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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6323.txt b/6323.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cceef60 --- /dev/null +++ b/6323.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14322 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Junior Classics, V4, by Willam Patten (Editor) +#2 in our series by Willam Patten (Editor) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Junior Classics, V4 + +Author: Willam Patten (Editor) + +Release Date: August, 2004 [EBook #6323] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on November 26, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUNIOR CLASSICS, V4 *** + + + + +Produced by Tom Allen, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + +THE JUNIOR CLASSICS: +A LIBRARY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS + + + + +[Illustration: HE SEIZED THE HILT +AND INSTANTLY DREW FORTH THE SWORD (Page 16) +From the painting by Walter Crane] + + + + +THE JUNIOR CLASSICS + + +SELECTED AND ARRANGED BY WILLIAM PATTEN +Managing Editor of the Harvard Classics + +INTRODUCTION BY CHARLES W. ELIOT, LL.D. +President Emeritus of Harvard University + +WITH A READING GUIDE BY WILLIAM ALLAN NEILSON, Ph.D. +Professor of English, Harvard University +President, Smith College, Northampton, Mass., since 1917 + + + + +VOLUME FOUR: +HEROES AND HEROINES OF CHIVALRY + + + + +CONTENTS + + +PREFACE + +THE STORY OF KING ARTHUR + +Of Arthur's Birth and How He Became King (Beatrice Clay) + +The Round Table (Beatrice Clay) + +Merlin the Magician (Beatrice Clay) + +The Sword Excalibur (Sir Thomas Malory) + +Sir Launcelot and the Adventure of the Castle Perilous (Beatrice +Clay) + +Sir Launcelot and the Falcon (Beatrice Clay) + +The Adventures of Sir Gareth (Beatrice Clay) + +The Coming of Sir Galahad (Beatrice Clay) + +How Sir Galahad Won the Red Cross Shield (Beatrice Clay) + +The Adventures of Sir Percivale (Beatrice Clay) + +The Adventures of Sir Bors (Beatrice Clay) + +The Adventures of Sir Launcelot (Beatrice Clay) + +How Sir Launcelot Saw the Holy Grail (Beatrice Clay) + +The End of the Quest (Beatrice Clay) + +The Fair Maid of Astolat (Beatrice Clay) + + +THE MABINOGION + +Kynon's Adventure at the Fountain (Lady Charlotte Guest) + +Owain's Adventure at the Fountain (Lady Charlotte Guest) + +Gawain's Adventure in Search of Owain (Lady Charlotte Guest) + +The Adventure of the Lion (Lady Charlotte Guest) + +How Pwyll Outwitted Gawl (Lady Charlotte Guest) + +How Manawyddan Caught a Thief (Lady Charlotte Guest) + +The Story of Lludd and Llevelys (Lady Charlotte Guest) + + +TALES FROM EARLY ENGLISH CHRONICLES + +The Adventures of King Horn (F. J. H. Darton) + +Horn is Dubbed Knight (F. J. H. Darton) + +Horn the Knight Errant (F. J. H. Darton) + +Horn in Exile (F. J. H. Darton) + +Horn's Return (F. J. H. Darton) + +The King of Suddenne (F. J. H. Darton) + +Havelok Hid from the Traitor (F. J. H. Darton) + +Havelok Married Against His Will (F. J. H. Darton) + +Havelok Wins Back His Kingdom (F. J. H. Darton) + +The Fair Unknown (F. J. H. Darton) + +The Fight With the Two Giants (F. J. H. Darton) + +In the Castle of the Sorcerers (F. J. H. Darton) + + +TALES TOLD BY CHAUCER'S CANTERBURY PILGRIMS + +The Old Woman and the Knight (F. J. H. Darton) + +Death and the Three Revellers (F. J. H. Darton) + +Patient Griselda (F. J. H. Darton) + + +TALES FROM FRENCH AND ITALIAN CHRONICLES + +Ogier the Dane (Thomas Bulfinch) + +A Roland for an Oliver (Thomas Bulfinch) + +The Treason of Ganelon (Sir George W. Cox) + +The Great Battle of Roncesvalles (Sir George W. Cox) + +Charlemagne Revenges Roland (Sir George W. Cox) + +How Thierry Vanquished Ganelon (Sir George W. Cox) + +Rinaldo and Bayard (Thomas Bulfinch) + +How the Child of the Sea Was Made Knight (Robert Southey) + + +THE SPANISH CHRONICLE OF THE CID + +Why Don Sancho Attacked His Neighbors (Robert Southey) + +Don Garcia Defies Don Sancho (Robert Southey) + +Don Garcia Takes Don Sancho Prisoner (Robert Southey) + +The Siege of Zamora (Robert Southey) + +How Don Diego Fought the Three Brothers (Robert Southey) + + +TALES OF ROBIN HOOD + +Robin Hood and the Knight (Mary Macleod) + +Little John and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Mary Macleod) + +How Robin Hood Was Paid His Loan (Mary Macleod) + +The Golden Arrow (Mary Macleod) + +How the Sheriff Took Sir Richard Prisoner (Mary Macleod) + +How the King Came to Sherwood Forest (Mary Macleod) + +How Robin Hood Went Back to the Greenwood (Mary Macleod) + +Robin Hood and the Butcher (Mary Macleod) + +The Jolly Tanner (Mary Macleod) + +How Robin Hood Drew His Bow for the Last Time (Mary Macleod) + + +DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA (Miguel de Cervantes) + +An Introduction to that Spanish Gentleman (Judge Parry) + +He Sets Forth on His Adventures (Judge Parry) + +The Knighting of Don Quixote (Judge Parry) + +The Dreadful Adventure of the Windmills (Judge Parry) + +Don Quixote and the Goatherds (Judge Parry) + +How Don Quixote Arrived at an Inn Which He Imagined to be a Castle +(Judge Parry) + +How Sancho Paid the Reckoning at the Inn (Judge Parry) + +The Adventure of the Two Armies (Judge Parry) + +Don Quixote Does Penance as Did the Knights of Old (Judge Parry) + +Sancho's Journey to the Lady Dulcinea (Judge Parry) + +The Story of Cardenio (Judge Parry) + +The Story of Dorothea (Judge Parry) + +The End of the Penance (Judge Parry) + +The Journey to the Inn (Judge Parry) + +Sancho Panza's Story of His Visit to the Lady Dulcinea (Judge +Parry) + +Don Quixote Wages a Battle Against a Giant (Judge Parry) + +Adventures at the Inn (Judge Parry) + +The Princess Micomicona (Judge Parry) + +The Last of the Notable Adventures of our Good Knight (Judge +Parry) + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +HE SEIZED THE HILT, AND INSTANTLY DREW FORTH THE SWORD +Of Arthur's Birth and How He Became King +Frontispiece illustration in color from the painting by Walter +Crane + +THERE CAME AN ARM AND A HAND ABOVE THE WATER +The Sword Excalibur +From the painting by Walter Crane + +AN AGED MAN ENTERED THE HALL, FOLLOWED BY A YOUNG MAN +The Coming of Sir Galahad +From the painting by Walter Crane + +"THIS IS MY BRIDE," HE CRIED TO ALL THE PEOPLE +Patient Griselda +From the drawing by Hugh Thomson + + + + +PREFACE + + +The word chivalry is taken from the French cheval, a horse. A knight +was a young man, the son of a good family, who was allowed to wear +arms. In the story "How the Child of the Sea was made Knight," we are +told how a boy of twelve became a page to the queen, and in the +opening pages of the story "The Adventures of Sir Gareth," we get a +glimpse of a young man growing up at the court of King Arthur. It was +not an easy life, that of a boy who wished to become a knight, but it +made a man of him. He was taken at an early age, sometimes when only +seven years old, to the castle of the king or knight he was to +serve. He first became a page or valet, and, under the instruction of +a governor, was taught to carve and wait on the table, to hunt and +fish, and was drilled in wrestling and riding on horseback. Most pages +were taught to dance, and if a boy had talent he was taught to play +the harp so he could accompany his voice when singing to the ladies. + +By the time a boy was fourteen he was ready to become an esquire. He +was then taught to get on and off a horse with his heavy armor on, to +wield the battle axe, and practise tilting with a spear. His service +to the ladies had now reached the point where he picked out a lady to +serve loyally. His endeavor was to please her in all things, in order +that he might be known as her knight, and wear her glove or scarf as a +badge or favor when he entered the lists of a joust or tournament. + +To become a knight was almost as solemn an affair as it was to become +a priest. Before the day of the ceremony he fasted, spent the night in +prayer, confessed his sins, and received the Holy Sacrament. When +morning came he went, clothed in white, to the church or hall, with a +knight's sword suspended from his neck. This the priest blessed and +returned to him. Upon receiving back the sword he went and knelt +before the presiding knight and took the oath of knighthood. The +friends who accompanied him now came forward and handed him the spurs, +the coat of mail, the armlet and gauntlet, and having put these on he +girded on his sword. The presiding knight now bade him kneel, and, +touching him three times on the shoulder with the flat of his sword, +he pronounced the words that received him into the company of worthy +knights: "In the name of God, of St. Michael, and St. George, I make +thee a knight; be valiant, courteous, and loyal!" After this he +received his helmet, his shield, and his spear, and the ceremony was +completed. + +The knight's real work, and greatest joy, was fighting for some one +who needed his help. Tournaments and jousts gave them chances to show +off their skill in public. We must remember that there were no big +open-air theatres in those days, such as the Greeks had, no public +races or trials of strength such as the Greeks held in the stadiums, +nor were there chariot races or fighting gladiators such as the Romans +had at an earlier day. Tournaments or jousts were the big public +entertainments, and you will find a famous description of one by Sir +Walter Scott in Ivanhoe, in the volume "Stories that Never Grow Old," +the tournament of Ashby-de-la-Zouche. In it you will find a clear +description of how the field of contest was laid out, of the +magnificent pavilions decorated with flags, and the galleries spread +with carpets and tapestries for the ladies. + +The same qualities that made a manful fighter then, make one now: to +speak the truth, to perform a promise to the utmost, to reverence all +women, to be constant in love, to despise luxury, to be simple and +modest and gentle in heart, to help the weak and take no unfair +advantage of an inferior. This was the ideal of the age, and chivalry +is the word that expresses that ideal. In all our reading we shall +perhaps find no more glowing example of it as something real, than in +the speech of Sir Jean de Vienne, governor of the besieged town of +Calais who, when called upon by King Edward III of England to +surrender unconditionally, replied:-- + +"We are but a small number of knights and squires, who have loyally +served our lord and master as you would have done, and have suffered +much ill and disquiet, but we will endure far more than any man has +done in such a post, before we consent that the smallest boy in the +town shall fare worse than ourselves." + +And this story you can find in the volume "Tales of Courage and +Heroism," entitled "The Noble Burghers of Calais." + +WILLIAM PATTEN. + + + + +THE STORY OF KING ARTHUR + +This great treasure-house of stories is to the English race what +the stories of Ulysses and Aeneas were to the Greeks and Latins, a +national inheritance of which they should be, and are, proud. + +The high nobility, dauntless courage and gentle humility of Arthur and +his knights have had a great effect in moulding the character of +English peoples, since none of us can help trying to imitate what he +admires and loves most. + +As a series of pictures of life in the Middle Ages the stories are of +the greatest value. The geography is confused, as it is in the Iliad +and the Odyssey, and facts are sometimes mixed up with magic, but +modern critics believe there was a real Arthur, who lived about the +year 500 A.D. + + + + +OF ARTHUR'S BIRTH AND HOW HE BECAME KING + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Long years ago, there ruled over Britain a king called Uther +Pendragon. A mighty prince was he, and feared by all men; yet when he +sought the love of the fair Igraine of Cornwall, she would have naught +to do with him, so that, from grief and disappointment, Uther fell +sick, and at last seemed like to die. + +Now in those days, there lived a famous magician named Merlin, so +powerful that he could change his form at will, or even make himself +invisible; nor was there any place so remote that he could not reach +it at once, merely by wishing himself there. One day, suddenly he +stood at Uther's bedside, and said: "Sir king, I know thy grief, and +am ready to help thee. Only promise to give me, at his birth, the son +that shall be born to thee, and thou shalt have thy heart's desire." +To this the king agreed joyfully, and Merlin kept his word: for he +gave Uther the form of one whom Igraine had loved dearly, and so she +took him willingly for her husband. + +When the time had come that a child should be born to the king and +queen, Merlin appeared before Uther to remind him of his promise; and +Uther swore it should be as he had said. Three days later, a prince +was born, and, with pomp and ceremony, was christened by the name of +Arthur; but immediately thereafter, the king commanded that the child +should be carried to the postern-gate, there to be given to the old +man who would be found waiting without. + +Not long after, Uther fell sick, and he knew that his end was come; +so, by Merlin's advice, he called together his knights and barons, and +said to them: "My death draws near. I charge you, therefore, that ye +obey my son even as ye have obeyed me; and my curse upon him if he +claim not the crown when he is a man grown." Then the king turned his +face to the wall and died. + +Scarcely was Uther laid in his grave before disputes arose. Few of the +nobles had seen Arthur or even heard of him, and not one of them would +have been willing to be ruled by a child; rather, each thought himself +fitted to be king, and, strengthening his own castle, made war on his +neighbors until confusion alone was supreme, and the poor groaned +because there was none to help them. + +Now when Merlin carried away Arthur--for Merlin was the old man who +had stood at the postern-gate--he had known all that would happen, and +had taken the child to keep him safe from the fierce barons until he +should be of age to rule wisely and well, and perform all the wonders +prophesied of him. He gave the child to the care of the good knight +Sir Ector to bring up with his son Kay, but revealed not to him that +it was the son of Uther Pendragon that was given into his charge. + +At last, when years had passed and Arthur was grown a tall youth well +skilled in knightly exercises, Merlin went to the Archbishop of +Canterbury and advised him that he should call together at +Christmas-time all the chief men of the realm to the great cathedral +in London; "for," said Merlin, "there shall be seen a great marvel by +which it shall be made clear to all men who is the lawful king of this +land." The archbishop did as Merlin counselled. Under pain of a +fearful curse, he bade the barons and knights come to London to keep +the feast, and to pray heaven to send peace to the realm. + +The people hastened to obey the archbishop's commands, and, from all +sides, barons and knights came riding in to keep the birth-feast of +Our Lord. And when they had prayed, and were coming forth from the +cathedral they saw a strange sight. There, in the open space before +the church, stood, on a great stone, an anvil thrust through with a +sword; and on the stone were written these words: "Whoso can draw +forth this sword is rightful King of Britain born." + +At once there were fierce quarrels, each man clamoring to be the first +to try his fortune, none doubting his success. Then the archbishop +decreed that each should make the venture in turn, from the greatest +baron to the least knight; and each in turn, having put forth his +utmost strength, failed to move the sword one inch, and drew back +ashamed. So the archbishop dismissed the company, and having +appointed guards to watch over the stone, sent messengers through all +the land to give word of great jousts to be held in London at Easter, +when each knight could give proof of his skill and courage, and try +whether the adventure of the sword was for him. + +Among those who rode to London at Easter was the good Sir Ector, and +with him his son, Sir Kay, newly made a knight, and the young Arthur. +When the morning came that the jousts should begin, Sir Kay and Arthur +mounted their horses and set out for the lists; but before they +reached the field, Kay looked and saw that he had left his sword +behind. Immediately Arthur turned back to fetch it for him, only to +find the house fast shut, for all were gone to view the tournament. +Sore vexed was Arthur, fearing lest his brother Kay should lose his +chance of gaining glory, till, of a sudden, he bethought him of the +sword in the great anvil before the cathedral. Thither he rode with +all speed, and the guards having deserted their post to view the +tournament, there was none to forbid him the adventure. He leaped from +his horse, seized the hilt, and instantly drew forth the sword as +easily as from a scabbard; then, mounting his horse and thinking no +marvel of what he had done, he rode after his brother and handed him +the weapon. + +When Kay looked at it, he saw at once that it was the wondrous sword +from the stone. In great joy he sought his father, and showing it to +him, said: "Then must I be King of Britain." But Sir Ector bade him +say how he came by the sword, and when Sir Kay told how Arthur had +brought it to him, Sir Ector bent his knee to the boy, and said: "Sir, +I perceive that ye are my king, and here I tender you my homage;" and +Kay did as his father. Then the three sought the archbishop, to whom +they related all that had happened; and he, much marvelling, called +the people together to the great stone, and bade Arthur thrust back +the sword and draw it forth again in the presence of all, which he did +with ease. But an angry murmur arose from the barons, who cried that +what a boy could do, a man could do; so, at the archbishop's word, the +sword was put back, and each man, whether baron or knight, tried in +his turn to draw it forth, and failed. Then, for the third time, +Arthur drew forth the sword. Immediately there arose from the people a +great shout: "Arthur is King! Arthur is King! We will have no King +but Arthur;" and, though the great barons scowled and threatened, they +fell on their knees before him while the archbishop placed the crown +upon his head, and swore to obey him faithfully as their lord and +sovereign. + +Thus Arthur was made King; and to all he did justice, righting wrongs +and giving to all their dues. Nor was he forgetful of those that had +been his friends; for Kay, whom he loved as a brother, he made +seneschal and chief of his household, and to Sir Ector, his foster +father, he gave broad lands. + + + + +THE ROUND TABLE + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Thus Arthur was made King, but he had to fight for his own; for eleven +great kings drew together and refused to acknowledge him as their +lord, and chief among the rebels was King Lot of Orkney, who had +married Arthur's sister, Bellicent. + +By Merlin's advice, Arthur sent for help overseas, to Ban and Bors, +the two great kings who ruled in Gaul. + +With their aid, he overthrew his foes in a great battle near the river +Trent; and then he passed with them into their own lands and helped +them drive out their enemies. So there was ever great friendship +between Arthur and the Kings Ban and Bors, and all their kindred, and +afterward some of the most famous Knights of the Round Table were of +that kin. + +Then King Arthur set himself to restore order throughout his kingdom. +To all who would submit and amend their evil ways, he showed kindness; +but those who persisted in oppression and wrong he removed, putting in +their places others who would deal justly with the people. And because +the land had become overrun with forest during the days of misrule, he +cut roads through the thickets, that no longer wild beasts and men, +fiercer than the beasts, should lurk in their gloom, to the harm of +the weak and defenceless. Thus it came to pass that soon the peasant +plowed his fields in safety, and where had been wastes, men dwelt +again in peace and prosperity. + +Among the lesser kings whom Arthur helped to rebuild their towns and +restore order, was King Leodegrance of Cameliard. Now Leodegrance had +one fair child, his daughter Guenevere; and from the first he saw her, +Arthur gave her all his love. So he sought counsel of Merlin, his +chief adviser. Merlin heard the king sorrowfully, and he said: "Sir +king, when a man's heart is set, he may not change. Yet had it been +well if ye had loved another." + +So the king sent his knights to Leodegrance, to ask of him his +daughter; and Leodegrance consented, rejoicing to wed her to so good +and knightly a king. With great pomp, the princess was conducted to +Canterbury, and there the king met her, and they two were wed by the +archbishop in the great cathedral, amid the rejoicings of the people. + +On that same day did Arthur found his Order of the Round Table, the +fame of which was to spread throughout Christendom and endure through +all time. Now the Round Table had been made for King Uther Pendragon +by Merlin, who had meant thereby to set forth plainly to all men the +roundness of the earth. After Uther died, King Leodegrance had +possessed it; but when Arthur was wed, he sent it to him as a gift, +and great was the king's joy at receiving it. One hundred and fifty +knights might take their places about it, and for them Merlin made +sieges or seats. One hundred and twenty-eight did Arthur knight at +that great feast; thereafter, if any sieges were empty, at the high +festival of Pentecost new knights were ordained to fill them, and by +magic was the name of each knight found inscribed, in letters of gold, +in his proper siege. One seat only long remained unoccupied, and that +was the Siege Perilous. No knight might occupy it until the coming of +Sir Galahad; for, without danger to his life, none might sit there who +was not free from all stain of sin. + +With pomp and ceremony did each knight take upon him the vows of true +knighthood: to obey the king; to show mercy to all who asked it; to +defend the weak; and for no worldly gain to fight in a wrongful cause: +and all the knights rejoiced together, doing honor to Arthur and to +his queen. Then they rode forth to right the wrong and help the +oppressed, and by their aid, the king held his realm in peace, doing +justice to all. + + + + +MERLIN THE MAGICIAN + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Of Merlin and how he served King Arthur, something has been already +shown. Loyal he was ever to Uther Pendragon and to his son, King +Arthur, and for the latter especially he wrought great marvels. He +brought the king to his rights; he made him his ships; and some say +that Camelot, with its splendid halls, where Arthur would gather his +knights around him at the great festivals of the year, at Christmas, +at Easter, and at Pentecost, was raised by his magic, without human +toil. Bleise, the aged magician who dwelt in Northumberland and +recorded the great deeds of Arthur and his knights, had been Merlin's +master in magic; but it came to pass in time that Merlin far excelled +him in skill, so that his enemies declared no mortal was his father, +and called him devil's son. + +Then, on a certain time, Merlin said to Arthur: "The time draws near +when ye shall miss me, for I shall go down alive into the earth; and +it shall be that gladly would ye give your lands to have me again." +Then Arthur was grieved, and said: "Since ye know your danger, use +your craft to avoid it." But Merlin answered: "That may not be." + +Now there had come to Arthur's court, a damsel of the Lady of the +Lake--her whose skill in magic, some say, was greater than Merlin's +own; and the damsel's name was Vivien. She set herself to learn the +secrets of Merlin's art, and was ever with him, tending upon the old +man, and with gentleness and tender service, winning her way to his +heart; but all was a pretence, for she was weary of him and sought +only his ruin, thinking it should be fame for her, by any means +whatsoever, to enslave the greatest wizard of his age. And so she +persuaded him to pass with her over seas into King Ban's land of +Benwick, and there, one day, he showed her a wondrous rock formed by +magic art. Then she begged him to enter into it, the better to declare +to her its wonders; but when once he was within, by a charm that she +had learned from Merlin's self, she caused the rock to shut down that +never again might he come forth. Thus was Merlin's prophecy fulfilled, +that he should go down into the earth alive. Much they marvelled in +Arthur's court what had become of the great magician, till on a time, +there rode past the stone a certain Knight of the Round Table and +heard Merlin lamenting his sad fate. The knight would have striven to +raise the mighty stone, but Merlin bade him not waste his labor, since +none might release him save her who had imprisoned him there. Thus +Merlin passed from the world through the treachery of a damsel, and +thus Arthur was without aid in the days when his doom came upon him. + + + + +THE SWORD EXCALIBUR + +By Sir Thomas Malory + + +Merlin took up King Arthur, and rode forth with him upon the knight's +horse. As they rode King Arthur said, "I have no sword." "No matter," +said Merlin, "hereby is a sword that shall be yours, Sir King." So +they rode till they came to a lake, which was a fair water and a +broad; and in the midst of the lake King Arthur was aware of an arm +clothed in white samite, that held a fair sword in the hand. "Lo," +said Merlin unto the king, "yonder is the sword that I spake of." With +that they saw a damsel going upon the lake. "What damsel is that?" +said the king. "That is the Lady of the Lake," said Merlin, "and +within that lake is a reach, and therein is as fair a place as any is +on earth, and richly beseen; and this damsel will come to you anon, +and then speak fair to her that she will give you that sword." +Therewith came the damsel to King Arthur and saluted him, and he her +again. "Damsel," said the king, "what sword is that which the arm +holdeth yonder above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no +sword." "Sir king," said the damsel of the lake, "that sword is mine, +and if ye will give me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall have +it."