ejaculated the good little boy , with a contented sort of a grunt , `` that was a giant , sure enough ! And how long was his little finger ? '' `` As long as from Tanglewood to the lake , '' said Eustace . `` Sure enough , that was a giant ! '' repeated Sweet Fern , in an ecstasy at the precision of these measurements . `` And how broad , I wonder , were the shoulders of Hercules ? '' `` That is what I have never been able to find out , '' answered the student . `` But I think they must have been a great deal broader than mine , or than your father 's , or than almost any shoulders which one sees nowadays . '' `` I wish , '' whispered Sweet Fern , with his mouth close to the student 's ear , `` that you would tell me how big were some of the oak-trees that grew between the giant 's toes . '' `` They were bigger , '' said Eustace , `` than the great chestnut-tree which stands beyond Captain Smith 's house . '' `` Eustace , '' remarked Mr. Pringle , after some deliberation , `` I find it impossible to express such an opinion of this story as will be likely to gratify , in the smallest degree , your pride of authorship . Pray let me advise you never more to meddle with a classical myth . Your imagination is altogether Gothic , and will inevitably Gothicize everything that you touch . The effect is like bedaubing a marble statue with paint . This giant , now ! How can you have ventured to thrust his huge , disproportioned mass among the seemly outlines of Grecian fable , the tendency of which is to reduce even the extravagant within limits , by its pervading elegance ? '' `` I described the giant as he appeared to me , '' replied the student , rather piqued . `` And , sir , if you would only bring your mind into such a relation with these fables as is necessary in order to remodel them , you would see at once that an old Greek had no more exclusive right to them than a modern Yankee has . They are the common property of the world , and of all time . The ancient poets remodelled them at pleasure , and held them plastic in their hands ; and why should they not be plastic in my hands , as well ? ''
Mr. XXXXX could not forbear a smile .
Eustace Fern Grecian Greek Pringle Smith Tanglewood Yankee oak-trees right