Lisa Barry: Elisabeth Elliot is someone who has always had an appreciation for literature of many kinds. Growing up in a family where reading was a priority, she had many opportunities to sample new books and develop a few favorites.

Well, all this week Elisabeth will be sharing a few old stories from a book she never thought she'd find again in a lifetime. These programs are not just for children, you must know. They are for young and old alike. So get comfortable, grab a warm beverage and let's get started with today's story, entitled "Little Maid Hildegard," right here on Gateway To Joy. Here's Elisabeth.

Elisabeth Elliot: "You are loved with an everlasting love." That's what the Bible says. "And underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot, reading children's stories this week. These are stories that are for children of any age, up to at least 99.

Way back when we were children growing up, somebody gave us a book called THE STORYTELLER by Maude Lindsay. Somehow or other, none of us seem to have that book anymore. I was so eager to find it. It was one of those lovely little touches of the grace and the mercy of God that I managed to find a copy of this book called THE STORYTELLER.

They are fairy stories, of course. But each one of them has lessons which are applicable to our daily lives. I hope you're going to enjoy the story of LITTLE MAID HILDEGARD. This is the one that I think most of us in my family remembered because of the lovely little song that comes in this story.

"One evening, Little Maid Hildegard's father came home with wonderful news. The knights were coming to town. He had heard it as he came from the forest where he cut wood all day, and he hurried every step of the way home to tell Hildegard and her mother.

'They're on the king's business and will be at the church square tomorrow morning at the hour of ten. Everybody in town will be going to see them. Old Grandmother Gray is going to ask them to search for her little lamb that has gone astray, and the mayor will tell them of the wolves that come in the winter. The good knights are always glad to help,' he said.

Little Maid Hildegard knew all about the knights. Her father was never tired of telling, or she of hearing, how they fought and killed the fierce dragon that had troubled the people of the border, and put out the forest fires in the time of the great drought, and fed the hungry when the famine was in the land.

And yet with all of their great deeds, they were merry men, not too proud to sing at a feast or play with a child. Many an evening, though Hildegard was growing to be a great girl, her mother sat by her bed to sing a song that she had sung to her when she was a babe in the cradle."

My mother sang this song for us.

"Hush, my baby, do not cry. Five brave knights go riding by. One is dressed in bonny blue. He is the leader, strong and true. One is clad from head to toe in an armor white as snow. One in crimson bright is dressed with a star upon his breast. One in gold and one in green, cloth of gold and satin sheen. Hush, my baby, do not cry. Five brave knights go riding by."

"Oh, how Hildegard longed to see those splendid riders. Now at last she was to have her heart's desire. It seemed almost too good to be true.

'Shall we start to town as soon as the new day comes?' she asked.

'Just as soon as the cows are taken to the pasture and the little chicks are fed,' said her mother. And the little maid went to bed, well satisfied.

But alas, for Hildegard and her hopes! The morning sun had scarcely shone when her mother awoke with a terrible pain in her head, and her father slipped on his way to the barn and sprained his foot so he could not walk. There was no one to take the child to the church square; no, not even a neighbor, for Hildegard and her mother and father lived apart from everyone else; and the wood that is called Enchanted lay between them and the town.

There was no help for it. Hildegard knew herself, without a word from anyone, that she could not go. But as she ran about the house to wait on them, she heard her father and mother talking. 'It is not for the pain in my face that I grieve,' said the good mother, 'but for the disappointment of our little maid.'"

And some of you children who are listening will not know that the word "maid" was just what they called little girls. It doesn't mean a servant in a house. Any unmarried lady was called a maid, whether she was two years old or twenty years old. So the mother of course is speaking of little maid Hildegard.

"'Aye,' said the father. 'I would bear my hurt, and more too, willingly, if only she might see the gallant knights.' And when Hildegard heard what they said, she made haste to wipe away the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks and went about her work with a pleasant face.

All day long she was busy, for there were cows to take to the pasture and the little chicks to feed and eggs to gather. But at sunset, her tasks were done. And with her doll in her arms, she sat in the doorway of the house and looked away toward the town, the towers of which just showed above the enchanted wood.