--"By my faith," said King Arthur, "I will give you any gift that +you will ask or desire." "Well," said the damsel, "go ye into yonder +barge, and row yourself unto the sword, and take it and the scabbard +with you; and I will ask my gift when I see my time." So King Arthur +and Merlin alighted, tied their horses to two trees, and so they went +into the barge. And when they came to the sword that the hand held, +King Arthur took it up by the handles, and took it with him: and the +arm and the hand went under the water, and so King Arthur came to the +land, and rode forth. * * * Then the king looked upon the sword, and +liked it passing well. "Whether liketh you better," said Merlin, "the +sword or the scabbard?" "Me liketh better the sword," said King +Arthur.--"Ye are more unwise," said Merlin; "for the scabbard is worth +ten of the sword; for while ye have the scabbard upon you ye shall +lose no blood, be ye never so sore wounded; therefore keep well the +scabbard alway with you." + +* * * Then Arthur proclaimed that all the lords, knights, and +gentlemen of arms, should draw unto a castle, that was called in those +days Camelot, and the king would have a council-general and a great +joust. So when the king was come thither, with all his baronage, and +lodged as them seemed best, there came a damsel, sent on message from +the great Lady Lily, of Avilion; and, when she came before King +Arthur, she told him from whom she came, and how she was sent on +message unto him for these causes. And she let her mantle fall, that +was richly furred, and then she was girded with a noble sword, whereof +the king had great marvel, and said, "Damsel, for what cause are ye +gird with that sword? It beseemeth you not." "Now shall I tell you," +said the damsel. "This sword, that I am gird withal, doth me great +sorrow and remembrance; for I may not be delivered of this sword but +by a good knight; and he must be a passing good man of his hands and +of his deeds, and without villany or treachery. If I may find such a +knight that hath all these virtues, he may draw out this sword of the +scabbard. For I have been at King Rience; for it was told that there +were passing good knights, and he and all his knights have assayed it, +and none can speed." + +"This is a great marvel," said King Arthur, "and if besooth, I will +myself assay to draw out the sword; not presuming upon myself that I +am the best knight, but that I will begin to draw at your sword, in +giving example to all the barons, that they shall assay every one +after other, when I have assayed." Then King Arthur took the sword by +the scabbard and girdle and pulled at it eagerly, but the sword would +not out. "Sir," said the damsel, "ye need not pull half so hard; for +he that shall pull it out shall do it with little might." "Ye say +well," said King Arthur: "now assay ye, all my barons; but beware ye +be not defiled with shame, treachery, nor guile."--"Then it will not +avail," said the damsel; "for he must be a clean knight, without +villany, and of gentle stream of father's side and mother's side." +Most of all the barons of the Round Table, that were there at that +time, assayed all in turn, but none might speed. Wherefore the damsel +made great sorrow out of measure, and said, "Alas! I weened in this +court had been the best knights, without treachery or treason." "By my +faith," said King Arthur, "here are as good knights as I deem any be +in the world; but their grace is not to help you, wherefore I am +greatly displeased." + +It happened so, at that time, that there was a poor knight with King +Arthur, that had been prisoner with him half a year and more, for +slaying of a knight, which was cousin to King Arthur. The knight was +named Balin le Savage: and by good means of the barons he was +delivered out of prison; for he was a good man named of his body, and +he was born in Northumberland. And so he went privily into the court, +and saw this adventure, whereof his heart rose, and would assay it as +other knights did; but for because he was poor, and poorly arrayed, he +put him not far in press. But in his heart he was fully assured (if +his grace happened him) as any knight that was there. And, as that +damsel took her leave of King Arthur and the barons, this knight, +Balin, called unto her, and said, "Damsel, I pray you of your +courtesy, to suffer me as well to assay as these lords; though I be +poorly clothed, in mine heart meseemeth I am fully assured as some of +these other lords, and meseemeth in my heart to speed right well." The +damsel beheld the poor knight, and saw he was a likely man; but, +because of his poor array, she thought he should be of no worship +without villany or treachery. And then she said to the knight Balin, +"Sir, it is no need to put me to any more pain or labour; for +beseemeth not you to speed there as others have failed." "Ah, fair +damsel," said Balin, "worthiness and good graces and good deeds are +not all only in raiment, but manhood and worship is hid within man's +person; and many a worshipful knight is not known unto all people; and +therefore worship and hardiness is not in raiment and clothing."--"By +God!" said the damsel, "ye say truth; therefore ye shall assay to do +what ye may." Then Balin took the sword by the girdle and scabbard, +and drew it out easily; and when he looked upon the sword, it pleased +him well. * * * Anon after Balin sent for his horse and his armour, +and so would depart from the court, and took his leave of King Arthur. + +The meanwhile that this knight was making him ready to depart, there +came into the court a lady, which hight the Lady of the Lake, and she +came on horseback, richly beseen, and saluted King Arthur, and there +asked him a gift that he had promised her when she gave him the sword. + +"That is sooth," said King Arthur, "a gift I promised you; but I have +forgotten the name of the sword which ye gave me." "The name of it," +said the lady, "is Excalibur; that is as much to say _cut-steel_."-- +"Ye say well," said King Arthur. "Ask what ye will, and ye shall have +it, if it lie in my power to give it." "Well," said the Lady of the +Lake, "I ask the head of the knight that hath won the sword, or else +the damsel's head that brought it. And though I have both their heads +I care not; for he slew my brother, a full good knight and true, and +the gentlewoman was causer of my father's death."--"Truly," said King +Arthur, "I may not grant you either of their heads with my worship; +therefore ask what ye will else, and I shall fulfil your desire." "I +will ask none other thing of you," said the lady. When Balin was ready +to depart, he saw the Lady of the Lake there, by whose means was slain +his own mother, and he had sought her three years. And when it was +told him that she demanded his head of King Arthur, he went straight +to her, and said, "Evil be ye found. Ye would have my head, and +therefore ye shall lose yours!" And with his sword lightly he smote +off her head, in the presence of King Arthur. "Alas! for shame," said +the king. "Why have you done so? You have shamed me and all my court. +For this was a lady that I was much beholden unto; and hither she came +under my safe conduct. I shall never forgive you that trespass." "My +lord," said Balin, "me forethinketh much of your displeasure; for this +lady was the untruest lady living; and by her enchantment and +witchcraft she hath been the destroyer of many good knights, and she +was the causer that my mother was burnt, through her falsehood and +treachery." Then King Arthur and all his court made great dole, and +had great shame of the death of the Lady of the Lake. Then the king +full richly buried her. + +* * * "My time hieth fast," said King Arthur unto Sir Bedivere; +"therefore take thou Excalibur, my good sword, and go with it unto +yonder water-side; and when thou comest there, I charge thee, throw my +sword into that water, and come again and tell me what thou shalt see +there." "My lord," said Sir Bedivere, "your command shall be done, and +lightly bring you word again." And so Sir Bedivere departed, and by +the way he beheld that noble sword, where the pommel and the haft were +all of precious stones. And then he said to himself, "If I throw this +rich sword into the water, thereof shall never come good, but harm and +loss." And then Sir Bedivere hid Excalibur under a tree; and as soon +as he might, he came again unto King Arthur, and said he had been at +the water. "What sawest thou there?" said the king. "Sir," said he, "I +saw nothing but waves and wind."--"That is untruly said of thee," said +King Arthur. "Therefore go thou lightly, and do my command; as thou +art to me life and dear, spare not, but throw it in." Then Sir +Bedivere returned again, and took the sword in his hand; and then he +thought it sin and shame to throw away that noble sword: and so after +he hid the sword and returned again, and told the king that he had +been at the water and done his command. "What saw ye there?" said the +king. "Sir," said he, "I saw nothing but the water lap and waves +wan."--"Ah! traitor untrue," said King Arthur, "now hast thou betrayed +me two times, who would have weened that thou that hast been unto me +so self and dear, and thou art named a noble knight, and wouldest +betray me for the rich sword. But now go again lightly, for thy long +tarrying putteth me in great jeopardy of my life, for I have taken +cold; and but if thou do as I command thee, and if ever I may see +thee, I shall slay thee with mine own hands, for thou wouldest for my +rich sword see me dead." Then Sir Bedivere departed and went to the +sword and lightly took it up and went to the water's side, and there +he bound the girdle about the belts. And then he threw the sword into +the water as far as he might, and there came an arm and a hand above +the water, and met it and caught it, and so shook it thrice and +brandished. And then the hand vanished away with the sword in the +water. + +So Sir Bedivere came again to the king, and told him what he had +seen. "Alas!" said the king, "help me from hence; for I dread me I +have tarried over long." Then Sir Bedivere took King Arthur upon his +back, and so went with him to the water's side; and, when they were at +the water's side, even fast by the bank hovered a little barge, with +many fair ladies in it: and among them all was a queen, and they all +had black hoods; and they wept and shrieked when they saw King Arthur. + +"Now put me into the barge," said the king. And so he did softly, and +there received him three queens with great mourning; and so these +three queens sat them down, and in one of their laps King Arthur laid +his head. And then that queen said: "Ah! dear brother, why have ye +tarried so long from me? Alas! this wound on your head hath taken +overmuch cold." And so then they rowed from the land; and Sir Bedivere +cried, "Ah! my lord Arthur, what shall become of me now ye go from me, +and leave me here alone among mine enemies?" "Comfort thyself," said +King Arthur, "and do as well as thou mayest; for in me is no trust for +to trust in: for I will into the vale of Avilion, for to heal me of my +grievous wound; and, if thou never hear more of me, pray for my soul." + + + + +SIR LAUNCELOT AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE CASTLE PERILOUS + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Now, as time passed, King Arthur gathered into his Order of the Round +Table knights whose peers shall never be found in any age; and +foremost among them all was Sir Launcelot du Lac. Such was his +strength that none against whom he had lain lance in rest could keep +the saddle, and no shield was proof against his sword dint; but for +his courtesy even more than for his courage and strength, Sir +Launcelot was famed far and near. Gentle he was and ever the first to +rejoice in the renown of another; and, in the jousts, he would avoid +encounter with the young and untried knight, letting him pass to gain +glory if he might. + +It would take a great book to record all the famous deeds of Sir +Launcelot, and all his adventures. He was of Gaul, for his father; +King Ban, ruled over Benwick; and some say that his first name was +Galahad, and that he was named Launcelot du Lac by the Lady of the +Lake, who reared him when his mother died. Early he won renown by +delivering his father's people from the grim King Claudas, who, for +more than twenty years, had lain waste the fair land of Benwick; then, +when there was peace in his own land, he passed into Britain, to +Arthur's Court, where the king received him gladly, and made him +Knight of the Round Table and took him for his trustiest friend. And +so it was that, when Guenevere was to be brought to Canterbury, to be +married to the king, Launcelot was chief of the knights sent to wait +upon her. + +Now on a day, as he rode through the forest, Sir Launcelot met a +damsel weeping bitterly, and seeing him, she cried, "Stay, sir knight! +By your knighthood I require you to aid me in my distress." +Immediately Sir Launcelot checked his horse and asked in what she +needed his service. "Sir," said the maiden, "my brother lies at the +point of death, for this day he fought with the stout knight, Sir +Gilbert, and sorely they wounded each other; and a wise woman, a +sorceress, has said that nothing may stanch my brother's wounds unless +they be searched with the sword and bound up with a piece of the cloth +from the body of the wounded knight who lies in the ruined chapel hard +by. And well I know you, my lord Sir Launcelot, and that, if ye will +not help me, none may." "Tell me your brother's name," said Sir +Launcelot. "Sir Meliot de Logris," replied the damsel. "A Knight of +our Round Table," said Sir Launcelot; "the more am I bound to your +service. Only tell me, gentle damsel, where I may find this Chapel +Perilous." So she directed him, and, riding through forest byways, Sir +Launcelot came presently upon a little ruined chapel, standing in the +midst of a churchyard, where the tombs showed broken and neglected +under the dark yews. In front of the porch, Sir Launcelot paused and +looked, for thereon hung, upside down, dishonored, the shield of many +a good knight whom Sir Launcelot had known. + +As he stood wondering, suddenly there pressed upon him from all sides +thirty stout knights, all giants and fully armed, their drawn swords +in their hands and their shields advanced. With threatening looks, +they spoke to him, saying, "Sir Launcelot, it were well ye turned back +before evil befell you." But Sir Launcelot, though he feared to have +to do with thirty such warriors, answered boldly, "I turn not back for +high words. Make them good by your deeds." Then he rode upon them +fiercely, whereupon instantly they scattered and disappeared, and, +sword in hand, Sir Launcelot entered the little chapel. All was dark +within, save that a little lamp hung from the roof, and by its dim +light he could just espy how on a bier before the altar there lay, +stark and cold, a knight sheathed in armor. And drawing nearer Sir +Launcelot saw that the dead man lay on a blood-stained mantle, his +naked sword by his side, but that his left hand had been lopped off at +the wrist by a mighty sword-cut. Then Sir Launcelot boldly seized the +sword and with it cut off a piece of the bloody mantle. Immediately +the earth shook and the walls of the chapel rocked, and in fear Sir +Launcelot turned to go. But, as he would have left the chapel, there +stood before him in the doorway a lady, fair to look upon and +beautifully arrayed, who gazed earnestly upon him, and said: "Sir +knight, put away from you that sword lest it be your death." But Sir +Launcelot answered her: "Lady, what I have said, I do; and what I have +won, I keep." "It is well," said the lady. "Had ye cast away the sword +your life days were done. And now I make but one request. Kiss me +once." "That may I not do," said Sir Launcelot. Then said the lady, +"Go your way, Launcelot; ye have won, and I have lost. Know that, had +ye kissed me, your dead body had lain even now on the altar bier. For +much have I desired to win you; and to entrap you, I ordained this +chapel. Many a knight have I taken, and once Sir Gawain himself +hardly escaped, but he fought with Sir Gilbert and lopped off his +hand, and so got away. Fare ye well; it is plain to see that none but +our lady, Queen Guenevere, may have your services." With that, she +vanished from his sight. So Sir Launcelot mounted his horse and rode +away from that evil place till he met Sir Meliot's sister, who led him +to her brother where he lay, pale as the earth, and bleeding fast. And +when he saw Sir Launcelot, he would have risen to greet him; but his +strength failed him, and he fell back on his couch. Sir Launcelot +searched his wounds with the sword, and bound them up with the +blood-stained cloth, and immediately Sir Meliot was sound and well, +and greatly he rejoiced. Then Sir Meliot and his sister begged Sir +Launcelot to stay and rest, but he departed on his adventures, bidding +them farewell until he should meet them again at Arthur's court. As +for the sorceress of the Chapel Perilous, it is said she died of grief +that all her charms had failed to win for her the good knight Sir +Launcelot. + + + + +SIR LAUNCELOT AND THE FALCON + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Sir Launcelot rode on his way, by marsh and valley and hill, till he +chanced upon a fair castle, and saw fly from it, over his head, a +beautiful falcon, with the lines still hanging from her feet. And as +he looked, the falcon flew into a tree where she was held fast by the +lines becoming entangled about the boughs. Immediately, from the +castle there came running a fair lady, who cried: "O Launcelot, +Launcelot! As ye are the noblest of all knights, I pray you help me to +recover my falcon. For if my husband discover its loss, he will slay +me in his anger." "Who is your husband, fair lady?" asked Sir +Launcelot. "Sir Phelot, a knight of Northgalis, and he is of a hasty +temper; wherefore, I beseech you, help me." "Well, lady," said Sir +Launcelot, "I will serve you if I may; but the tree is hard to climb, +for the boughs are few, and, in truth, I am no climber. But I will do +my best." So the lady helped Sir Launcelot to unarm, and he led his +horse to the foot of the tree, and springing from its back, he caught +at the nearest bough, and drew himself up into the branches. Then he +climbed till he reached the falcon and, tying her lines to a rotten +bough, broke it off, and threw down the bird and bough to the lady +below. Forthwith Sir Phelot came from among the trees and said: "Ah! +Sir Launcelot! Now at length I have you as I would; for I have long +sought your life." And Sir Launcelot made answer: "Surely ye would not +slay me, an unarmed man; for that were dishonor to you. Keep my armor +if ye will; but hang my sword on a bough where I may reach it, and +then do with me as ye can." But Sir Phelot laughed mockingly and said: +"Not so, Sir Launcelot. I know you too well to throw away my +advantage; wherefore, shift as ye may." "Alas!" said Sir Launcelot, +"that ever knight should be so unknightly. And you, madam, how could +ye so betray me?" "She did but as I commanded her," said Sir Phelot. + +Then Launcelot looked about him to see how he might help himself in +these straits, and espying above his head a great bare branch, he tore +it down. Then, ever watching his advantage, he sprang to the ground +on the far side of his horse, so that the horse was between him and +Sir Phelot. Sir Phelot rushed upon him with his sword, but Launcelot +parried it with the bough, with which he dealt his enemy such a blow +on the head that Sir Phelot sank to the ground in a swoon. Then Sir +Launcelot seized his sword where it lay beside his armor, and stooping +over the fallen knight, unloosed his helm. When the lady saw him do +that, she shrieked and cried: "Spare his life! spare his life, noble +knight, I beseech you!" But Sir Launcelot answered sternly: "A felon's +death for him who does felon's deeds. He has lived too long already," +and with one blow he smote off his head. Then he armed himself, and +mounting upon his steed, rode away, leaving the lady to weep beside +her lord. