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Alfred the Great
A man of status, accomplishment and
spiritual conviction
Story retold by Ruth Low. Illustrated by Linus Kok.
In England, in the 800s, a royal mother gave birth to her fifth son.
This baby boy was called Alfred. Alfred’s mother died when he was only
five, and likewise his father when he was eight. Thus, Alfred grew up
without parents, and was brought up in the palace with lots of feasting,
merry-making, coupled with drunkenness, and physical training in sports
such as leaping, wrestling, running and hunting.
Thirteen-year-old Alfred was dissatisfied with these physical
enjoyments of court life. He became increasingly intellectually hungry,
which led him to learn how to read although his progress was slow due
to a lack of good teachers; and spiritually, he was constantly examining
himself and searching for the truth. He developed a deep sense of shame
over his wrong deeds and thoughts, and desired to know what would
happen to his soul one day. He would often go on his knees to pray
for the deliverance of his sins, only to find to his dismay that he would
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