Highest of all was the spire of the church that stood in the square where the knights had been. And as Hildegard watched it change from gray to gold in the sunset glow, she thought of them and wondered where they had gone when their business was done. Some day they would come again, and then she surely should see them, her father said, and already she had begun to look forward to that time. 'Perhaps they will come when the wolves do in the winter,' she said to herself.

But scarcely had she spoken, when through an opening in the wood she spied a horseman riding at a stately pace. Behind him came another, and another, until she had counted five. Five brave knights. Yes! There they came with prancing steeds and shining shields and splendid clothes. One bore a banner, blue as the sky on a summer's day, and the next held a wee lamb close within his arms. A dragon's head hung from another's saddle; and two had bugles by their sides.

Not a word was spoken. As silently as the stars shine out at evening, they passed the door where the child sat wonderstruck. And as quietly as the sun goes down at the day's end, they vanished into the wood again before she could move or call. But just as the green of the last one's coat faded away into the green of the trees, Hildegard thought she heard a strain of the sweetest music.

Now there were those, and Hildegard's mother and father were among them, who believed that the little maid, tired from her long busy day, had fallen asleep and dreamed a beautiful dream. But as for Hildegard, she kept the vision in her heart always. And when as the years went by and she had little ones of her own to rock to sleep, she told them of it and sang to them, as her mother had sung to her:

'Hush, my baby. Do not cry. Five brave knights go riding by. One is dressed in bonny blue. He is the leader, strong and true. One is clad from head to toe in an armor white as snow. One in crimson bright is dressed with a star upon his breast. One in gold and one in green, cloth of gold and satin sheen. Hush, my baby. Do not cry. Five brave knights go riding by.'"

There are a good many things in this story that would help us, if we can remember them. One of them is respect for those who are on the king's business. The knights were men of pure heart and steadfast courage. They were examples to the people of the villages, and everyone loved and admired them and felt so blessed when they came to their towns.

But what happened? You children that are listening, what happened so that Hildegard could not go to the town that day and see them? That's right. Mother woke up with a headache and Father sprained his foot. You remembered that, didn't you? And what did Hildegard do? Fuss and moan and cry and scream because she wasn't going to get to go to the town? Hildegard knew herself, without a word from anyone, that she could not go.

But as she ran about the house to wait on them, she heard her father and mother talking. So we know from that line in the story that she was a faithful little servant, even though she was not a hired servant. She was a little girl helping her father and mother. And she heard her mother say, "It's not for the pain in my face that I grieve, but for the disappointment of our little maid." And the father said, "I would be glad to bear my hurt very willingly if only she could see the gallant knights."

And when Hildegard heard what they said, do you remember what she did? She quickly wiped away the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. Did she go into a funk? Did she scream and throw herself onto the floor and cry and say, "But I've got to go. We've got to go. You've got to get me to the town." No. She wiped away the tears and she went about her work with a pleasant face.

Very important lesson for boys and girls, isn't it? But certainly not just for boys and girls. We old folks are prone to go around with a long face. We get disgusted. We get angry. Our plans get upset. How do we behave? All day long, Hildegard was busy because there were cows to take to the pasture and little chicks to feed and eggs to gather. So she had had a long day of work, and perhaps what some guessed was true. She sat down very tired on the doorstep. Do you think she fell asleep and just dreamed that the knights came by? Or do you think, as I do, that they really did?

Lisa Barry: Well, as you contemplate the ending to that story, let me give you information on how you can secure a copy of this week of stories for yourself. And if you happen to be on the fence about whether or not to purchase a copy, here's something to consider. How many opportunities do you have to just sit back and listen to someone read to you? It's a lost art in this country. Most of us won't even take the time to browse a bookstore to pick out a good book, much less find the time to read it. But here's your chance to have an audio copy of some great stories that will force you to slow down and listen.

The title of the cassette is STORIES FOR YOUNG AND OLD and the cost is $7. You can send that, along with your request, to Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68501. Or call toll-free: 1-800-759-4JOY. That's 1-800-759-4569. Our Internet ministry address is gatewaytojoy.org. Gateway To Joy has been a production of Back to the Bible.

Tomorrow be sure and tune in when Elisabeth reads the story of THE TWO BROTHERS. That's next time on Gateway To Joy.