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF SIR GARETH + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Gareth was the youngest of the sons of Lot and Bellicent, and had +grown up long after Gawain and Mordred left their home for King +Arthur's court; so that when he came before the king, all humbly +attired, he was not known even by his own brothers. + +King Arthur was keeping Pentecost at Kink Kenadon on the Welsh border, +and, as his custom was, waited to begin the feast until some adventure +should befall. Presently there was seen approaching a youth who, to +the wonderment of all that saw, leaned upon the shoulders of two men, +his companions; and yet as he passed up the hall, he seemed a goodly +youth, tall and broad-shouldered. When he stood before the king, +suddenly he drew himself up and after due greeting, said: "Sir king, I +would ask of you three boons; one to be granted now and two hereafter +when I shall require them." And Arthur, looking upon him, was pleased, +for his countenance was open and honest. So he made answer: "Fair son, +ask of me aught that is honorable and I will grant it." Then the youth +said: "For this present, I ask only that ye will give me meat and +drink for a year and a day." "Ye might have asked and had a better +gift," replied the king; "tell me now your name." "At this time, I may +not tell it," said the youth. Now King Arthur trusted every man until +he proved himself unworthy, and in this youth he thought he saw one +who should do nobly and win renown; so laughing, he bade him keep his +own counsel since so he would, and gave him in charge to Sir Kay, the +seneschal. + +Now Sir Kay was but harsh to those whom he liked not, and from the +first he scorned the young man. "For none," said he, "but a low-born +lout would crave meat and drink when he might have asked for a horse +and arms." But Sir Launcelot and Sir Gawain took the youth's part. +Neither knew him for Gareth of the Orkneys, but both believed him to +be a youth of good promise who, for his own reasons, would pass in +disguise for a season. + +So Gareth lived the year among the kitchen boys, all the time mocked +and scorned by Sir Kay, who called him Fairhands because his hands +were white and shapely. But Launcelot and Gawain showed him all +courtesy, and failed not to observe how, in all trials of strength, he +excelled his comrades, and that he was ever present to witness the +feats of the knights in the tournaments. + +So the year passed, and again King Arthur was keeping the feast of +Pentecost with his knights, when a damsel entered the hall and asked +his aid: "For," said she, "my sister is closely besieged in her castle +by a strong knight who lays waste all her lands. And since I know that +the knights of your court be the most renowned in the world, I have +come to crave help of your mightiest." "What is your sister's name, +and who is he that oppresses her?" asked the king. "The Red Knight, he +is called," replied the damsel. "As for my sister, I will not say her +name, only that she is a high-born lady and owns broad lands." Then +the king frowned and said: "Ye would have aid but will say no name. I +may not ask knight of mine to go on such an errand." + +Then forth stepped Gareth from among the serving-men at the hall end +and said: "Sir king, I have eaten of your meat in your kitchen this +twelvemonth since, and now I crave my other two boons." "Ask and +have," replied the king. "Grant me then the adventure of this damsel, +and bid Sir Launcelot ride after me to knight me at my desire, for of +him alone would I be made knight." "It shall be so," answered the +king. "What!" cried the damsel, "I ask for a knight and ye give me a +kitchen-boy. Shame on you, sir king." And in great wrath she fled from +the hall, mounted her palfrey and rode away. Gareth but waited to +array himself in the armor which he had kept ever in readiness for the +time when he should need it, and mounting his horse, rode after the +damsel. + +But when Sir Kay knew what had happened, he was wroth, and got to +horse to ride after Gareth and bring him back. Even as Gareth overtook +the damsel, so did Kay come up with him and cried: "Turn back, +Fairhands! What, sir, do ye not know me?" "Yes," answered Gareth, "I +know you for the most discourteous knight in Arthur's court." Then Sir +Kay rode upon him with his lance, but Gareth turned it aside with his +sword and pierced Sir Kay through the side so that he fell to the +ground and lay there without motion. So Gareth took Sir Kay's shield +and spear and was about to ride away, when seeing Sir Launcelot draw +near he called upon him to joust. At the first encounter, Sir +Launcelot unhorsed Gareth, but quickly helped him to his feet. Then, +at Gareth's desire, they fought together with swords, and Gareth did +knightly till, at length, Sir Launcelot said, laughing: "Why should we +fight any longer? Of a truth ye are a stout knight." "If that is +indeed your thought, I pray you make me knight," cried Gareth. So Sir +Launcelot knighted Gareth, who, bidding him farewell, hastened after +the damsel, for she had ridden on again while the two knights talked. +When she saw him coming, she cried: "Keep off! ye smell of the +kitchen!" "Damsel," said Sir Gareth, "I must follow until I have +fulfilled the adventure." "Till ye accomplish the adventure, +Turn-spit? Your part in it shall soon be ended." "I can only do my +best," answered Sir Gareth. + +Now as they rode through the forest, they met with a knight sore beset +by six thieves, and him Sir Gareth rescued. The knight then bade +Gareth and the damsel rest at his castle, and entertained them right +gladly until the morn, when the two rode forth again. Presently, they +drew near to a deep river where two knights kept the ford. "How now, +kitchen knave? Will ye fight or escape while ye may?" cried the +damsel. "I would fight though there were six instead of two," replied +Sir Gareth. Therewith he encountered the one knight in midstream and +struck him such a blow on the head that he fell, stunned, into the +water and was drowned. Then, gaining the land, Gareth cleft in two +helmet and head of the other knight, and turned to the damsel, saying, +"Lead on; I follow." + +But the damsel mocked him, saying: "What a mischance is this that a +kitchen boy should slay two noble knights! Be not overproud, +Turn-spit. It was but luck, if indeed ye did not attack one knight +from behind." "Say what you will, I follow," said Sir Gareth. + +So they rode on again, the damsel in front and Sir Gareth behind, till +they reached a wide meadow where stood many fair pavilions; and one, +the largest, was all of blue, and the men who stood about it were +clothed in blue, and bore shields and spears of that color; and of +blue, too, were the trappings of the horses. Then said the damsel, +"Yonder is the Blue Knight, the goodliest that ever ye have looked +upon, and five hundred knights own him lord." "I will encounter him," +said Sir Gareth; "for if he be good knight and true as ye say, he will +scarce set on me with all his following; and man to man, I fear him +not." "Fie!" said the damsel, "for a dirty knave, ye brag loud. And +even if ye overcome him, his might is as nothing to that of the Red +Knight who besieges my lady sister. So get ye gone while ye may." +"Damsel," said Sir Gareth, "ye are but ungentle so to rebuke me; for, +knight or knave, I have done you good service, nor will I leave this +guest while life is mine." Then the damsel ashamed, and, looking +curiously at Gareth, she said, "I would gladly know what manner of man +ye are. For I heard you call yourself kitchen knave before Arthur's +self, but ye have ever answered patiently though I have chidden you +shamefully; and courtesy comes only of gentle blood." Thereat Sir +Gareth but laughed, and said: "He is no knight whom a maiden can anger +by harsh words." + +So talking, they entered the field, and there came to Sir Gareth a +messenger from the Blue Knight to ask him if he came in peace or in +war. "As your lord pleases," said Sir Gareth. So when the messenger +had brought back this word, the Blue Knight mounted his horse, took +his spear in his hand, and rode upon Sir Gareth. At their first +encounter their lances shivered to pieces, and such was the shock that +their horses fell dead. So they rushed on each other with swords and +shield, cutting and slashing till the armor was hacked from their +bodies; but at last, Sir Gareth smote the Blue Knight to the +earth. Then the Blue Knight yielded, and at the damsel's entreaty, Sir +Gareth spared his life. + +So they were reconciled, and, at the request of the Blue Knight, Sir +Gareth and the damsel abode that night in his tents. As they sat at +table, the Blue Knight said: "Fair damsel, are ye not called Linet?" +"Yes," answered she, "and I am taking this noble knight to the relief +of my sister, the Lady Liones." "God speed you, sir," said the Blue +Knight, "for he is a stout knight whom ye must meet. Long ago might he +have taken the lady, but that he hoped that Sir Launcelot or some +other of Arthur's most famous knights, coming to her rescue, might +fall beneath his lance. If ye overthrow him, then are ye the peer of +Sir Launcelot and Sir Tristram." "Sir knight," answered Gareth, "I can +but strive to bear me worthily as one whom the great Sir Launcelot +made knight." + +So in the morning they bade farewell to the Blue Knight, who vowed to +carry to King Arthur word of all that Gareth had achieved; and they +rode on till, in the evening, they came to a little ruined hermitage +where there awaited them a dwarf, sent by the Lady Liones, with all +manner of meats and other store. In the morning, the dwarf set out +again to bear word to his lady that her rescuer was come. As he drew +near the castle, the Red Knight stopped him, demanding whence he came. +"Sir," said the dwarf, "I have been with my lady's sister, who brings +with her a knight to the rescue of my lady." "It is lost labor," said +the Red Knight; "even though she brought Launcelot or Tristram, I hold +myself a match for them." "He is none of these," said the dwarf, "but +he has overthrown the knights who kept the ford, and the Blue Knight +yielded to him." "Let him come," said the Red Knight; "I shall soon +make an end of him, and a shameful death shall he have at my hands, as +many a better knight has had." So saying, he let the dwarf go. + +Presently, there came riding toward the castle Sir Gareth and the +damsel Linet, and Gareth marvelled to see hang from the trees some +forty knights in goodly armor, their shields reversed beside them. And +when he inquired of the damsel, she told him how these were the bodies +of brave knights who, coming to the rescue of the Lady Liones, had +been overthrown and shamefully done to death by the Red Knight. Then +was Gareth shamed and angry, and he vowed to make an end of these evil +practices. So at last they drew near to the castle walls, and saw how +the plain around was covered with the Red Knight's tents, and the +noise was that of a great army. Hard by was a tall sycamore tree, and +from it hung a mighty horn, made of an elephant's tusk. Spurring his +horse, Gareth rode to it, and blew such a blast that those on the +castle walls heard it; the knights came forth from their tents to see +who blew so bold a blast, and from a window of the castle the Lady +Liones looked forth and waved her hand to her champion. Then, as Sir +Gareth made his reverence to the lady, the Red Knight called roughly +to him to leave his courtesy and look to himself: "For," said he, "she +is mine, and to have her, I have fought many a battle." "It is but +vain labor," said Sir Gareth, "since she loves you not. Know, too, sir +knight, that I have vowed to rescue her from you." "So did many +another who now hangs on a tree," replied the Red Knight, "and soon ye +shall hang beside them," Then both laid their spears in rest, and +spurred their horses. At the first encounter, each smote the other +full in the shield, and the girths of the saddles bursting, they were +borne to the earth, where they lay for a while as if dead. But +presently they rose, and setting their shields before them, rushed +upon each other with their swords, cutting and hacking till the armor +lay on the ground in fragments. So they fought till noon and then +rested; but soon they renewed the battle, and so furiously they +fought, that often they fell to the ground together. Then, when the +bells sounded for evensong, the knights rested again, unlacing their +helms to breathe the evening air. But looking up to the castle +windows, Gareth saw the Lady Liones gazing earnestly upon him; then he +caught up his helmet, and calling to the Red Knight, bade him make +ready for the battle; "And this time," said he, "we will make an end +of it." "So be it," said the Red Knight. Then the Red Knight smote +Gareth on the hand so that his sword flew from his grasp, and with +another blow he brought him grovelling to the earth. At the sight of +this, Linet cried aloud, and hearing her, Gareth, with a mighty +effort, threw off the Red Knight, leaped to his sword, and got it +again within his hand. Then he pressed the Red Knight harder than +ever, and at the last bore him to the earth, and unlacing his helm, +made ready to slay him; but the Red Knight cried aloud: "Mercy! I +yield." At first, remembering the evil deaths of the forty good +knights, Gareth was unwilling to spare him; but the Red Knight +besought him to have mercy, telling him how, against his will, he had +been bound by a vow to make war on Arthur's knights. So Sir Gareth +relented, and bade him set forth at once for Kink Kenadon and entreat +the king's pardon for his evil past. And this the Red Knight promised +to do. + +Then amid much rejoicing, Sir Gareth was borne into the castle. There +his wounds were dressed by the Lady Liones, and there he rested until +he recovered his strength. And having won her love, when Gareth +returned to Arthur's court the Lady Liones rode with him, and they two +were wed with great pomp in the presence of the whole fellowship of +the Round Table; the king rejoicing much that his nephew had done so +valiantly. So Sir Gareth lived happily with Dame Liones, winning fame +and the love of all true knights. As for Linet, she came again to +Arthur's court and wedded Sir Gareth's younger brother, Sir Gaheris. + + + + +THE COMING OF SIR GALAHAD + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Many times had the Feast of Pentecost come round, and many were the +knights that Arthur had made since first he founded the Order of the +Round Table; yet no knight had appeared who dared claim the seat named +by Merlin the Siege Perilous. At last, one vigil of the great feast, a +lady came to Arthur's court at Camelot and asked Sir Launcelot to ride +with her into the forest hard by, for a purpose not then to be +revealed. Launcelot consenting, they rode together until they came to +a nunnery hidden deep in the forest; and there the lady bade Launcelot +dismount, and led him into a great and stately room. Presently there +entered twelve nuns, and with them a youth, the fairest that Launcelot +had ever seen. "Sir," said the nuns, "we have brought up this child +in our midst, and now that he is grown to manhood, we pray you make +him knight, for of none worthier could he receive the honor." "Is this +thy own desire?" asked Launcelot of the young squire; and when he said +that so it was, Launcelot promised to make him knight after the great +festival had been celebrated in the church next day. + +So on the morrow, after they had worshipped, Launcelot knighted +Galahad--for that was the youth's name--and asked him if he would ride +at once with him to the king's court; but the young knight excusing +himself, Sir Launcelot rode back alone to Camelot, where all rejoiced +that he was returned in time to keep the feast with the whole Order of +the Round Table. + +Now, according to his custom, King Arthur was waiting for some marvel +to befall before he and his knights sat down to the banquet. Presently +a squire entered the hall and said: "Sir king, a great wonder has +appeared. There floats on the river a mighty stone, as it were a block +of red marble, and it is thrust through by a sword, the hilt of which +is set thick with precious stones." On hearing this, the king and all +his knights went forth to view the stone and found it as the squire +had said; moreover, looking closer, they read these words: "None shall +draw me hence, but only he by whose side I must hang; and he shall be +the best knight in all the world." Immediately, all bade Launcelot +draw forth the sword, but he refused, saying that the sword was not +for him. Then, at the king's command, Sir Gawain made the attempt and +failed, as did Sir Percivale after him. So the knights knew the +adventure was not for them, and returning to the hall, took their +places about the Round Table. + +No sooner were they seated than an aged man, clothed all in white, +entered the hall, followed by a young knight in red armor, by whose +side hung an empty scabbard. The old man approached King Arthur, and +bowing low before him, said: "Sir, I bring you a young knight of the +house and lineage of Joseph of Arimathea, and through him shall great +glory be won for all the land of Britain." Greatly did King Arthur +rejoice to hear this, and welcomed the two right royally. Then when +the young knight had saluted the king, the old man led him to the +Siege Perilous and drew off its silken cover; and all the knights were +amazed, for they saw that where had been engraved the words, "The +Siege Perilous," was written now in shining gold: "This is the siege +of the noble prince, Sir Galahad." Straightway the young man seated +himself there where none other had ever sat without danger to his +life; and all who saw it said, one to another: "Surely this is he that +shall achieve the Holy Grail." Now the Holy Grail was the blessed dish +from which Our Lord had eaten the Last Supper, and it had been brought +to the land of Britain by Joseph of Arimathea; but because of men's +sinfulness, it had been withdrawn from human sight, only that, from +time to time, it appeared to the pure in heart. + +When all had partaken of the royal banquet, King Arthur bade Sir +Galahad come with him to the river's brink; and showing him the +floating stone with the sword thrust through it, told him how his +knights had failed to draw forth the sword. "Sir," said Galahad, "it +is no marvel that they failed, for the adventure was meant for me, as +my empty scabbard shows." So saying, lightly he drew the sword from +the heart of the stone, and lightly he slid it into the scabbard at +his side. While all yet wondered at this adventure of the sword, +there came riding to them a lady on a white palfrey who, saluting King +Arthur, said: "Sir king, Nacien the hermit sends thee word that this +day shall great honor be shown to thee and all thine house; for the +Holy Grail shall appear in thy hall, and thou and all thy fellowship +shall be fed therefrom." And to Launcelot she said: "Sir knight, thou +hast ever been the best knight of all the world; but another has come +to whom thou must yield precedence. "Then Launcelot answered humbly: +"I know well I was never the best." "Ay, of a truth thou wast and art +still, of sinful men," said she, and rode away before any could +question her further. + +So, that evening, when all were gathered about the Round Table, each +knight in his own siege, suddenly there was heard a crash of thunder, +so mighty that the hall trembled, and there flashed into the hall a +sunbeam, brighter far than any that had ever before been seen; and +then, draped all in white samite, there glided through the air what +none might see, yet what all knew to be the Holy Grail. And all the +air was filled with sweet odors, and on every one was shed a light in +which he looked fairer and nobler than ever before. So they sat in an +amazed silence, till presently King Arthur rose and gave thanks to God +for the grace given to him and to his court. Then up sprang Sir Gawain +and made his avow to follow for a year and a day the Quest of the Holy +Grail, if perchance he might be granted the vision of it. Immediately +other of the knights followed his example, binding themselves to the +Quest of the Holy Grail until, in all, one hundred and fifty had vowed +themselves to the adventure. + +Then was King Arthur grieved, for he foresaw the ruin of his noble +Order. And turning to Sir Gawain, he said: "Nephew, ye have done ill, +for through you I am bereft of the noblest company of knights that +ever brought honor to any realm in Christendom. Well I know that never +again shall all of you gather in this hall, and it grieves me to lose +men I have loved as my life and through whom I have won peace and +righteousness for all my realm." + +So the king mourned and his knights with him, but their oaths they +could not recall. + + + + +HOW SIR GALAHAD WON THE RED CROSS SHIELD + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Great woe was there in Camelot next day when, after worship in the +cathedral, the knights who had vowed themselves to the Quest of the +Holy Grail got to horse and rode away. A goodly company it was that +passed through the streets, the townfolk weeping to see them go; Sir +Launcelot du Lac and his kin, Sir Galahad of whom all expected great +deeds, Sir Bors and Sir Percivale, and many another scarcely less +famed than they. So they rode together that day to the Castle of +Vagon, where they were entertained right hospitably, and the next day +they separated, each to ride his own way and see what adventures +should befall him. + +So it came to pass that, after four days' ride, Sir Galahad reached an +abbey. Now Sir Galahad was still clothed in red armor as when he came +to the king's court, and by his side hung the wondrous sword; but he +was without a shield. They of the abbey received him right heartily, +as also did the brave King Bagdemagus, Knight of the Round Table, who +was resting there. When they had greeted each other, Sir Galahad asked +King Bagdemagus what adventure had brought him there. "Sir," said +Bagdemagus, "I was told that in this abbey was preserved a wondrous +shield which none but the best knight in the world might bear without +grievous harm to himself. And though I know well that there are better +knights than I, to-morrow I purpose to make the attempt. But, I pray +you, bide at this monastery awhile until you hear from me; and if I +fail, do ye take the adventure upon you." "So be it," said Sir +Galahad. + +The next day, at their request, Sir Galahad and King Bagdemagus were +led into the church by a monk and shown where, behind the altar, hung +the wondrous shield, whiter than snow save for the blood-red cross in +its midst. Then the monk warned them of the danger to any who, being +unworthy, should dare to bear the shield. But King Bagdemagus made +answer: "I know well that I am not the best knight in the world, yet +will I try if I may bear it." So he hung it about his neck, and +bidding farewell, rode away with his squire. + +The two had not journeyed far before they saw a knight approach, armed +all in white mail and mounted upon a white horse. Immediately he laid +his spear in rest and, charging King Bagdemagus, pierced him through +the shoulder and bore him from his horse; and standing over the +wounded knight, he said: "Knight, thou hast shown great folly, for +none shall bear this shield save the peerless knight, Sir Galahad." +Then, taking the shield, he gave it to the squire, and said: "Bear +this shield to the good Knight Galahad and greet him well from me." +"What is your name?" asked the squire. "That is not for thee or any +other to know." "One thing I pray you," said the squire; "why may this +shield be borne by none but Sir Galahad without danger?" "Because it +belongs to him only," answered the stranger knight, and vanished. + +Then the squire took the shield and setting King Bagdemagus on his +horse, bore him back to the abbey where he lay long, sick unto death. +To Galahad the squire gave the shield and told him all that had +befallen. So Galahad hung the shield about his neck and rode the way +that Bagdemagus had gone the day before; and presently he met the +White Knight, whom he greeted courteously, begging that he would make +known to him the marvels of the red-cross shield. "That will I +gladly," answered the White Knight. "Ye must know, sir knight, that +this shield was made and given by Joseph of Arimathea to the good King +Evelake of Sarras, that, in the might of the holy symbol, he should +overthrow the heathen who threatened his kingdom. But afterward, King +Evelake followed Joseph to this land of Britain, where they taught the +true faith unto the people who before were heathen. Then when Joseph +lay dying, he bade King Evelake set the shield in the monastery where +ye lay last night, and foretold that none should wear it without loss +until that day when it should be taken by the knight, ninth and last +in descent from him, who should come to that place the fifteenth day +after receiving the degree of knighthood. Even so has it been with +you, sir knight." So saying, the unknown knight disappeared and Sir +Galahad rode on his way. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF SIR PERCIVALE + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +After he had left his fellows, Sir Percivale rode long through the +forest until, one evening, he reached a monastery where he sought +shelter for the night. The next morning, he went into the chapel to +hear mass and there he espied the body of an old, old man, laid on a +richly adorned couch. At first it seemed as if the aged man were dead, +but presently, raising himself in his bed, he took off his crown and, +delivering it to the priest, bade him place it on the altar. So when +the service was concluded, Sir Percivale asked who the aged king might +be. Then he was told that it was none other than King Evelake who +accompanied Joseph of Arimathea to Britain. And on a certain occasion, +the king had approached the Holy Grail nigher than was reverent and, +for his impiety, God had punished him with blindness. Thereupon he +repented and, entreating God earnestly, had obtained his petition that +he should not die until he had seen the spotless knight who should be +descended from him in the ninth degree. (This his desire was fulfilled +later when Sir Galahad came thither; after which, he died and was +buried by the good knight.) + +The next day, Sir Percivale continued his journey and presently met +with twenty knights who bore on a bier the body of a dead knight. When +they espied Sir Percivale, they demanded of him who he was and whence +he came. So he told them, whereupon they all shouted, "Slay him! slay +him!" and setting upon him all at once, they killed his horse and +would have slain him but that the good knight, Sir Galahad, passing +that way by chance, came to his rescue and put his assailants to +flight. Then Galahad rode away as fast as he might, for he would not +be thanked, and Sir Percivale was left, horseless and alone, in the +forest. + +So Sir Percivale continued his journey on foot as well as he might; +and ever the way became lonelier, until at last he came to the shores +of a vast sea. There Sir Percivale abode many days, without food and +desolate, doubting whether he should ever escape thence. At last it +chanced that, looking out to sea, Sir Percivale descried a ship and, +as it drew nearer, he saw how it was all hung with satin and velvet. +Presently it reached the land and out of it there stepped a lady of +marvellous beauty, who asked him how he came there; "For know," said +she, "ye are like to die here by hunger or mischance." "He whom I +serve will protect me," said Sir Percivale. "I know well whom ye +desire most to see," said the lady. "Ye would meet with the Red Knight +who bears the red-cross shield." "Ah! lady, I pray you tell me where I +may find him," cried Sir Percivale. "With a good will," said the +damsel; "if ye will but promise me your service when I shall ask for +it, I will lead you to the knight, for I met him of late in the +forest." So Sir Percivale promised gladly to serve her when she should +need him. Then the lady asked him how long he had fasted. "For three +days," answered Sir Percivale. Immediately she gave orders to her +attendants forthwith to pitch a tent and set out a table with all +manner of delicacies, and of these she invited Sir Percivale to +partake, "I pray you, fair lady," said Sir Percivale, "who are ye that +show me such kindness?" "Truly," said the lady, "I am but a hapless +damsel, driven forth from my inheritance by a great lord whom I have +chanced to displease. I implore you, sir knight, by your vows of +knighthood, to give me your aid." Sir Percivale promised her all the +aid he could give, and then she bade him lie down and sleep, and +herself took off his helmet, and unclasped his sword-belt. So Sir +Percivale slept, and when he waked, there was another feast prepared, +and he was given the rarest and the strongest wines that ever he had +tasted. Thus they made merry, and, when the lady begged Percivale to +rest him there awhile, promising him all that ever he could desire if +he would vow himself to her service, almost he forgot the quest to +which he was vowed, and would have consented, but that his eye fell +upon his sword where it lay. Now in the sword-hilt there was set a red +cross and, seeing it, Percivale called to mind his vow, and, thinking +on it, he signed him with the cross on his forehead. Instantly, the +tent was overthrown and vanished in thick smoke; and she who had +appeared a lovely woman disappeared from his sight in semblance of a +fiend. + +Then was Sir Percivale sore ashamed that almost he had yielded to the +temptings of the Evil One and earnestly he prayed that his sin might +be forgiven him. Thus he remained in prayer far into the night, +bewailing his weakness; and when the dawn appeared, a ship drew nigh +the land. Sir Percivale entered into it, but could find no one there; +so commending himself to God, he determined to remain thereon, and was +borne over the seas for many days, he knew not whither. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF SIR BORS + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +Among the knights vowed to the Quest of the Holy Grail was Sir Bors, +one of the kin of Sir Launcelot, a brave knight and pious. He rode +through the forest many a day, making his lodging most often under a +leafy tree, though once on his journey he stayed at a castle, that he +might do battle for its lady against a felon knight who would have +robbed and oppressed her. + +So, on a day, as he rode through the forest, Sir Bors came to the +parting of two ways. While he was considering which he should follow, +he espied two knights driving before them a horse on which was +stretched, bound and naked, none other than Sir Bors' own brother, Sir +Lionel; and, from time to time, the two false knights beat him with +thorns so that his body was all smeared with blood, but, so great was +his heart, Sir Lionel uttered never a word. Then, in great wrath, Sir +Bors laid his lance in rest and would have fought the felon knights to +rescue his brother, but that, even as he spurred his horse, there came +a bitter cry from the other path and, looking round, he saw a lady +being dragged by a knight into the darkest part of the forest where +none might find and rescue her. When she saw Sir Bors, she cried to +him: "Help me! sir knight, help me! I beseech you by your knighthood." +Then Sir Bors was much troubled, for he would not desert his brother; +but bethinking him that ever a woman must be more helpless than a man, +he wheeled his horse, rode upon her captor, and beat him to the +earth. The damsel thanked him earnestly and told him how the knight +was her own cousin, who had that day carried her off by craft from her +father's castle. As they talked, there came up twelve knights who had +been seeking the lady everywhere; so to their care Sir Bors delivered +her, and rode with haste in the direction whither his brother had been +borne. On the way, he met with an old man, dressed as a priest, who +asked him what he sought. When Sir Bors had told him, "Ah! Bors," said +he, "I can give you tidings indeed. Your brother is dead;" and +parting the bushes, he showed him the body of a dead man, to all +seeming Sir Lionel's self. Then Sir Bors grieved sorely, misdoubting +almost whether he should not rather have rescued his own brother; and +at the last, he dug a grave and buried the dead man; then he rode +sorrowfully on his way. + +When he had ridden many days, he met with a yeoman whom he asked if +there were any adventures in those parts. "Sir," said the man, "at the +castle, hard by, they hold a great tournament." Sir Bors thanked him +and rode along the way pointed out to him; and presently, as he passed +a hermitage, whom should he see sitting at its door but his brother, +Sir Lionel, whom he had believed dead. + +Then in great joy, he leaped from his horse, and running to Lionel, +cried: "Fair brother, how came ye hither?" "Through no aid of yours," +said Sir Lionel angrily; "for ye left me bound and beaten, to ride to +the rescue of a maiden. Never was brother so dealt with by brother +before. Keep you from me as ye may!" When Sir Bors understood that his +brother would slay him, he knelt before him entreating his pardon. Sir +Lionel took no heed, but mounting his horse and taking his lance, +cried: "Keep you from me, traitor! Fight, or die!" And Sir Bors moved +not; for to him it seemed a sin most horrible that brother should +fight with brother. Then Sir Lionel, in his rage, rode his horse at +him, bore him to the ground and trampled him under the horse's hoofs, +till Bors lay beaten to the earth in a swoon. Even so, Sir Lionel's +anger was not stayed; for, alighting, he drew his sword and would have +smitten off his brother's head, but that the holy hermit, hearing the +noise of conflict, ran out of the hermitage and threw himself upon Sir +Bors. "Gentle knight," he cried, "have mercy upon him and on thyself; +for of the sin of slaying thy brother, thou couldst never be quit." +"Sir priest," said Lionel, "if ye leave him not, I shall slay you +too." "It were a lesser sin than to slay thy brother," answered the +hermit. "So be it," cried Lionel, and with one blow struck off the +hermit's head. Then he would have worked his evil will upon his +brother too, but that, even as he was unlacing Sir Bors' helm to cut +off his head, there rode up the good knight Sir Colgrevance, a fellow +of the Round Table. When he saw the dead hermit and was aware how +Lionel sought the life of Bors, he was amazed, and springing from his +horse, ran to Lionel and dragged him back from his brother. "Do ye +think to hinder me?" said Sir Lionel. "Let come who will, I will have +his life." "Ye shall have to do with me first," cried Colgrevance. +Therewith, they took their swords, and, setting their shields before +them, rushed upon each other. Now Sir Colgrevance was a good knight, +but Sir Lionel was strong and his anger added to his strength. So long +they fought that Sir Bors had time to recover from his swoon, and +raising himself with pain on his elbow, saw how the two fought for his +life; and as it seemed, Sir Lionel would prevail, for Sir Colgrevance +grew weak and weary. Sir Bors tried to get to his feet, but so weak he +was, he could not stand; and Sir Colgrevance, seeing him stir, called +on him to come to his aid, for he was in mortal peril for his +sake. But even as he called, Sir Lionel cut him to the ground, and, as +one possessed, rushed upon his brother to slay him. Sir Bors entreated +him for mercy, and when he would not, sorrowfully he took his sword, +saying: "Now, God forgive me, though I defend my life against my +brother." + +Immediately there was heard a voice saying, "Flee, Bors, and touch not +thy brother;" and at the same time, a fiery cloud burned between them, +so that their shields glowed with the flame, and both knights fell to +the earth. But the voice came again, saying, "Bors, leave thy brother +and take thy way to the sea. There thou shalt meet Sir Percivale." +Then Sir Bors made ready to obey, and, turning to Lionel, said: "Dear +brother, I pray you forgive me for aught in which I have wronged you." +"I forgive you," said Sir Lionel, for he was too amazed terrified to +keep his anger. + +So Sir Bors continued his journey, and at the last, coming to the +sea-shore, he espied a ship draped all with white samite, and entering +thereon, he saw Sir Percivale, and much they rejoiced them in each +other's company. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF SIR LAUNCELOT + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +After Sir Launcelot had parted from his fellows at the Castle of +Vagon, he rode many days through the forest without adventure, till he +chanced upon a knight close by a little hermitage in the wood. +Immediately, as was the wont of errant knights, they prepared to +joust, and Launcelot, whom none before had overthrown, was borne down, +man and horse, by the stranger knight. Thereupon a nun, who dwelt in +the hermitage, cried: "God be with thee, best knight in all this +world," for she knew the victor for Sir Galahad. But Galahad, not +wishing to be known, rode swiftly away; and presently Sir Launcelot +got to horse again and rode slowly on his way, shamed and doubting +sorely in his heart whether this quest was meant for him. + +When night fell, he came to a great stone cross which stood at the +parting of the way and close by a little ruined chapel. So Sir +Launcelot, being minded to pass the night there, alighted, fastened +his horse to a tree and hung his shield on a bough. Then he drew near +to the little chapel, and wondered to see how, all ruinous though it +was, yet within was an altar hung with silk and a great silver +candlestick on it; but when he sought entrance, he could find none +and, much troubled in his mind, he returned to his horse where he had +left it, and unlacing his helm and ungirding his sword, laid him down +to rest. + +Then it seemed to Sir Launcelot that, as he lay between sleeping and +waking, there passed him two white palfreys bearing a litter wherein +was a sick knight, who cried: "Sweet Lord, when shall I be pardoned +all my transgressions, and when shall the holy vessel come to me, to +cure me of my sickness?" And instantly it seemed that the great +candlestick came forth of itself from the chapel, floating through the +air before a table of silver on which was the Holy Grail. Thereupon, +the sick knight raised himself, and on his bended knees he approached +so nigh that he kissed the holy vessel; and immediately he cried: "I +thank Thee, sweet Lord, that I am healed of my sickness." And all the +while Sir Launcelot, who saw this wonder, felt himself held that he +could not move. Then a squire brought the stranger knight his weapons, +in much joy that his lord was cured. "Who think ye that this knight +may be who remains sleeping when the holy vessel is so near?" said the +knight. "In truth," said the squire, "he must be one that is held by +the bond of some great sin. I will take his helm and his sword, for +here have I brought you all your armor save only these two." So the +knight armed him from head to foot, and taking Sir Launcelot's horse, +rode away with his squire. On the instant, Sir Launcelot awoke amazed, +not knowing whether he had dreamed or not; but while he wondered, +there came a terrible voice, saying: "Launcelot, arise and leave this +holy place." In shame, Sir Launcelot turned to obey, only to find +horse and sword and shield alike vanished. Then, indeed, he knew +himself dishonored. Weeping bitterly, he made the best of his way on +foot, until he came to a cell where a hermit was saying prayer. Sir +Launcelot knelt too, and, when all was ended, called to the hermit, +entreating him for counsel. "With good will," said the hermit. So Sir +Launcelot made himself known and told the hermit all, lamenting how +his good fortune was turned to wretchedness and his glory to shame; +and truly, the hermit was amazed that Sir Launcelot should be in such +case. "Sir," said he, "God has given you manhood and strength beyond +all other knights; and more are ye bounden to his service." "I have +sinned," said Sir Launcelot; "for in all these years of my knighthood, +I have done everything for the honor and glory of my lady and naught +for my Maker; and little thank have I given to God for all his +benefits to me." Then the holy man gave Sir Launcelot good counsel and +made him rest there that night; and the next day he gave him a horse, +a sword and a helmet, and bade him go forth and bear himself knightly +as the servant of God. + + + + +HOW SIR LAUNCELOT SAW THE HOLY GRAIL + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +For many days after he bad left the hermitage, Sir Launcelot rode +through the forest, but there came to him no such adventures as had +befallen him on other quests to the increase of his fame. At last, one +night-tide, he came to the shores of a great water and there he lay +down to sleep; but as he slept, a voice called on him: "Launcelot, +arise, put on thine armor and go on thy way until thou comest to a +ship. Into that thou shalt enter." Immediately, Sir Launcelot started +from his sleep to obey, and, riding along the shore, came presently to +a ship beached on the strand; no sooner had he entered it, than the +ship was launched--how, he might not know. So the ship sailed before +the wind for many a day. No mortal was on it, save only Sir Launcelot, +yet were all his needs supplied. Then, at last, the ship ran ashore +at the foot of a great castle; and it was midnight. Sir Launcelot +waited not for the dawn, but, his sword gripped in his hand, sprang +ashore, and then right before him, he saw a postern where the gate +stood open indeed, but two grisly lions kept the way. And when Sir +Launcelot would have rushed upon the great beasts with his sword, it +was struck from his hands, and a voice said: "Ah! Launcelot, ever is +thy trust in thy might rather than thy Maker!" Sore ashamed, Sir +Launcelot took his sword and thrust it back into the sheath, and going +forward, he passed unhurt through the gateway, the lions that kept it +falling back from his path. So without more adventure, Launcelot +entered into the castle; and there he saw how every door stood open, +save only one, and that was fast barred, nor, with all his force, +might he open it. Presently from the chamber within came the sound of +a sweet voice in a holy chant, and then in his heart Launcelot knew +that he was come to the Holy Grail. So, kneeling humbly, he prayed +that to him might be shown some vision of that he sought. Forthwith +the door flew open and from the chamber blazed a light such as he had +never known before; but when he made to enter, a voice cried: +"Launcelot, forbear," and sorrowfully he withdrew. Then where he +knelt, far even from the threshold of the wondrous room, he saw a +silver table and, on it, covered with red samite, the Holy Grail. At +sight of that which he had sought so long, his joy became so great +that, unmindful of the warning, he advanced into the room and drew +nigh even to the table itself. Then on the instant there burst between +him and it a blaze of light, and he fell to the ground. There he lay, +nor might he move nor utter any sound; only he was aware of hands busy +about him which bore him away from the chamber. + +For four-and-twenty days Sir Launcelot lay as in a trance. At the end +of that time he came to himself, and found those about him that had +tended him in his swoon. These, when they had given him fresh raiment, +brought him to the aged king--Pelles was his name--that owned that +castle. The king entertained him right royally, for he knew of the +fame of Sir Launcelot; and long he talked with him of his quest and of +the other knights who followed it, for he was of a great age and knew +much of men. At the end of four days he spoke to Sir Launcelot, +bidding him return to Arthur's court: "For," said he, "your quest is +ended here, and all that ye shall see of the Holy Grail ye have seen." +So Launcelot rode on his way, grieving for the sin that hindered him +from the perfect vision of the Holy Grail, but thanking God for that +which he had seen. So in time he came to Camelot, and told to Arthur +all that had befallen him. + + + + +THE END OF THE QUEST + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +After he had rescued Sir Percivale from the twenty knights who beset +him, Sir Galahad rode on his way till nightfall, when he sought +shelter at a little hermitage. Thither there came in the night a +damsel who desired to speak with Sir Galahad; so he arose and went to +her. "Galahad," said she, "arm you and mount your horse and follow me, +for I am come to guide you in your quest." So they rode together until +they had come to the seashore, and there the damsel showed Galahad a +great ship into which he must enter. Then she bade him farewell, and +he, going on to the ship, found there already the good knights Sir +Bors and Sir Percivale, who made much joy of the meeting. They abode +in that ship until they had come to the castle of King Pelles, who +welcomed them right gladly. Then, as they all sat at supper that +night, suddenly the hall was filled with a great light, and the holy +vessel appeared in their midst, covered all in white samite. While +they all rejoiced, there came a voice, saying: "My knights whom I have +chosen, ye have seen the holy vessel dimly. Continue your journey to +the city of Sarras and there the perfect Vision shall be yours." + +Now in the city of Sarras had dwelt long time Joseph of Arimathea, +teaching its people the true faith, before ever he came into the land +of Britain; but when Sir Galahad and his fellows came there after long +voyage, they found it ruled by a heathen king named Estorause, who +cast them into a deep dungeon. There they were kept a year, but at the +end of that time, the tyrant died. Then the great men of the land +gathered together to consider who should be their king; and, while +they were in council, came a voice bidding them take as their king the +youngest of the three knights whom Estorause had thrown into prison. + +So in fear and wonder they hastened to the prison, and, releasing the +three knights, made Galahad king as the voice had bidden them. + +[Illustration: THERE CAME AN ARM AND A HAND ABOVE THE WATER. From +the painting by Walter Crane.] + +Thus Sir Galahad became king of the famous city of Sarras, in far +Babylon. He had reigned a year when, one morning early, he and the +other two knights, his fellows, went into the chapel, and there they +saw, kneeling in prayer, an aged man, robed as a bishop and round him +hovered many angels. The knights fell on their knees in awe and +reverence, whereupon he that seemed a bishop turned to them and said: +"I am Joseph of Arimathea, and I am come to show you the perfect +Vision of the Holy Grail." On the instant there appeared before them, +without veil or cover, the holy vessel, in a radiance of light such as +almost blinded them. Sir Bors and Sir Percivale, when at length they +were recovered from the brightness of that glory, looked up to find +that the holy Joseph and the wondrous vessel had passed from their +sight. Then they Went to Sir Galahad where he still knelt as in +prayer, and behold, he was dead; for it had been with him even as he +had prayed; in the moment when he had seen the vision, his soul had +gone back to God. + +So the two knights buried him in that far city, themselves mourning +and all the people with them. And immediately after, Sir Percivale +put off his arms and took the habit of a monk, living a devout and +holy life until, a year and two months later, he also died and was +buried near Sir Galahad. Then Sir Bors armed him, and bidding +farewell to the city, sailed away until, after many weeks, he came +again to the land of Britain. There he took horse, and stayed not till +he had come to Camelot. Great was the rejoicing of Arthur and all his +knights when Sir Bors was once more among them. When he had told all +the adventures which had befallen him and the good knights, his +companions, all who heard were filled with amaze. But the king, he +caused the wisest clerks in the land to write in great books this +Quest of the Holy Grail, that the fame of it should endure unto all +time. + + + + +THE FAIR MAID OF ASTOLAT + +Retold by Beatrice Clay + + +At last, the Quest of the Holy Grail was ended, and by ones and twos +the knights came back to Camelot, though many who had set out so +boldly were never seen again about the Round Table. + +Great was the joy of King Arthur when Sir Launcelot and Sir Bors +returned, for, so long had they been away, that almost he had feared +that they had perished. In their honor there was high festival for +many days in London, where Arthur then had his court; and the king +made proclamation of a great tournament that he would hold at Camelot, +when he and the King of Nortgalis would keep the lists against all +comers. + +So, one fair morning of spring, King Arthur made ready to ride to +Camelot and all his knights with him, save Launcelot who excused +himself, saying that an old wound hindered him from riding. But when +the king, sore vexed, had departed, the queen rebuked Sir Launcelot, +and bade him go and prove his great prowess as of old. "Madam," said +Sir Launcelot, "in this, as in all else, I obey you; at your bidding I +go, but know that in this tournament I shall adventure me in other +wise than ever before." + +The next day, at dawn, Sir Launcelot mounted his horse and, riding +forth unattended, journeyed all that day till, as evening fell, he +reached the little town of Astolat, and there, at the castle, sought +lodgment for that night. The old Lord of Astolat was glad at his +coming, judging him at once to be a noble knight, though he knew him +not, for it was Sir Launcelot's will to remain unknown. + +So they went to supper, Sir Launcelot and the old lord, his son, Sir +Lavaine, and his daughter Elaine, whom they of the place called the +Fair Maid of Astolat. As they sat at meat, the baron asked Sir +Launcelot if he rode to the tournament. "Yea," answered Launcelot; +"and right glad should I be if, of your courtesy, ye would lend me a +shield without device." "Right willingly," said his host; "ye shall +have my son Sir Tirre's shield. He was but lately made knight and was +hurt in his first encounter, so his shield is bare enough. If ye will +take with you my young son, Sir Lavaine, he will be glad to ride in +the company of so noble a knight and will do you such service as he +may." "I shall be glad indeed of his fellowship," answered Sir +Launcelot courteously. + +Now it seemed to the fair Elaine