Lesson:

1. The night was dark, the sun was hid


Beneath the mountain gray,


And not a single star appeared


To shoot a silver ray.





2. Across the heath the owlet flew,


And screamed along the blast;


And onward, with a quickened step,


Benighted Harry passed.





3. Now, in thickest darkness plunged,


He groped his way to find;


And now, he thought he saw beyond,


A form of horrid kind.





4. In deadly white it upward rose,


Of cloak and mantle bare,


And held its naked arms across,


To catch him by the hair.





5. Poor Harry felt his blood run cold,


At what before him stood;


But then, thought he, no harm, I'm sure,


Can happen to the good.





6. So, calling all his courage up,


He to the monster went;


And eager through the dismal gloom


His piercing eyes he bent.





7. And when he came well-nigh the ghost


That gave him such affright,


He clapped his hands upon his side,


And loudly laughed outright.





8. For 't was a friendly guidepost stood,


His wandering steps to guide;


And thus he found that to the good,


No evil could betide.





9. Ah well, thought he, one thing I've learned,


Nor shall I soon forget;


Whatever frightens me again,


I'll march straight up to it.





10. And when I hear an idle tale,


Of monster or of ghost,


I'll tell of this, my lonely walk,


And one tall, white guidepost.





DEFINITIONS


2. Heath: A place overgrown with shrubs.


2. Benighted: Overtaken by the night.


3. Groped: Felt his way in the dark.


3. Horrid: Hideous, frightful.


6. Monster: A thing of unnatural size and shape.


6. Dismal: Dark, cheerless.


6. Piercing: Sharp, penetrating.


7. Ghost: A frightful object in white, an apparition.


8. Guidepost: A post and sign set up at the forks of a road to direct travelers.


8. Betide: Befall, happen.


10. Idle: Of no account, foolish.