Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
Photo by Karl Ficher (1906), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna was a grand-daughter of Queen Victoria, but to one ordinary Russian she was simply ‘dear Elizabeth’.
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© Jim Clark (US Fish and Wildlife Service), Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
A wily predator dons a sheepskin so he can help himself to the whole flock.
From the Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Alexander Graham Bell was heading for a dead end when a broken component showed him the way.
© ceridwen, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Dr Johnson’s cat left James Boswell cold, but the great man himself would do anything to avoid hurting the little fellow’s feelings.
© Colin Park, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Beneath a clutter of mediaeval legend lies a heartwarming tale of a Russian Prince and his peasant bride.
By JMW Turner (1775-1851), Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
A doctor is wondering how to apologise for being drunk on the job, when he receives a letter from his patient.