that never had she beheld so noble a +knight as this stranger; and seeing that he was as gentle and +courteous as he was strong, she said to him: "Fair knight, will ye +wear my favor at this tournament? For never have I found knight yet to +wear my crimson sleeve, and sure am I that none other could ever win +it such honor." "Maiden," said Sir Launcelot, "right gladly would I +serve you in aught; but it has never been my custom to wear lady's +favor." "Then shall it serve the better for disguise," answered +Elaine. Sir Launcelot pondered her words, and at last he said; "Fair +maiden, I will do for you what I have done for none, and will wear +your favor." So with great glee, she brought it him, a crimson velvet +sleeve embroidered with great pearls, and fastened it in his +helmet. Then Sir Launcelot begged her to keep for him his own shield +until after the tournament, when he would come for it again and tell +them his name. + +The next morn Sir Launcelot took his departure with Sir Lavaine and, +by evening, they were come to Camelot. Forthwith Sir Lavaine led Sir +Launcelot to the house of a worthy burgher, where he might stay in +privacy, undiscovered by those of his acquaintance. Then, when at dawn +the trumpets blew, they mounted their horses and rode to a little wood +hard by the lists, and there they abode some while; for Sir Launcelot +would take no part until he had seen which side was the stronger. So +they saw how King Arthur sat high on a throne to overlook the combat, +while the King of Northgalis and all the fellowship of the Round Table +held the lists against their opponents led by King Anguish of Ireland +and the King of Scots. + +Then it soon appeared that the two kings with all their company could +do but little against the Knights of the Round Table, and were sore +pressed to maintain their ground. Seeing this, Sir Launcelot said to +Sir Lavaine: "Sir knight, will ye give me your aid if I go to the +rescue of the weaker side? For it seems to me they may not much longer +hold their own unaided." "Sir," answered Lavaine, "I will gladly +follow you and do what I may." So the two laid their lances in rest +and charged into the thickest of the fight and, with one spear, Sir +Launcelot bore four knights from the saddle. Lavaine, too, did nobly, +for he unhorsed the bold Sir Bedivere and Sir Lucan the Butler. Then +with their swords they smote lustily on the left hand and on the +right, and those whom they had come to aid rallying to them, they +drove the Knights of the Round Table back a space. So the fight raged +furiously, Launcelot ever being in the thickest of the press and +performing such deeds of valor, that all marvelled to see him, and +would fain know who was the Knight of the Crimson Sleeve. But the +knights of Arthur's court felt shame of their discomfiture, and, in +especial, those of Launcelot's kin were wroth that one should appear +who seemed mightier even than Launcelot's self. So they called to each +other and, making a rally, directed all their force against the +stranger knight who had so turned the fortunes of the day. With lances +in rest, Sir Lionel, Sir Bors, and Sir Ector, bore down together upon +Sir Launcelot, and Sir Bors' spear pierced Sir Launcelot and brought +him to the earth, leaving the spear head broken off in his side. This +Sir Lavaine saw, and immediately, with all his might, he rode upon the +King of Scots, unhorsed him and took his horse to Sir Launcelot. Now +Sir Launcelot felt as he had got his death-wound, but such was his +spirit that he was resolved to do some great deed while yet his +strength remained. So, with Lavaine's aid, he got upon the horse, took +a spear and laying it in rest, bore down, one after the other, Sir +Bors, Sir Lionel, and Sir Ector. Next he flung himself into the +thickest of the fight, and before the trumpets sounded the signal to +cease, he had unhorsed thirty good knights. Then the Kings of Scotland +and Ireland came to Sir Launcelot and said: "Sir knight, we thank you +for the service done us this day. And now, we pray you, come with us +to receive the prize which is rightly yours; for never have we seen +such deeds as ye have done this day." "My fair lords," answered Sir +Launcelot, "for aught that I have accomplished, I am like to pay +dearly; I beseech you, suffer me to depart." With these words, he rode +away full gallop, followed by Sir Lavaine; and when he had come to a +little wood, he called Lavaine to him, saying: "Gentle knight, I +entreat you, draw forth this spear head, for it nigh slayeth me." "Oh! +my dear lord," said Lavaine, "I fear sore to draw it forth lest ye +die." "If ye love me, draw it out," answered Launcelot. So Lavaine did +as he was bidden, and, with a deathly groan, Sir Launcelot fell in a +swoon to the ground. When he was a little recovered, he begged Lavaine +to help him to his horse and lead him to a hermitage hard by where +dwelt a hermit who, in bygone days, had been known to Launcelot for a +good knight and true. So with pain and difficulty they journeyed to +the hermitage, Lavaine oft fearing that Sir Launcelot would die. And +when the hermit saw Sir Launcelot, all pale and besmeared with blood, +he scarce knew him for the bold Sir Launcelot du Lac; but he bore him +within and dressed his wounds and bade him be of good cheer, for he +should recover. So there Sir Launcelot abode many weeks and Sir +Lavaine with him; for Lavaine would not leave him, such love had he +for the good knight he had taken for his lord. + +Now when it was known that the victorious knight had departed from the +field sore wounded, Sir Gawain vowed to go in search of him. So it +chanced that, in his wanderings, he came to Astolat, and there he had +a hearty welcome of the Lord of Astolat, who asked him for news of the +tournament. Then Sir Gawain related how two stranger knights, bearing +white shields, had won great glory, and in especial one, who wore in +his helm a crimson sleeve, had surpassed all others in knightly +prowess. At these words, the fair Elaine cried aloud with delight. +"Maiden," said Gawain, "know ye this knight?" "Not his name," she +replied; "but full sure was I that he was a noble knight when I prayed +him to wear my favor." Then she showed Gawain the shield which she had +kept wrapped in rich broideries, and immediately Sir Gawain knew it +for Launcelot's. "Alas!" cried he, "without doubt it was Launcelot +himself that we wounded to the death. Sir Bors will never recover the +woe of it." + +Then, on the morrow, Sir Gawain rode to London to tell the court how +the stranger knight and Launcelot were one; but the Fair Maid of +Astolat rose betimes, and having obtained leave of her father, set out +to search for Sir Launcelot and her brother Lavaine. After many +journeyings, she came, one day, upon Lavaine exercising his horse in a +field, and by him she was taken to Sir Launcelot. Then, indeed, her +heart was filled with grief when she saw the good knight to whom she +had given her crimson sleeve thus laid low; so she abode in the +hermitage, waiting upon Sir Launcelot and doing all within her power +to lessen his pain. + +After many weeks, by the good care of the hermit and the fair Elaine, +Sir Launcelot was so far recovered that he might bear the weight of +his armor and mount his horse again. Then, one morn, they left the +hermitage and rode all three, the Fair Maid, Sir Launcelot, and Sir +Lavaine, to the castle of Astolat, where there was much joy of their +coming. After brief sojourn, Sir Launcelot desired to ride to court, +for he knew there would be much sorrow among his kinsmen for his long +absence. But when he would take his departure, Elaine cried aloud: +"Ah! my lord, suffer me to go with you, for I may not bear to lose +you." "Fair child," answered Sir Launcelot gently, "that may not be. +But in the days to come, when ye shall love and wed some good knight, +for your sake I will bestow upon him broad lands and great riches; and +at all times will I hold me ready to serve you as a true knight may." +Thus spoke Sir Launcelot, but the fair Elaine answered never a word. + +So Sir Launcelot rode to London where the whole court was glad of his +coming; but from the day of his departure, the Fair Maid drooped and +pined until, when ten days were passed, she felt that her end was at +hand. So she sent for her father and two brothers, to whom she said +gently: "Dear father and brethren, I must now leave you." Bitterly +they wept, but she comforted them all she might, and presently desired +of her father a boon. "Ye shall have what ye will," said the old +lord; for he hoped that she might yet recover. Then first she required +her brother, Sir Tirre, to write a letter, word for word as she said +it; and when it was written, she turned to her father and said: "Kind +father, I desire that, when I am dead, I may be arrayed in my fairest +raiment, and placed on a bier; and let the bier be set within a barge, +with one to steer it until I be come to London, Then, perchance, Sir +Launcelot will come and look upon me with kindness." So she died, and +all was done as she desired; for they set her, looking as fair as a +lily, in a barge all hung with black, and an old dumb man went with +her as helmsman. + +Slowly the barge floated down the river until it had come to +Westminster; and as it passed under the palace walls, it chanced that +King Arthur and Queen Guenevere looked forth from a window. Marvelling +much at the strange sight, together they went forth to the quay, +followed by many of the knights. Then the king espied the letter +clasped in the dead maiden's hand, and drew it forth gently and broke +the seal. And thus the letter ran: "Most noble knight, Sir Launcelot, +I, that men called the Fair Maid of Astolat, am come hither to crave +burial at thy hands for the sake of the unrequited love I gave thee. +As thou art peerless knight, pray for my soul." + +Then the king bade fetch Sir Launcelot, and when he was come, he +showed him the letter. And Sir Launcelot, gazing on the dead maiden, +was filled with sorrow. "My lord Arthur," he said, "for the death of +this dear child I shall grieve my life long. Gentle she was and +loving, and much was I beholden to her; but what she desired I could +not give." "Yet her request now thou wilt grant, I know," said the +king, "for ever thou art kind and courteous to all." "It is my +desire," answered Sir Launcelot. + +So the Maid of Astolat was buried in the presence of the king and +queen and of the fellowship of the Round Table, and of many a gentle +lady who wept, that time, the fair child's fate. Over her grave was +raised a tomb of white marble, and on it was sculptured the shield of +Sir Launcelot; for, when he had heard her whole story, it was the +king's will that she that in life had guarded the shield of his +noblest knight, should keep it also in death. + + + + +THE MABINOGION + + +Mabinogion means Tales, and it is the name given to the collection of +popular tales belonging to the people of Wales. The Welsh is a very +old language, one of the oldest in Europe, with poems dating from the +sixth century. It is so much a spoken language, and so little a +printed language, that it was only in recent years that the tales were +translated into English by Lady Charlotte Guest. The following stories +have been retold from her text. + + + + +KYNON'S ADVENTURE AT THE FOUNTAIN + +By Lady Charlotte Guest + + +King Arthur was at Caerleon upon Usk; and one day he sat in his +chamber, and with him were Owain, the son of Urien, and Kynon the son +of Clydno, and Kay the son of Kyner, and Guenevere and her handmaidens +at needlework by the window. In the centre of the chamber King Arthur +sat, upon a seat of green rushes, over which was spread a covering of +flame-covered satin, and a cushion of red satin was under his elbow. + +Then Arthur spoke. "If I thought you would not disparage me," said he, +"I would sleep while I wait for my repast; and you can entertain one +another with relating tales, and can obtain a flagon of mead and some +meat from Kay." And the king went to sleep. And Kynon the son of +Clydno asked Kay for that which Arthur had promised them. "I too will +have the good tale which he promised me," said Kay. "Nay," answered +Kynon; "fairer will it be for thee to fulfil Arthur's behest in the +first place, and then we will tell thee the best tale that we know." +So Kay went to the kitchen and to the mead-cellar, and returned, +bearing a flagon of mead, and a golden goblet, and a handful of +skewers, upon which were broiled slices of meat. They ate the collops, +and began to drink the mead. "Now," said Kay, "it is time for you to +give me my story." "Kynon," said Owain, "do thou pay to Kay the tale +that is his due." "I will do so," answered Kynon. + +"I was the only son of my mother and father, and I was exceedingly +aspiring, and my daring was very great. I thought there was no +enterprise in the world too mighty for me: and after I had achieved +all the adventures that were in my own country I equipped myself, and +set forth to journey through deserts and distant regions. And at +length it chanced that I came to the fairest valley in the world, +wherein were trees all of equal growth; and a river ran through the +valley, and a path was by the side of the river. I followed the path +until midday, and continued my journey along the remainder of the +valley until the evening; and at the extremity of the plain I came to +a large and lustrous castle, at the foot of which was a torrent. I +approached the castle, and there I beheld two youths with yellow +curling hair, each with a frontlet of gold upon his head, and clad in +a garment of yellow satin; and they had gold clasps upon their +insteps. In the hand of each of them was an ivory bow, strung with the +sinews of the stag, and their arrows and their shafts were of the bone +of the whale, and were winged with peacock's feathers. The shafts also +had golden heads. They had daggers with blades of gold, with hilts of +the bone of the whale, and they were shooting at a mark. + +"A little away from them I saw a man in the prime of life, with his +beard newly shorn, clad in a robe and mantle of yellow satin, and +round the top of his mantle was a band of gold lace. On his feet were +shoes of variegated leather, fastened by two bosses of gold. When I +saw him I went towards him and saluted him; and such was his courtesy, +that he no sooner received my greeting than he returned it. And he +went with me towards the castle. Now there were no dwellers in the +castle, except those who were in one hall. There I saw four and twenty +damsels, embroidering satin at a window. And this I tell thee, Kay, +that the least fair of them was fairer than the fairest maid thou +didst ever behold in the island of Britain; and the least lovely of +them was more lovely than Guenevere, the wife of Arthur, when she +appeared loveliest, at the feast of Easter. They rose up at my coming, +and six of them took my horse, and divested me of my armor, and six +others took my arms and washed them in a vessel till they were +perfectly bright. And the third six spread cloths upon the tables, and +prepared meat. And the fourth six took off my soiled garments, and +placed others upon me, namely, an under vest and a doublet of fine +linen, and a robe and a surcoat, and a mantle of yellow satin, with a +broad gold band upon the mantle. And they placed cushions both beneath +and around me, with coverings of red linen. And I sat down. Now the +six maidens who had taken my horse unharnessed him as well as if they +had been the best squires in the island of Britain. + +"Then behold they brought bowls of silver, wherein was water to wash, +and towels of linen, some green and some white; and I washed. And in a +little while the man sat down at the table. I sat next to him, and +below me sat all the maidens, except those who waited on us. The table +was of silver, and the cloths upon the table were of linen. No vessel +was served upon the table that was not either of gold or of silver or +of buffalo horn, and our meat was brought to us. And verily, Kay, I +saw there every sort of meat and every sort of liquor that I ever saw +elsewhere; but the meat and the liquor were better served there than I +ever saw them in any other place. + +"Until the repast was half over, neither the man nor any one of the +damsels spoke a single word to me; but when the man perceived that it +would be more agreeable for me to converse than to eat any more, he +began to inquire of me who I was. I told the man who I was, and what +was the cause of my journey, and said that I was seeking whether any +one was superior to me, or whether I could gain mastery over all. The +man looked upon me, and smiled and said, 'If I did not fear to do thee +a mischief, I would show thee that which thou seekest.' Then I +desired him to speak freely. And he said: 'Sleep here to-night, and in +the morning arise early, take the road upwards through the valley, +until thou reachest the wood. A little way within the wood thou wilt +come to a large sheltered glade, with a mound in the centre, and thou +wilt see a black man of great stature on the top of the mound. He has +but one foot, and one eye in the middle of his forehead. He is the +wood-ward of that wood. Thou wilt see a thousand wild animals grazing +around him. Inquire of him the way out of the glade, and he will reply +to thee briefly, and will point out the road by which thou shalt find +that which thou art in quest of.' + +"Long seemed that night to me. The next morning I arose and equipped +myself, mounted my horse, and proceeded straight through the valley to +the wood, and at length I arrived at the glade. The black man was +there, sitting upon the top of the mound; and I was three times more +astonished at the number of wild animals that I beheld than the man +had said I should be. I inquired of him the way, and he asked me +roughly whither I would go. When I had told him who I was and what I +sought, 'Take,' said he, 'that path that leads toward the head of the +glade, and there thou wilt find an open space like to a large valley, +and in the midst of it a tall tree. Under this tree is a fountain, and +by the side of the fountain a marble slab, and on the marble slab a +silver bowl, attached by a chain of silver, that it may not be carried +away. Take the bowl and throw a bowlful of water on the slab. If thou +dost not find trouble in that adventure, thou needest not seek it +during the rest of thy life' + +"So I journeyed on until I reached the summit of the steep. And there +I found everything as the black man had described it to me. I went up +to the tree, and beneath it I saw the fountain, and by its side the +marble slab, and the silver bowl fastened by the chain. Then I took +the bowl, and cast a bowlful of water upon the slab. Immediately I +heard a mighty peal of thunder, so that heaven and earth seemed to +tremble with its fury. And after the thunder came a shower; and of a +truth I tell thee, Kay, that it was such a shower as neither man nor +beast could endure and live. I turned my horse's flank toward the +shower, and placed the point of my shield over his head and neck, +while I held the upper part of it over my own neck. And thus I +withstood the shower. Presently the sky became clear, and with that, +behold, the birds lighted upon the tree, and sang. Truly, Kay, I never +heard any melody equal to that, either before or since. And when I was +most charmed with listening to the birds, lo! a chiding voice was +heard of one approaching me, and saying: 'O knight, what has brought +thee hither? What evil have I done to thee, that thou shouldst act +toward me and my possessions as thou hast this day? Dost thou not know +that the shower to-day has left in my dominions neither man nor beast +alive that was exposed to it?' And thereupon, behold, a knight on a +black horse appeared, clothed in jet-black velvet, and with a tabard +of black linen about him. We charged each other, and as the onset was +furious, it was not long before I was overthrown. Then the knight +passed the shaft of his lance through the bridle-rein of my horse, and +rode off with the two horses, leaving me where I was. He did not even +bestow so much notice upon me as to imprison me, nor did he despoil me +of my arms. So I returned along the road by which I had come. And +when I reached the glade where the black man was, I confess to thee, +Kay, it is a marvel that I did not melt down into a liquid pool, +through the shame that I felt at the black man's derision. That night +I came to the same castle where I had spent the night preceding, and I +was more agreeably entertained that night than I had been the night +before. I conversed freely with the inmates of the castle, and none of +them alluded to my expedition to the fountain, neither did I mention +it to any. And I remained there that night. When I arose on the +morrow I found ready saddled a dark bay palfrey, with nostrils as red +as scarlet. After putting on my armor, and leaving there my blessing, +I returned to my own court. That horse I still possess, and he is in +the stable yonder. And I declare that I would not part with him for +the best palfrey in the island of Britain. + +"Now, of a truth, Kay, no man ever before confessed to an adventure so +much to his own discredit; and verily it seems strange to me that +neither before nor since have I heard of any person who knew of this +adventure, and that the subject of it should exist within King +Arthur's dominions without any other person lighting upon it." + + + + +OWAIN'S ADVENTURE AT THE FOUNTAIN + +By Lady Charlotte Guest + + +"Now," quoth Owain, "would it not be well to go and endeavor to +discover that place?" "By the hand of my friend," said Kay, "often +dost thou utter that with thy tongue which thou wouldest not make good +with thy deeds." + +"In very truth," said Guenevere, "it were better thou wert hanged, +Kay, than to use such uncourteous speech towards a man like Owain." + +"By the hand of my friend, good lady," said Kay, "thy praise of Owain +is not greater than mine." + +With that Arthur awoke, and asked if he had not been sleeping a +little. + +"Yes, lord," answered Owain, "thou hast slept awhile." + +"Is it time for us to go to meat?" + +"It is, lord," said Owain. + +Then the horn for washing was sounded, and the king and all his +household sat down to eat. When the meal was ended Owain withdrew to +his lodging, and made ready his horse and his arms. + +On the morrow with the dawn of day he put on his armor, mounted his +charger, and travelled through distant lands, and over desert +mountains. At length he arrived at the valley which Kynon had +described to him, and he was certain that it was the same that he +sought. Journeying along the valley, by the side of the river, he +followed its course till he came to the plain, and within sight of the +castle. When he approached the castle he saw the youths shooting with +their bows, in the place where Kynon had seen them, and the yellow +man, to whom the castle belonged, standing hard by. And no sooner had +Owain saluted the yellow man, than he was saluted by him in return. + +He went forward towards the castle, and there he saw the chamber; and +when he had entered the chamber, he beheld the maidens working at +satin embroidery, in chains of gold. Their beauty and their comeliness +seemed to Owain far greater than Kynon had represented to him. They +arose to wait upon Owain, as they had done to Kynon, and the meal +which they set before him gave even more satisfaction to Owain than it +had done to Kynon. + +About the middle of the repast the yellow man asked Owain the object +of his journey. Owain made it known to him, and said, "I am in quest +of the knight who guards the fountain." Upon this the yellow man +smiled, and said that he was as loath to point out that adventure to +him as he had been to Kynon. However, he described the whole to Owain, +and they retired to rest. + +The next morning Owain found his horse made ready for him by the +damsels, and he set forward and came to the glade where the black man +was. The stature of the black man seemed more wonderful to Owain than +it had done to Kynon; and Owain asked of him his road, and he showed +it to him. And Owain followed the road till he came to the green tree; +and he beheld the fountain, and the slab beside the fountain, with the +bowl upon it. Owain took the