—THE POET OF NATURE Chapter LXXV WORDSWORTH AND COLERIDGE—THE LAKE POETS Chapter LXXVI COLERIDGE AND SOUTHEY—SUNSHINE AND SHADOW Chapter LXXVII SCOTT—THE AWAKENING OF ROMANCE Chapter LXXVIII SCOTT—"THE WIZARD OF THE NORTH" Chapter LXXIX BYRON—"CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE" Chapter LXXX SHELLEY—THE POET OF LOVE Chapter LXXXI KEATS—THE POET OF BEAUTY Chapter LXXXII CARLYLE—THE SAGE OF CHELSEA Chapter LXXXIII THACKERAY—THE CYNIC? Chapter LXXXIV DICKENS—SMILES AND TEARS Chapter LXXXV TENNYSON—THE POET OF FRIENDSHIP - YEAR 7 - Chapter I IN THE LISTENING TIME
Chapter II THE STORY OF THE CATTLE RAID OF COOLEY
Chapter III ONE OF THE SORROWS OF STORY-TELLING
Chapter IV THE STORY OF A LITERARY LIE
Chapter V THE STORY OF FINGAL
Chapter VI ABOUT SOME OLD WELSH STORIES AND STORY-TELLERS
Chapter VII HOW THE STORY OF ARTHUR WAS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH
Chapter VIII THE BEGINNING OF THE READING TIME
Chapter IX "THE PASSING OF ARTHUR"
Chapter X THE ADVENTURES OF AN OLD ENGLISH BOOK
From the first flicker of firelight to the quiet hush of a monastery scriptorium, this journey traces how stories moved from spoken legend to the written word. Listeners will hear how ancient hunters shared tales of battle and survival, how wandering minstrels turned those narratives into song, and how the painstaking work of monks preserved them for future generations. The narrative paints a vivid picture of a world where each new medium—oral, oral‑to‑written, printed—reshaped what people imagined and remembered.
The book then follows the blossoming of English literature as a living record of a nation’s changing needs. It shows how early histories gave way to poetry for delight, how curiosity sparked works on science, law, and philosophy, and how the printed page finally made stories accessible to all. Along the way, familiar verses and forgotten fragments surface, inviting listeners to hear the echo of voices that shaped a culture.
Language
en
Duration
~19 hours (1109K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2004-05-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1867–1941
Best known for bringing history to life for young readers, this Scottish writer turned the past into lively, memorable stories. Her books introduced generations of children to England, Scotland, France, Germany, and legendary heroes through clear, engaging narration.
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