bowl and threw a bowlful of water upon +the slab. And, lo! the thunder was heard, and after the thunder came +the shower, more violent than Kynon had described, and after the +shower the sky became bright. Immediately the birds came and settled +upon the tree and sang. And when their song was most pleasing to Owain +he beheld a knight coming towards him through the valley; and he +prepared to receive him, and encountered him violently. Having broken +both their lances, they drew their swords and fought blade to blade. +Then Owain struck the knight a blow through his helmet, head-piece, +and visor, and through the skin, and the flesh, and the bone, until it +wounded the very brain. Then the black knight felt that he had +received a mortal wound, upon which he turned his horse's head and +fled. Owain pursued him, and followed close upon him, although he was +not near enough to strike him with his sword. Then Owain descried a +vast and resplendent castle; and they came to the castle gate. The +black knight was allowed to enter, but the portcullis was let fall +upon Owain, and it struck his horse behind the saddle, and cut him in +two, and carried away the rowels of the spurs that were upon Owain's +heels. And the portcullis descended to the floor. And the rowels of +the spurs and part of the horse were without, and Owain with the other +part of the horse remained between the two gates, and the inner gate +was closed, so that Owain could not go thence; and Owain was in a +perplexing situation. While he was in this state, he could see through +an aperture in the gate a street facing him, with a row of houses on +each side. He beheld a maiden with yellow, curling hair, and a +frontlet of gold upon her head; and she was clad in a dress of yellow +satin, and on her feet were shoes of variegated leather. And she +approached the gate, and desired that it should be opened. "Heaven +knows, lady," said Owain, "it is no more possible for me to open to +thee from hence, than it is for thee to set me free." And he told her +his name, and who he was. "Truly," said the damsel, "it is very sad +that thou canst not be released; and every woman ought to succor thee, +for I know there is no one more faithful in the service of ladies than +thou. Therefore," quoth she, "whatever is in my power to do for thy +release, I will do it. Take this ring and put it on thy finger, with +the stone inside thy hand, and close thy hand upon the stone. As long +as thou concealest it, it will conceal thee. When they come forth to +fetch thee, they will be much grieved that they cannot find thee. I +will await thee on the horseblock yonder, and thou wilt be able to see +me, though I cannot see thee. Therefore come and place thy hand upon +my shoulder, that I may know that thou art near me. And by the way +that I go hence do thou accompany me." + +Then the maiden went away from Owain, and he did all that she had told +him. The people of the castle came to seek Owain to put him to death; +and when they found nothing but the half of his horse, they were +sorely grieved. + +And Owain vanished from among them, and went to the maiden, and placed +his hand upon her shoulder; whereupon she set off, and Owain followed +her, until they came to the door of a large and beautiful chamber, and +the maiden opened it, and they went in. Owain looked around the +chamber, and behold there was not a single nail in it that was not +painted with gorgeous colors, and there was not a single panel that +had not sundry images in gold portrayed upon it. + +The maiden kindled a fire, and took water in a silver bowl, and gave +Owain water to wash. Then she placed before him a silver table, inlaid +with gold; upon which was a cloth of yellow linen, and she brought him +food. Of a truth, Owain never saw any kind of meat that was not there +in abundance, but it was better cooked there than he had ever found it +in any other place. There was not one vessel from which he was served +that was not of gold or of silver. Owain eat and drank until late in +the afternoon, when lo! they heard a mighty clamor in the castle, and +he asked the maiden what it was. "They are administering extreme +unction," said she, "to the nobleman who owns the castle." And she +prepared a couch for Owain which was meet for Arthur himself, and +Owain went to sleep. + +A little after daybreak he heard an exceeding loud clamor and wailing, +and he asked the maiden what was the cause of it. "They are bearing to +the church the body of the nobleman who owned the castle." + +And Owain rose up, and clothed himself, and opened a window of the +chamber, and looked towards the castle. He could see neither the +bounds nor the extent of the hosts that filled the streets, and they +were fully armed; and a vast number of women were with them, both on +horseback and on foot, and all the ecclesiastics in the city singing. +In the midst of the throng he beheld the bier, over which was a veil +of white linen; and wax tapers were burning beside and around it; and +none that supported the bier was lower in rank than a powerful baron. + +Never did Owain see an assemblage so gorgeous with silk and +satin. And, following the train, he beheld a lady with yellow hair +falling over her shoulders, and stained with blood; and about her a +dress of yellow satin, which was torn. Upon her feet were shoes of +variegated leather. It was a marvel that the ends of her fingers were +not bruised from the violence with which she smote her hands together. +Truly she would have been the fairest lady Owain ever saw, had she +been in her usual guise. And her cry was louder than the shout of the +men or the clamor of the trumpets. No sooner had he beheld the lady +than he became inflamed with her love, so that it took entire +possession of him. + +Then he inquired of the maiden who the lady was. "Heaven knows," +replied the maiden, "she is the fairest, the purest, the most liberal, +and the most noble of women. She is my mistress, and she is called the +Countess of the Fountain, the wife of him whom thou didst slay +yesterday." "Verily," said Owain, "she is the woman that I love best." +"Verily," said the maiden, "she shall also love thee not a little." + +The maiden prepared a repast for Owain, and truly he thought he had +never before so good a meal, nor was he ever so well served. Then she +left him, and went towards the castle. When she came there, she found +nothing but mourning and sorrow; and the countess in her chamber could +not bear the sight of any one through grief. Luned, for that was the +name of the maiden, saluted her, but the Countess of the Fountain +answered her not. And the maiden bent down towards her, and said, +"What aileth thee, that thou answerest no one to-day?" "Luned," said +the countess, "what change hath befallen thee, that thou hast not come +to visit me in my grief. It was wrong in thee, and I so sorely +afflicted." "Truly," said Luned, "I thought thy good sense was greater +than I find it to be. Is it well for thee to mourn after that good +man, or for anything else that thou canst not have?" "I declare to +Heaven," said the countess, "that in the whole world there is not a +man equal to him." "Not so," said Luned, "for an ugly man would be as +good as or better than he." "I declare to Heaven," said the countess, +"that were it not repugnant to me to put to death one whom I have +brought up, I would have thee executed, for making such a comparison +to me. As it is, I will banish thee." "I am glad," said Luned, "that +thou hast no other cause to do so than that I would have been of +service to thee, where thou didst not know what was to thine +advantage. Henceforth, evil betide whichever of us shall make the +first advance towards reconciliation to the other, whether I should +seek an invitation from thee, or thou of thine own accord should send +to invite." + +With that Luned went forth; and the countess arose and followed her to +the door of the chamber, and began coughing loudly. When Luned looked +back, the countess beckoned to her, and she returned to the countess. +"In truth," said the countess, "evil is thy disposition; but if thou +knowest what is to my advantage, declare it to me." "I will do so," +said she. + +"Thou knowest that, except by warfare and arms, it is impossible for +thee to preserve thy possessions; delay not, therefore, to seek some +one who can defend them." "How can I do that?" said the countess. "I +will tell thee," said Luned; "unless thou canst defend the fountain, +thou canst not maintain thy dominions; and no one can defend the +fountain except it be a knight of Arthur's household. I will go to +Arthur's court, and I'll betide me if I return not thence with a +warrior who can guard the fountain as well as, or even better than he +who defended it formerly." "That will be hard to perform," said the +countess. "Go, however, and make proof of that which thou hast +promised." + +Luned set out under the pretence of going to Arthur's court; but she +went back to the mansion where she had left Owain, and she tarried +there as long as it might have taken her to travel to the court of +King Arthur and back. At the end of that time she apparelled herself, +and went to visit the countess. The countess was much rejoiced when +she saw her, and inquired what news she brought from the court. "I +bring thee the best of news," said Luned, "for I have compassed the +object of my mission. When wilt thou that I should present to thee the +chieftain who has come with me hither?" "Bring him here to visit me +tomorrow," said the countess, "and I will cause the town to be +assembled by that time." And Luned returned home. + +The next day, at noon, Owain arrayed himself in a coat and a surcoat, +and a mantle of yellow satin, upon which was a broad band of gold +lace; and on his feet were high shoes of variegated leather, which +were fastened by golden clasps, in the form of lions. And they +proceeded to the chamber of the countess. + +Right glad was the countess of their coming. She gazed steadfastly +upon Owain, and said, "Luned, this knight has not the look of a +traveller." "What harm is there in that, lady?" said Luned. "I am +certain," said the countess, "that no other man than this chased the +soul from the body of my lord." "So much the better for thee, lady," +said Luned, "for had he not been stronger than thy lord, he could not +have deprived him of life. There is no remedy for that which is past, +be it as it may." "Go back to thine abode," said the countess, "and I +will take counsel." + +The next day the countess caused all her subjects to assemble, and +showed them that her earldom was left defenceless, and that it could +not be protected but with horse and arms, and military skill. +"Therefore," said she, "this is what I offer for your choice: either +let one of you take me, or give your consent for me to take a husband +from elsewhere, to defend my dominions." + +So they came to the determination that it was better that she should +have permission to marry some one from elsewhere; and thereupon she +sent for the bishops and archbishops, to celebrate her nuptials with +Owain. And the men of the earldom did Owain homage. + +Owain defended the fountain with lance and sword. And this is the +manner in which he defended it. Whensoever a knight came there, he +overthrew him, and sold him for his full worth. What he thus gained he +divided among his barons and his knights, and no man in the whole +world could be more beloved than he was by his subjects. And it was +thus for the space of three years. + + + + +GAWAIN'S ADVENTURE IN SEARCH OF OWAIN + +By Lady Charlotte Guest + + +It befell that, as Gawain went forth one day with King Arthur, he +perceived him to be very sad and sorrowful. And Gawain was much +grieved to see Arthur in this state, and he questioned him, saying, "O +my lord, what has befallen thee?" "In sooth, Gawain," said Arthur, "I +am grieved concerning Owain, whom I have lost these three years; and I +shall certainly die if the fourth year pass without my seeing him. Now +I am sure that it is through the tale which Kynon, the son of Clydno, +related, that I have lost Owain." "There is no need for thee," said +Gawain, "to summon to arms thy whole dominions on this account, for +thou thyself, and the men of thy household, will be able to avenge +Owain if he be slain, or to set him free if he be in prison and, if +alive, to bring him back with thee." And it was settled according to +what Gawain had said. + +Then Arthur and the men of his household prepared to go and seek +Owain, and Kynon, the son of Clydno, acted as their guide. And Arthur +came to the castle where Kynon had been before, and when he came +there, the youths were shooting in the same place, and the yellow man +was standing hard by. When the yellow man saw Arthur, he greeted him, +and invited him to the castle. Arthur accepted his invitation, and +they entered the castle together. Great as was the number of his +retinue, their presence was scarcely observed in the castle, so vast +was its extent. And the maidens rose up to wait on them. The service +of the maidens appeared to them all to excel any attendance they had +ever met with; and even the pages, who had charge of the horses, were +no worse served that night than Arthur himself would have been in his +own palace. + +The next morning Arthur set out thence, with Kynon for his guide, and +came to the place where the black man was. And the stature of the +black man was more surprising to Arthur than it had been represented +to him. They came to the top of the wooded steep, and traversed the +valley, till they reached the green tree, where they saw the fountain +and the bowl and the slab. And upon that Kay came to Arthur, and spoke +to him. "My lord," said he, "I know the meaning of all this, and my +request is that thou wilt permit me to throw the water on the slab, +and to receive the first adventure that may befall." And Arthur gave +him leave. + +Then Kay threw a bowlful of water upon the slab, and immediately there +came the thunder, and after the thunder the shower. And such a +thunderstorm they had never known before. After the shower had ceased, +the sky became clear, and on looking at the tree, they beheld it +completely leafless. Then the birds descended upon the tree. And the +song of the birds was far sweeter than any strain they had ever heard +before. Then they beheld a knight, on a coal-black horse, clothed in +sating coming rapidly towards them. Kay met him and encountered him, +and it was not long before Kay was overthrown. The knight withdrew, +and Arthur and his host encamped for the night. + +When they arose in the morning, they perceived the signal of combat +upon the lance of the knight. Then, one by one, all the household of +Arthur went forth to combat the knight, until there was not one that +was not overthrown by him, except Arthur and Gawain. And Arthur armed +himself to encounter the knight. "O my lord," said Gawain, "permit me +to fight with him first." And Arthur permitted him. He went forth to +meet the knight, having over himself and his horse a satin robe of +honor, which had been sent him by the daughter of the Earl of Rhangyr, +and in this dress he was not known by any of the host. And they +charged each other, and fought all that day until the evening. And +neither of them was able to unhorse the other. And so it was the next +day; they broke their lances in the shock, but neither of them could +obtain the mastery. + +The third day they fought with exceeding strong lances. They were +incensed with rage, and fought furiously, even until noon. They gave +each other such a shock that the girths of their horses were broken, +so that they fell over their horses' cruppers to the ground. And they +rose up speedily and drew their swords, and resumed the combat. All +they that witnessed their encounter felt assured that they had never +before seen two men so valiant or so powerful. Had it been midnight, +it would have been light, from the fire that flashed from their +weapons. And the knight gave Gawain a blow that turned his helmet from +off his face, so that the knight saw that it was Gawain. Then Owain +said, "My lord Gawain, I did not know thee for my cousin, owing to the +robe of honor that enveloped thee; take my sword and my arms." Said +Gawain, "Thou, Owain, art the victor; take thou my sword." And with +that Arthur saw that they were conversing, and advanced toward them. +"My lord Arthur," said Gawain, "here is Owain, who has vanquished me, +and will not take my arms." "My lord," said Owain, "it is he that has +vanquished me, and he will not take my sword." "Give me your swords," +said Arthur, "and then neither of you has vanquished the other." Then +Owain put his arms round Arthur's neck, and they embraced. All the +host hurried forward to see Owain, and to embrace him. And there was +nigh being a loss of life, so great was the press. + +The next day Arthur prepared to depart. "My lord," said Owain, "this +is not well of thee. For I have been absent from thee these three +years, and during all that time, up to this very day, I have been +preparing a banquet for thee, knowing that thou wouldst come to seek +me. Tarry with me, therefore, until thou and thy attendants have +recovered the fatigues of the journey, and have been anointed." + +[Illustration: AN AGED MAN ENTERED THE HALL FOLLOWED BY A YOUNG MAN. +From the painting by Walter Crane.] + +And they all proceeded to the castle of the Countess of the Fountain, +and the banquet which had been three years preparing was consumed in +three months. Never had they a more delicious or agreeable banquet. +And Arthur prepared to depart. Then he sent an embassy to the countess +to beseech her to permit Owain to go with him, for the space of three +months, that he might show him to the nobles and the fair dames of the +island of Britain. And the countess gave her consent, although it was +very painful to her. So Owain came with Arthur to the island of +Britain. And when he was once more amongst his kindred and friends, he +remained three years, instead of three months, with them. + + + + +THE ADVENTURE OF THE LION + +By Lady Charlotte Guest + + +As Owain one day sat at meat, in the city of Caerleon upon Usk, a +damsel entered the hall upon a bay horse, with a curling mane, and +covered with foam; and the bridle, and as much as was seen of the +saddle, were of gold. The damsel was arrayed in a dress of yellow +satin. And she came up to Owain, and took the ring from off his +hand. "Thus," said she, "shall be treated the deceiver, the traitor, +the faithless, the disgraced, and the beardless." And she turned her +horse's head and departed. + +Then his adventure came to Owain's remembrance, and he was sorrowful. +Having finished eating, he went to his own abode, and made +preparations that night. The next day he arose, but did not go to the +court, nor did he return to the Countess of the Fountain, but wandered +to the distant parts of the earth and to uncultivated mountains. And +he remained there until all his apparel was worn out, and his body was +wasted away, and his hair was grown long. And he went about with the +wild beasts, and fed with them, until they became familiar with him. +But at length he became so weak that he could no longer bear them +company. Then he descended from the mountains to the valley, and came +to a park, that was the fairest in the world, and belonged to a +charitable lady. + +One day the lady and her attendants went forth to walk by a lake that +was in the middle of the park. They saw the form of a man, lying as if +dead, and were terrified. Nevertheless they went near him, and touched +him, and saw that there was life in him. And the lady returned to the +castle, and took a flask full of precious ointment and gave it to one +of her maidens. "Go with this," said she, "and take with thee yonder +horse, and clothing, and place them near the man we saw just now; and +anoint him with this balsam near his heart; and if there is life in +him, he will revive, through the efficiency of this balsam. Then watch +what he will do." + +The maiden departed from her, and went and poured of the balsam upon +Owain, and left the horse and garments hard by, and went a little way +off and hid herself to watch him. In a short time she saw him begin to +move. He rose up, looked at his person, and became ashamed of the +unseemliness of his appearance. Then he perceived the horse and the +garments that were near him. He clothed himself, and with difficulty +mounted the horse. + +Then the damsel discovered herself to him, and saluted him. And he and +the maiden proceeded to the castle, and the maiden conducted him to a +pleasant chamber, and kindled a fire, and left him. + +He stayed at the castle three months, till he was restored to his +former guise, and became even more comely than he had ever been +before. And Owain rendered signal service to the lady, in a +controversy with a powerful neighbor, so that he made ample requital +to her for her hospitality; and he took his departure. + +As he journeyed he heard a loud yelling in a wood. It was repeated a +second and a third time. And Owain went towards the spot, and beheld +a huge craggy mound, in the middle of the wood, on the side of which +was a gray rock. There was a cleft in the rock, and a serpent was +within the cleft. + +Near the rock stood a black lion, and every time the lion sought to go +thence the serpent darted towards him to attack him. And Owain +unsheathed his sword, and drew near to the rock; and as the serpent +sprung out he struck him with his sword and cut him in two; and he +dried his sword, and went on his way as before. Behold the lion +followed him, and played about him, as though it had been a greyhound +that he had reared. + +They proceeded thus throughout the day, until the evening. When it was +time for Owain to take his rest he dismounted, and turned his horse +loose in a flat and wooded meadow. He struck fire, and when the fire +was kindled, the lion brought him fuel enough to last for three +nights. And the lion disappeared. Presently the lion returned, bearing +a fine large roebuck, and threw it down before Owain, who went towards +the fire with it. + +Owain took the roebuck, skinned it, and placed slices of its flesh +upon skewers round the fire. The rest of the buck he gave to the lion +to devour. While he was so employed, he heard a deep groan near him, +and a second, and a third. The place whence the groans proceeded was a +cave in the rock; and Owain went near, and called out to know who it +was that groaned so piteously. And a voice answered, "I am Luned, the +hand-maiden of the Countess of the Fountain." "And what dost thou +here?" said he. "I am imprisoned," said she, "on account of the knight +who came from Arthur's court, and married the countess. And he staid a +short time with her, but he afterwards departed for the court of +Arthur, and has not returned since. And two of the countess's pages +traduced him, and called him a deceiver. And because I said I would +vouch for it he would come before long and maintain his cause against +both of them, they imprisoned me in this cave, and said that I should +be put to death, unless he came to deliver me, by a certain day; and +that is no further off than to-morrow, and I have no one to send to +seek him for me. His name is Owain, the son of Urien." "And art thou +certain that if that knight knew all this, he would come to thy +rescue?" "I am most certain of it," said she. + +When the slices of meat were cooked, Owain divided them into two +parts, between himself and the maiden, and then Owain laid himself +down to sleep; and never did sentinel keep stricter watch over his +lord than the lion that night over Owain. + +The next day there came two pages with a great troop of attendants to +take Luned from her cell, and put her to death. Owain asked them what +charge they had against her. They told him of the compact that was +between them; as the maiden had done the night before. "And," said +they, "Owain has failed her, therefore we are taking her to be burnt." +"Truly," said Owain, "he is a good knight, and if he knew that the +maiden was in such peril, I marvel that he came not to her rescue. But +if you will accept me in his stead, I will do battle with you." "We +will," said the youths. + +And they attacked Owain, and he was hard beset by them. And with that, +the lion came to Owain's assistance, and they two got the better of +the young men. And they said to him, "Chieftain, it was not agreed +that we should fight save with thyself alone, and it is harder for us +to contend with yonder animal than with thee." And Owain put the lion +in the place where Luned had been imprisoned, and blocked up the door +with stones. And he went to fight with the young men as before. + +But Owain had not his usual strength, and the two youths pressed hard +upon him. And the lion roared incessantly at seeing Owain in trouble. +And he burst through the wall, until he found a way out, and rushed +upon the young men and instantly slew them. So Luned was saved from +being burnt. + +Then Owain returned with Luned to the castle of the Lady of the +Fountain. And when he went thence, he took the countess with him to +Arthur's court, and she was his wife as long as she lived. + + + + +HOW PWYLL OUTWITTED GAWL + +By Lady Charlotte Guest + + +Once upon a time Pwyll was at Narberth, his chief palace, where a +feast had been prepared for him, and with him was a great host of men. +And after the first meal Pwyll arose to walk; and he went to the top +of a mound that was above the palace, and was called Gorsedd Arberth. +"Lord," said one of the court, "it is peculiar to the mound that +whosoever sits upon it cannot go thence without either receiving +wounds or blows, or else seeing a wonder." "I fear not to receive +wounds or blows," said Pwyll; "but as to the wonder, gladly would I +see it. I will therefore go and sit upon the mound." + +And upon the mound he sat. While he sat there they saw a lady, on a +pure white horse of large size, with a garment of shining gold around +her, coming along the highway that led from the mound. "My men," said +Pwyll, "is there any among you who knows yonder lady?" "There is not, +lord," said they. "Go one of you and meet her, that we may know who +she is." And one of them arose, and as he came upon the road to meet +her, she passed by; and he followed as fast as he could, being on +foot, and the greater was his speed, the further was she from him. +When he saw that it profited him nothing to follow her, he returned to +Pwyll, and said, "Lord, it is idle for any one in the world to follow +her on foot." "Verily," said Pwyll, "go unto the palace, and take the +fleetest horse that thou seest, and go after her." + +So he took a horse and went forward. He came to an open, level plain, +and put spurs to his horse; and the more he urged his horse, the +further was she from him. And he returned to the place where Pwyll +was, and said, "Lord, it will avail nothing for any one to follow +yonder lady. I know of no horse in these realms swifter than this, and +it availed me not to pursue her." "Of a truth," said Pwyll, "there +must be some illusion here; let us go toward the palace." So to the +palace they went, and spent the day. + +And the next day they amused themselves until it was time to go to +meat. And when meat was ended, Pwyll said, "Where are the hosts that +went yesterday to the top of the mound?" "Behold, lord, we are here," +said they. "Let us go," said he, "to the mound, and sit there. And do +thou," said he to the page who tended his horse, "saddle my horse +well, and hasten with him to the road, and bring also my spurs with +thee." And the youth did thus. They went and sat upon the mound and +ere they had been there but a short time they beheld the lady coming +by the same road, "Young man," said Pwyll, "I see the lady coming; +give me my horse." Before he had mounted his horse she passed him. And +he turned after her and followed her. He let his horse go bounding +playfully, and thought that he should soon come up with her, but he +came no nearer to her than at first. Then he urged his horse to his +utmost speed, yet he found that it availed not. Then said Pwyll, "O +maiden, for the sake of him whom thou best lovest, stay for me." "I +will stay gladly," said she; "and it were better for thy horse hadst +thou asked it long since." So the maiden stopped; and she threw back +that part of her head-dress which covered her face. Then he thought +that the beauty of all the maidens and all the ladies that he had ever +seen was as nothing compared to her beauty. "Lady," he said, "wilt +thou tell me aught concerning thy purpose?" "I will tell thee," said +she; "my chief quest was to see thee." "Truly," said Pwyll, "this is +to me the most pleasing quest on which thou couldst have come; and +wilt thou tell me who thou art?" "I will tell thee, lord," said +she. "I am Rhiannon, the daughter of Heveydd, and they sought to give +me a husband against my will. But no husband would I have, and that +because of my love for thee; neither will I yet have one, unless thou +reject me; and hither have I come to hear thy answer." "By Heaven," +said Pwyll, "behold this is my answer. If I might choose among all +the ladies and damsels in the world, thee would I choose." "Verily," +said she, "if thou art thus minded, make a pledge to meet me ere I am +given to another." "The sooner I may do so, the more pleasing will it +be to me," said Pwyll; "and wheresoever thou wilt, there will I meet +with thee." "I will that thou meet me this day twelvemonth at the +palace of Heveydd." "Gladly," said he, "will I keep this tryst." So +they parted, and he went back to his hosts, and to them of his +household. And whatsoever questions they asked him respecting the +damsel, he always turned the discourse upon other matters. + +When a year from that time was gone, he caused a hundred knights to +equip themselves, and to go with him to the palace of Heveydd. And he +came to the palace, and there was great joy concerning him, with much +concourse of people, and great rejoicing, and vast preparations for +his coming. And the whole court was placed under his orders. + +And the hall was garnished, and they went to meat, and thus did they +sit: Heveydd was on one side of Pwyll, and Rhiannon on the other; and +all the rest according to their rank. And they ate and feasted, and +talked one with another. After the meat there entered a tall, +auburn-haired youth, of royal bearing, clothed in a garment of satin, +who saluted Pwyll and his companions. "The greeting of Heaven be unto +thee," said Pwyll; "come thou and sit down." "Nay," said he, "a suitor +am I, and I will do my errand." "Do so willingly," said Pwyll. "Lord," +said he, "my errand is unto thee, and it is to crave a boon of thee +that I come." "What boon soever thou mayest ask of me, so far as I am +able, thou shalt have." "Ah!" said Rhiannon, "wherefore didst thou +give that answer?" "Has he not given it before the presence of these +nobles?" asked the youth. "My soul," said Pwyll, "what is the boon +thou askest?" "The lady whom best I love is to be thy bride this +night; I come to ask her of thee, with the feast and the banquet that +are in this place," And Pwyll was silent, because of the promise which +he had given. "Be silent as long as thou wilt," said Rhiannon, "never +did man make worse use of his wits than thou hast done." "Lady," said +he, "I knew not who he was." "Behold, this is the man to whom they +would have given me against my will," said she; "and he is Gawl, the +son of Clud, a man of great power and wealth, and because of the word +thou hast spoken, bestow me upon him, lest shame befall thee." "Lady," +said he, "I understand not thy answer; never can I do as thou sayest." +"Bestow me upon him," said she, "and I will cause that I shall never +be his." "By what means will that be?" asked Pwyll. She told him the +thought that was in her mind, and they talked long together. Then Gawl +said, "Lord, it is meet that I have an answer to my request." "As much +of that thou hast asked as it is in my power to give, thou shalt +have," replied Pwyll. "My soul," said Rhiannon unto Gawl, "as for the +feast and the banquet that are here, I have bestowed them upon the men +of Dyved, and the household and the warriors that are with us. These +can I not suffer to be given to any. In a year from to-night, a +banquet shall be prepared for thee in this palace, that I may become +thy bride." + +So Gawl went forth to his possessions, and Pwyll went also back to +Dyved. And they both spent that year until it was the time for the +feast at the palace of Heveydd. Then Gawl, the son of Clud, set out to +the feast that was prepared for him; and he came to the palace, and +was received there with rejoicing. Pwyll, also, the chief of Dyved, +came to the orchard with a hundred knights, as Rhiannon had commanded +him. And Pwyll was clad in coarse and ragged garments, and wore large, +clumsy old shoes upon his feet. And when he knew that the carousal +after the meat had begun, he went toward the hall; and when he came +into the hall he saluted Gawl, the son of Clud, and his company, both +men and women. "Heaven prosper thee," said Gawl, "and friendly +greeting be unto thee!" "Lord," said he, "may Heaven reward thee! I +have an errand unto thee." "Welcome be thine errand, and if thou ask +of me that which is right, thou shalt have it gladly." "It is +fitting," answered he; "I crave but from want, and the boon I ask is +to have this small bag that thou seest filled with meat." "A request +within reason is this," said he, "and gladly shalt thou have it. Bring +him food." A great number of attendants arose and began to fill the +bag; but for all they put into it, it was no fuller than at first. "My +soul," said Gawl, "will thy bag ever be full?" "It will not, I declare +to Heaven," said he, "for all that may be put into it, unless one +possessed of lands, and domains, and treasure, shall arise and tread +down with both his feet the food that is within the bag, and shall +say, 'Enough has been put therein.'" Then said Rhiannon unto Gawl, the +son of Clud, "Rise up quickly." "I will willingly arise," said he. So +he rose up, and put his two feet into the bag. And Pwyll turned up the +sides of the bag, so that Gawl was over his head in it. And he shut it +up quickly, and slipped a knot upon the thongs, and blew his horn. And +thereupon, behold, his knights came down upon the palace. They seized +all the host that had come with Gawl, and cast them into his own +prison, and Pwyll threw off his rags, and his old shoes, and his +tattered array. As they came in, every one of Pwyll's knights struck a +blow upon the bag, and asked, "What is here?" "A badger," said they. +And in this manner they played, each of them striking the bag, either +with his foot or with a staff. And then was the game of Badger in the +Bag first played. + +"Lord," said the man in the bag, "if thou wouldst but hear me, I merit +not to be slain in a bag." Said Heveydd, "Lord, he speaks truth; it +were fitting that thou listen to him, for he deserves not this." +"Verily," said Pwyll, "I will do thy counsel concerning him." "Behold, +this is my counsel then," said Rhiannon. "Thou art now in a position +in which it behooves thee to satisfy suitors and minstrels. Let him +give unto them in thy stead, and take a pledge from him that he will +never seek to revenge that which has been done to him. And this will +be punishment enough." "I will do this gladly," said the man in the +bag. "And gladly will I accept it," said Pwyll, "since it is the +counsel of Heveydd and Rhiannon. Seek thyself sureties." "We will be +for him," said Heveydd, "until his men be free to answer for him." And +upon this he was let out of the bag, and his liegemen were liberated. +"Verily, lord," said Gawl, "I am greatly hurt, and I have many +bruises. With thy leave, I will go forth. I will leave nobles in my +stead to answer for me in all that thou shalt require." "Willingly," +said Pwyll, "mayest thou do thus." So Gawl went to his own +possessions. + +And the hall was set in order for Pwyll and the men of his host, and +for them also of the palace, and they went to the tables and sat +down. And as they had sat that time twelvemonth, so sat they that +night. They ate and feasted, and spent the night in mirth and +tranquillity. + +Next morning at break of day, "My lord," said Rhiannon, "arise and +begin to give thy gifts unto the minstrels. Refuse no one to-day that +may claim thy bounty." "Thus shall it be gladly," said Pwyll, "both +to-day and every day while the feast shall last." So Pwyll arose, and +he caused silence to be proclaimed, and desired all the suitors and +minstrels to show and to point out what gifts they desired. + +And this being done, the feast went on, and he denied no one while it +lasted. And when the feast was ended, Pwyll said unto Heveydd, "My +lord, with thy permission, I will set out for Dyved to-morrow." +"Certainly," said Heveydd; "may Heaven prosper thee! Fix also a time +when Rhiannon shall follow thee." "By Heaven," said Pwyll, "we will go +hence together." "Willest thou this, lord?" said Heveydd. "Yes, lord," +answered Pwyll. + +And the next day they set forward toward Dyved, and journeyed to the +palace of Narberth, where a feast was made ready for them. And there +came to them great numbers of the chief men and the most noble ladies +of the land, and of these there were none to whom Rhiannon did not +give some rich gift, either a bracelet, or a ring, or a precious +stone. And they ruled the land prosperously that year and the next. + + + + +HOW MANAWYDDAN CAUGHT A THIEF + +By Lady Charlotte Guest + + +Pwyll and Rhiannon had a son, whom they named Pryderi. And when he was +grown up, Pwyll, his father, died. And Pryderi married Kieva, the +daughter of Gwynn Gloy. + +Now Manawyddan returned from the war in Ireland, and he found that his +cousin had seized all his possessions, and much grief and heaviness +came upon him. "Alas! woe is me!" he exclaimed; "there is none save +myself without a home and a resting-place." "Lord," said Pryderi, "be +not so sorrowful. Thy cousin is king of the Island of the Mighty, and +though he has done thee wrong, thou hast never been a claimant of land +or possessions." "Yea," answered he, "but although this man is my +cousin, it grieveth me to see any one in the place of my brother, +Bendigeid Vran; neither can I be happy in the same dwelling with him." +"Wilt thou follow the counsel of another?" said Pryderi. "I stand in +need of counsel," he answered, "and what may that counsel be?" "Seven +cantrevs belong unto me," said Pryderi, "wherein Rhiannon, my mother, +dwells. I will bestow her upon thee, and the seven cantrevs with her; +and though thou hadst no possessions but those cantrevs only, thou +couldst not have any fairer than they. Do thou and Rhiannon enjoy +them, and if thou desire any possessions thou wilt not despise these." +"I do not, chieftain," said he, "Heaven reward thee for the +friendship! I will go with thee to seek Rhiannon, and to look at thy +possessions." "Thou wilt do well," he answered; "and I believe that +thou didst never hear a lady discourse better than she, and when she +was in her prime, none was ever fairer. Even now her aspect is not +uncomely." + +They set forth, and, however long the journey, they came at last to +Dyved; and a feast was prepared for them by Rhiannon and Kieva. Then +began Manawyddan and Rhiannon to sit and to talk together; and his +mind and his thoughts became warmed towards her, and he thought in his +heart he had never beheld any lady more fulfilled of grace and beauty +than she. "Pryderi," said he, "I will that it be as thou didst say." +"What saying was that?" asked Rhiannon. "Lady," said Pryderi, "I did +offer thee as a wife to Manawyddan." "By that will I gladly abide," +said Rhiannon. "Right glad am I also," said Manawyddan; "may Heaven +reward him who hath shown unto me friendship so perfect as this!" And +before the feast was over she became his bride. + +"Tarry ye here the rest of the feast, and I will go into England to +tender my homage unto Caswallawn, the son of Beli," said Pryderi. +"Lord," said Rhiannon, "Caswallawn is in Kent; thou mayest therefore +tarry at the feast, and wait until he shall be nearer." "We will +wait," he answered. So they finished the feast. And they began to make +the circuit of Dyved, and to hunt, and to take their pleasure. And as +they went through the country, they had never seen lands more pleasant +to live in, nor better hunting grounds, nor greater plenty of honey +and fish. And such was the friendship between these four, that they +would not be parted from each other by night nor by day. + +In the midst of all this he went to Caswallawn at Oxford, and tendered +his homage; and honorable was his reception there, and highly was he +praised for offering his homage. + +After his return Pryderi and Manawyddan began a feast at Narberth, for +it was the chief palace. When they had ended the first meal, while +those who served them ate, they arose and went to the Mound of +Narberth, and their retinue with them. As they sat there, behold a +peal of thunder, and, with the violence of the thunder-storm, lo! +there came a fall of mist, so thick that not one of them could see the +other. And after the mist it became light all around. When they looked +towards the place where they were wont to see the cattle and herds and +dwellings, they saw nothing now, neither house, nor beast, nor smoke, +nor fire, nor man, nor dwelling, but the buildings of the court empty +and uninhabited, without either man or beast within them. + +"In the name of Heaven," said Manawyddan, "where are they of the +court, and all my host beside? Let us go and see." + +So they came to the castle, and saw no man, and into the hall, and to +the sleeping-place, and there was none; and in the mead-cellar and in +the kitchen there was naught but desolation. Then they began to go +through the land, and all the possessions that they had; and they +visited the houses and dwellings, and found nothing but wild +beasts. And when they had consumed their feast and all their +provisions, they fed upon the prey they killed in hunting. + +One morning Pryderi and Manawyddan ranged their dogs and went forth to +hunt. Some of the dogs ran before them, and came to a bush which was +near at hand; but as soon as they were come to the bush, they hastily +drew back, and returned to the men, their hair bristling up greatly. +"Let us go," said Pryderi, "and see what is in it." As they came near, +behold, a wild boar of a pure white color rose up from the bush. Then +the dogs, being set on by the men, rushed towards him; but he left the +bush, and fell back a little way from the men, and made a stand +against the dogs, until the men had come near. When the men came up he +fell back a second time, and betook him to flight. Then they pursued +the boar until they beheld a vast and lofty castle, all newly built, +in a place where they had never before seen either stone or building. +And the boar ran swiftly into the castle, the dogs after him. Then men +began to wonder at finding a castle in a place where they had never +before seen any building, and listened for the dogs. But they heard +not one of the dogs, nor aught concerning them. + +"Lord," said Pryderi, "I will go into the castle to get tidings of the +dogs." "Truly," he replied, "if thou wouldst follow my counsel, thou +wouldst not enter therein. Whosoever has cast a spell over this land, +has caused this castle to be here." "Of a truth," answered Pryderi, "I +cannot thus give up my dogs," and to the castle he went. + +When he came within the castle he found neither man nor beast, nor +boar, nor dogs, nor house, nor dwelling within it. In the centre of +the castle-floor he beheld a fountain with marble-work around it, and +on the margin of the fountain a golden bowl upon a marble slab, and +chains hanging from the air, to which he saw no end. + +He was greatly pleased with the beauty of the gold, and with the rich +workmanship of the bowl; and he went up to the bowl, and laid hold of +it. And when he had taken hold of it, his hands stuck to the bowl, +and his feet to the slab on which the bowl was placed; and all his +joyousness forsook him, so that he could not utter a word. And thus he +stood. + +Manawyddan waited for him till near the close of the day. Late in the +evening, being certain that he should have no tidings of Pryderi or +the dogs, he went back to the palace. As he entered, Rhiannon looked +at him. "Where," said she, "are thy companion and thy dogs?" "Behold," +he answered, "the adventure that has befallen me." And he related it +all unto her. "An evil companion hast thou been," said Rhiannon, "and +a good companion hast thou lost." And with that word she went out, and +proceeded towards the castle, according to the direction which he gave +her. The gate of the castle she found open. She was nothing daunted, +and went in. As she went in, she perceived Pryderi laying hold of the +bowl, and she went towards him. "O my lord," said she, "what dost +thou here?" She took hold of the bowl with him; and as she did so her +hands also became fast to the bowl, and her feet to the slab, and she +was not able to utter a word. And with that, as it became night, lo! +there came thunder upon them, and a fall of mist; and thereupon the +castle vanished, and they with it. + +When Kieva saw that there was no one in the palace but herself and +Manawyddan, she sorrowed so that she cared not whether she lived or +died. And Manawyddan saw this. "Thou art in the wrong," said he, "if +through fear of me thou grievest thus. I call Heaven to witness that +thou hast never seen friendship more pure than that which I will bear +thee, but it is not fitting for us to stay here; we have lost our +dogs, and cannot get food. Let us go into England; it is easiest for +us to find support there." "Gladly, lord," said she, "we will do so." +And they set forth together to England. + +"Lord," said she, "what craft wilt thou follow? Take up one that is +seemly," "None other will I take," answered he, "but that of making +shoes." "Lord," said she, "such a craft becomes not a man so nobly +born as thou." "By that however will I abide," said he. "I know +nothing thereof," said Kieva. "But I know," answered Manawyddan, "and +I will teach thee to stitch. We will not attempt to dress the leather, +but we will buy it ready dressed, and will make the shoes from it." + +So they went into England, and went as far as Hereford; and they +betook themselves to making shoes. He began by buying the best +cordwain that could be had in the town, and associated himself with +the best goldsmith in the town, and caused him to make clasps for the +shoes, and to gild the clasps; and he marked how it was done until he +learned the method. When they could be had from him, not a shoe nor +hose was bought of any of the cordwainers in the town. When the +cordwainers perceived that their gains were failing they came together +and took counsel, and agreed that they would slay them. And he had +warning thereof, and it was told him how the cordwainers had agreed +together to slay him. + +"Lord," said Kieva, "wherefore should this be borne from these boors?" +"Nay," said he, "we will go back unto Dyved." So towards Dyved they +set forth. + +Now Manawyddan, when he set out to return to Dyved, took with him a +burden of wheat. And he proceeded towards Narberth, and there he +dwelt. Never was he better pleased than when he saw Narberth again, +and the lands where he had been wont to hunt with Pryderi and with +Rhiannon. And he accustomed himself to fish, and to hunt the deer in +their covert. He began to prepare some ground, and he sowed a croft, +and a second, and a third. And no wheat in the world ever sprung up +better. The three crofts prospered with perfect growth, and no man +ever saw fairer wheat. + +Thus passed the seasons of the year until the harvest came. And he +went to look at one of his crofts, and, behold, it was ripe. "I will +reap this to-morrow," said he. On the morrow, when he came there, he +found nothing but the bare straw. Every one of the ears of the wheat +was cut off from the stalk, and all the ears carried entirely +away. And at this he marvelled greatly. + +Then he went to look at another croft, and, behold, that also was +ripe. "Verily," said he, "this will I reap to-morrow." And on the +morrow he came with the intent to reap it; and when he came there, he +found nothing but the bare straw. + + "O gracious Heaven!" he exclaimed. "I know that whosoever has begun +my ruin is completing it, and has also destroyed the country with me." + +Then he went to look at the third croft; and when he came there, finer +wheat had there never been seen, and this also was ripe. "Evil betide +me," said he, "if I watch not here to-night. Whoever carried off the +other corn will come in like manner to take this, and I will know who +it is." And he told Kieva all that had befallen. "Verily," said she, +"what thinkest thou to do?" "I will watch the croft to-night," said +he. And he went to watch the croft. + +At midnight he heard something stirring among the wheat; and he +looked, and behold, the mightiest host of mice in the world, which +could neither be numbered nor measured. He knew not what it was until +the mice had made their way into the croft, and each of them, climbing +up the straw and bending it down with its weight, had cut off one of +the ears of wheat and had carried it away, leaving there the stalk; +and he saw not a single straw there that had not a mouse to it. And +they all took their way, carrying the ears with them. + +In wrath and anger did he rush upon the mice, but he could no more +come up with them than if they had been gnats or birds of the air, +except one only, which, though it was but sluggish, went so fast that +a man on foot could scarce overtake it. After this one he went, and +he caught it and put it in his glove, and tied up the opening of the +glove with a string, and kept it with him, and returned to the +palace. Then he came to the hall where Kieva was, and he lighted a +fire, and hung the glove by the string upon a peg. "What hast thou +there, lord?" said Kieva. "A thief," said he, "that I found robbing +me." "What kind of a thief may it be, lord, that thou couldst put into +thy glove?" said she. Then he told her how the mice came to the last +of the fields in his sight. "And one of them was less nimble than the +rest, and is now in my glove; to-morrow I will hang it." "My lord," +said she, "this is marvellous; but yet it would be unseemly for a man +of dignity like thee to be hanging such a reptile as this." "Woe +betide me," said he, "if I would not hang them all, could I catch +them, and such as I have I will hang." "Verily, lord," said she, +"there is no reason that I should succor this reptile, except to +prevent discredit unto thee. Do therefore, lord, as thou wilt." + +Then he went to the Mound of Narberth, taking the mouse with him. He +set up two forks on the highest part of the mound, and while he was +doing this he saw a scholar coming towards him, in old and tattered +garments. It was seven years since he had seen in that place either +man or beast, except those four persons who had remained together +until two of them were lost. + +"My lord," said the scholar, "good day to thee." "Heaven prosper +thee, and my greeting be unto thee! And whence dost thou come, +scholar?" asked he. "I come, lord, from singing in England; and +wherefore dost thou inquire?" "Because for the last seven years," +answered he, "I have seen no man here save four secluded persons, and +thyself this moment." "Truly, lord," said he, "I go through this land +unto mine own. And what work art thou upon, lord?" "I am hanging a +thief that I caught robbing me," said he. "What manner of thief is +that?" asked the scholar. "I see a creature in thy hand like unto a +mouse, and ill does it become a man of rank equal to thine to touch a +reptile such as this. Let it go forth free." "I will not let it go +free, by Heaven," said he; "I caught it robbing me, and the doom of a +thief will I inflict upon it, and I will hang it." "Lord," said he, +"rather than see a man of rank equal to thine at such a work as this, +I would give thee a pound, which I have received as alms, to let the +reptile go forth free." "I will not let it go free," said he, "neither +will I sell it." "As thou wilt, lord," he answered; "I care naught." +And the scholar went his way. + +As he was placing the cross-beam upon the two forks, behold, a priest +came towards him, upon a horse covered with trappings. "Good day to +thee, lord," said he. "Heaven prosper thee!" said Manawyddan; "thy +blessing." "The blessing of Heaven be upon thee! And what, lord, art +Thou doing?" "I am hanging a thief that I caught robbing me," said +he. "What manner of thief, lord?" asked he. "A creature," he +answered, "in the form of a mouse. It has been robbing me, and I am +inflicting upon it the doom of a thief." "Lord," said he, "rather than +see thee touch this reptile, I would purchase its freedom." "By my +confession to Heaven, neither will I sell it nor set it free." "It is +true, lord, that it is worth nothing to buy; but rather than see thee +defile thyself by touching such a reptile as this, I will give thee +three pounds to let it go." "I will not, by Heaven," said he, "take +any price for it. As it ought, so shall it be hanged." And the priest +went his way. + +Then he noosed the string around the mouse's neck, and as he was about +to draw it up, behold, he saw a bishop's retinue, with his +sumpter-horses and his attendants. The bishop himself came towards +him, and he stayed his work. "Lord bishop," said he, "thy blessing." +"Heaven's blessing be unto thee!" said he. "What work art thou upon?" +"Hanging a thief that I caught robbing me," said he. "Is not that a +mouse that I see in thy hand?" "Yes," answered he, "and she has +robbed me." "Ay," said he, "since I have come at the doom of this +reptile, I will ransom it of thee. I will give thee seven pounds for +it, and that rather than see a man of rank equal to thine destroying +so vile a reptile as this. Let it loose, and thou shalt have the +money." "I declare to Heaven that I will not let it loose." "If thou +wilt not loose it for this, I will give thee four and twenty pounds of +ready money to set it free." "I will not set it free, by Heaven, for +as much again," said he. "If thou wilt not set it free for this, I +will give thee all the horses that thou seest in this plain, and the +seven loads of baggage, and the seven horses that they are upon." "By +Heaven, I will not," he replied. "Since for this thou wilt not set it +free, do so at what price soever thou wilt." "I will that Rhiannon and +Pryderi be free," said he. "That thou shalt have," he answered. "Not +yet will I loose the mouse, by Heaven." "What then wouldst thou?" +"That the charm and the illusion be removed from the seven cantrevs of +Dyved." "This shalt thou have also; set therefore the mouse free." "I +will not set it free, by Heaven," said he, "till I know who the mouse +may be." "She is my wife." "Wherefore came she to me?" "To despoil +thee," he answered. "I am Lloyd, the son of Kilwed, and I cast the +charm over the seven cantrevs of Dyved. And it was to avenge Gawl, +the son of Clud, from the friendship I had towards him, that I cast +the charm. And upon Pryderi did I avenge Gawl, the son of Clud, for +the game of Badger in the Bag, that Pwyll, the son of Auwyn, played +upon him. And when it was known that thou wast come to dwell in the +land, my household came and besought me to transform them into mice, +that they might destroy thy corn. They went the first and the second +night, and destroyed thy two crops. The third night my wife came unto +me, and the ladies of the court, and besought me to transform +them. And I transformed them. Now my wife was not in her usual health, +for had she been in her usual health thou wouldst not have been able +to overtake her; but since this has taken place, and she has been +caught, I will restore to thee Pryderi and Rhiannon, and I will take +the charm and illusion from off Dyved. Set her therefore free." "I +will not set her free yet." "What wilt thou more?" he asked. "I will +that there be no more charm upon the seven cantrevs of Dyved, and that +none shall be put upon it henceforth; moreover, that vengeance be +never taken for this, either upon Pryderi or Rhiannon, or upon me." +"All this shalt thou have. And truly thou hast done wisely in asking +this. Upon thy head would have lit all this trouble." "Yea," said he, +"for fear thereof was it that I required this." "Set now my wife at +liberty." "I will not," said he, "until I see Pryderi and Rhiannon +with me free." "Behold, here they come," he answered. + +And thereupon behold Pryderi and Rhiannon. He rose up to meet them, +and greeted them, and sat down beside them. "Ah, chieftain, set now my +wife at liberty," said the bishop. "Hast thou not received all thou +didst ask?" "I will release her, gladly," said he. And thereupon he +set her free. + +Then he struck her with a magic wand, and she was changed back into a +young woman, the fairest ever seen. + +"Look round upon thy land," said he, "and thou wilt see it all tilled +and peopled as it was in its best estate." And he rose up and looked +forth. And when he looked he saw all the lands tilled, and full of +herds and dwellings. + + + + +THE STORY OF LLUDD LLEVELYS + +By Lady Charlotte Guest + + +Beli the Great, the son of Manogan, had three sons, Lludd and +Caswallawn and Nynyaw; and according to the story he had a fourth son +called Llevelys. And after the death of Beli, the kingdom of the +island of Britain fell into the hands of Lludd his eldest son; and +Lludd ruled prosperously, and rebuilt the city of London, and +encompassed it about with numberless towers. And after that he bade +the citizens build houses therein, such as no houses in the kingdom +could equal. And moreover he was a mighty warrior, and generous and +liberal in giving meat and drink to all that sought them. And though +he had many castles and cities, this one loved he more than any. And +he dwelt therein most part of the year, and therefore was it called +Caer Lludd, and at last Caer London. + +And after the stranger race came there, it was called London, or +Lwndrys. + +Lludd loved Llevelys best of all his brothers, because he was a wise +and a discreet man. Having heard that the King of France had died, +leaving no heir except a daughter, and that he had left all his +possessions in her hands, he came to Lludd his brother, to beseech his +counsel and aid. And that not so much for his own welfare, as to seek +to add to the glory and honour and dignity of his kindred, if he might +go to France to woo the maiden for his wife. And forthwith his brother +conferred with him, and this counsel was pleasing unto him. + +So he prepared ships and filled them with armed knights, and set forth +towards France. And as soon as they had landed, they sent messengers +to show the nobles of France the cause of the embassy. And by the +joint counsel of the nobles of France and of the princes, the maiden +was given to Llevelys, and the crown of the kingdom with her. And +thenceforth he ruled the land discreetly and wisely and happily, as +long as his life lasted. + +After a space of time had passed, three plagues fell upon the island +of Britain, such as none in the islands had ever seen the like. The +first was a certain race that came, and was called the Coranians; and +so great was their knowledge that there was no discourse upon the face +of the island however low it might be spoken, but what, if the wind +met it, it was known to them. And through this they could not be +injured. + +The second plague was a shriek which came on every May eve, over every +hearth in the island of Britain. And this went through people's +hearts, and so scared them that men lost their hue and their strength, +and the women their children, and the young men and the maidens lost +their senses, and all the animals and the waters were left barren. + +The third plague was, that however much of provisions and food might +be prepared in the king's courts, were there even so much as a year's +provisions of meats and drink, none of it could ever be found, except +what was consumed in the first night. And two of these plagues, no +one ever knew their cause; therefore was there better hope of being +freed from the first than from the second and third. + +And thereupon King Lludd felt great sorrow and care, because that he +knew not how he might be freed from these plagues. And he called to +him all the nobles of his kingdom, and asked counsel of them what they +should do against these afflictions. And by the common counsel of the +nobles, Lludd the son of Beli went to Llevelys his brother, King of +France, for he was a man great of counsel and wisdom, to seek his +advice. + +And they made ready a fleet, and that in secret and in silence, lest +that race should know the cause of their errand, or any besides the +king and his counsellors. And when they were made ready they went into +their ships, Lludd and those whom he chose with him. And they began to +cleave the seas towards France. + +And when these tidings came to Llevelys, seeing that he knew not the +cause of his brother's ships, he came on the other side to meet him, +and with him was a fleet vast of size. And when Lludd saw this, he +left all the ships out upon the sea except one only; and in that one +he came to meet his brother, and he likewise with a single ship came +to meet him. And when they were come together, each put his arms +about the other's neck, and they welcomed each other with brotherly +love. + +After that Lludd had shown his brother the cause of his errand, +Llevelys said that he himself knew the cause of the coming to those +lands. And they took counsel together to discourse on the matter +otherwise than thus, in order that the wind might not catch their +words, nor the Coranians know what they might say. Then Llevelys +caused a long horn to be made of brass, and through this horn they +discoursed. But whatsoever words they spoke through this horn, one to +the other, neither of them could hear any other but harsh and hostile +words. And when Llevelys saw this and that there was a demon +thwarting them and disturbing through this horn, he caused wine to be +put therein to wash it. And through the virtue of the wine the demon +was driven out of the horn. And when their discourse was unobstructed, +Llevelys told his brother that he would give him some insects whereof +he should keep some to breed, lest by chance the like affliction might +come a second time. And other of these insects he should take and +bruise in water. And he assured him that he would have power to +destroy the race of Coranians. That is to say, that when he came home +to his kingdom he should call together all the people both of his own +race and of the race of the Coranians for a conference, as though with +the intent of making peace between them; and that when they were all +together, he should take this charmed water, and cast it over all +alike. And he assured him that the water would poison the race of the +Coranians, but that it would not slay or harm those of his own race. + +"And the second plague," said he, "that is in thy dominion, behold it +is a dragon. And another dragon of foreign race is fighting with it, +and striving to overcome it. And therefore does your dragon make a +fearful outcry. And on this wise mayest thou come to know this. After +thou hast returned home, cause the island to be measured in its length +and breadth, and in the place where thou dost find the exact central +point, there cause a pit to be dug, and cause a cauldron full of the +best mead that can be made to be put in the pit with a covering of +satin over the face of the cauldron. And then in thine own person do +thou remain there watching, and thou wilt see the dragons fighting in +the form of terrific animals. And at length they will take the form of +dragons in the air. And last of all, after wearying themselves with +fierce and furious fighting, they will fall in the form of two pigs +upon the covering, and they will sink in and the covering with them, +and they will draw it down to the very bottom of the cauldron. And +they will drink up the whole of the mead; and after that they will +sleep. Thereupon do thou immediately fold the covering round them, and +bury them in a kistvaen, in the strongest place thou hast in thy +dominions, and hide them in the earth. And as long as they shall bide +in that strong place, no plague shall come to the island of Britain +from elsewhere. + +"The cause of the third plague," said he, "is a mighty man of magic, +who takes thy meat and thy drink and thy stores. And he through +illusions and charms causes every one to sleep. Therefore it is +needful for thee in thy own person to watch thy food and thy +provisions. And lest he should overcome thee with sleep, be there a +cauldron of cold water by thy side, and when thou art oppressed with +sleep, plunge into the cauldron." + +Then Lludd returned back into his land. And immediately he summoned to +him the whole of his own race and of the Coranians. And as Llevelys +had taught him, he bruised the insects in water, the which he cast +over them altogether, and forthwith it destroyed the whole tribe of +the Coranians, without hurt to any of the Britons. + +And some time after this Lludd caused the island to be measured in its +length and breadth. And in Oxford he found the central point, and in +that place he caused the earth to be dug, and in that pit a cauldron +to be set, full of the best mead that could be made, and a covering of +satin over the face of it. And he himself watched that night. And +while he was there, he beheld the dragons fighting. And when they were +weary they fell, and came down upon the top of the satin, and drew it +with them to the bottom of the cauldron. And when they had drunk the +mead, they slept. And in their sleep, Lludd folded the covering around +them, and in the securest place he had in Snowdon, he hid them in a +kistvaen. Now after that this spot was called Dinas Emreis, but before +that, Dinas Ffaraon. And thus the fierce outcry ceased in his +dominions. + +And when this was ended, King Lludd caused an exceeding great banquet +to be prepared. And when it was ready, he placed a vessel of cold +water by his side and he in his own proper person watched it. And as +he abode thus clad with arms, about the third watch of the night, lo! +he heard many surpassing fascinations and various songs. And +drowsiness urged him to sleep. Upon this, lest he should be hindered +from his purpose and be overcome by sleep, he went often into the +water. And at last, behold! a man of vast size, clad in strong, heavy +armour, came in, bearing a hamper. And, as he was wont, he put all the +food and provisions of meat and drink into the hamper and proceeded to +go with it forth. And nothing was ever more wonderful to Lludd than +that the hamper should hold so much. + +And thereupon King Lludd went after him and spoke unto him thus: +"Stop, stop," said he; "though thou hast done many insults and much +spoil erewhile, thou shalt not do so any more unless thy skill in arms +and thy prowess be greater than mine." + +Then he instantly put down the hamper on the floor, and awaited +him. And a fierce encounter was between them, so that the glittering +fire flew out from their arms. And at the last Lludd grappled with +him, and fate bestowed the victory on Lludd. And he threw the plague +to the earth. And after he had overcome him by strength and might, he +besought his mercy. "How can I grant thee mercy," said the king, +"after all the many injuries and wrongs thou hast done me?" "All the +losses that ever I have caused thee," said he, "I will make thee +atonement for, equal to what I have taken. And I will never do the +like from this time forth. But thy faithful vassal will I be." And the +king accepted this from him. + +And thus Lludd freed the island of Britain from the three plagues. And +from thenceforth until the end of his life, in prosperous peace did +Lludd the son of Beli rule the island of Britain. And this tale is +called the Story of Lludd and Llevelys. And thus it ends. + + + + +TALES FROM EARLY ENGLISH CHRONICLES + + +King Horn, in the version here given, is a fine old English story, +evidently very popular with the common people. Earlier versions were +probably familiar to the Norse in the tenth century, at which time +Dublin was the capital of a Norse kingdom. Suddenne was possibly the +Isle of Man. + +There seems to be some historical basis for the story of Havelok, +since the seal of the city of Grimsby today represents Grim with +"Habloc," or Havelok, on his right hand, and Goldborough on his left. + +The Fair Unknown is one of the King Arthur stories that is not +included in Sir Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF KING HORN + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +Murray was King of Suddenne in the west country, a wise king whom all +his subjects honoured. Godhild was his queen, and no woman of that day +was lovelier than she. Their son was named Horn; and when Horn was +fifteen years old, the sun shone and the rain fell on no fairer boy. + +Twelve squires, each one the son of a man of noble birth, were chosen +to be Horn's companions. Athulf was the best and truest of them, and +dearest to Horn's heart; and one Fikenhild was the basest among them. + +It pleased King Murry, on a certain summer's day, to ride, as was his +wont, by the seashore, with only two comrades. Suddenly, as they rode, +they came upon a strange sight. There before them on the edge of the +waves lay fifteen ships beached, full of fierce Saracens; and many +other Saracens went busily to and fro upon the shore. "What seek you +here, pagan men?" cried Murry at that sight. "What wares do you bring +to this my land of Suddenne?" For he thought them to be merchants from +a far land, + +"We are come to slay all your folk who believe in Christ," answered +one of them; "and that we do right soon. As for you, you go not hence +alive. "Thereat Murry was sorely troubled in heart. Nevertheless, he +made no sign of fear. He and his two companions, with bold mien, leapt +down from their horses, to fight more readily, and drew their swords, +and fell upon the pagans. Many a stout blow they dealt; many a Saracen +felt the strength of their arms: but for all their might and valour, +they were but three against a host. From every side the enemy fell +upon them unceasingly, and in a little time they lay there dead upon +the sand. Then the Saracens left their ships and spread over the whole +of Suddenne, slaying and burning and laying waste wheresoever they +came. None might live, were he stranger or friend or native of the +land, unless he forswore the Christian faith and became a pagan. + +Of all women in those days Godhild the queen was saddest. Her kingdom +was lost, her husband cruelly slain, and all her days were filled with +grief. But worse befell her, for on a certain day the Saracens came +suddenly and took Horn prisoner and carried him away. Godhild escaped, +and in her dire distress fled alone to a distant cave, and there lay +hid, worshipping her God in secret, and praying that He would save her +son from harm. + +Horn and his companions--for all his twelve squires had been captured +with him--seemed in sorry case. The savage pagans were for killing all +Christians. But their chief Emir wished to have no innocent blood on +his hands, and spoke out boldly. "We might well slay you, Horn," he +said; "you are young and fair and strong, and will grow yet +stronger. Perchance, if we spare you now, you will some day return and +be avenged upon us, when you have come to your full power. Yet we +ourselves will not put you to death; the guilt shall not be on us, but +on the sea. To the sea will we give you and your comrades; the sea +shall be your judge, to save or drown you as it will." + +Weeping and wringing their hands, Horn and his comrades were led down +to the seashore. There a boat was made ready for them, with oars, but +no rudder or sail. + +All their tears were vain: the Saracens forced them aboard, and turned +the little craft adrift into the wide ocean. + +The boat drove fast and far through the water, and fear came down upon +those in it. Soon they were tossing haphazard upon the rushing waves, +now resting forlornly, now praying for help, now rowing wildly, as if +for their lives, if ever the violence of the sea abated for a +moment. All that afternoon, and through the long, dark night, they +voyaged in cold and terror, till in the morning, as the day dawned, +Horn looked up and saw land at a little distance. "Friends," said he, +"I have good tidings. Yonder I spy land; I hear the song of birds, and +see grass growing. Be merry once more; our ship has come into safety." + +They took their oars and rowed lustily. Soon the keel touched the +shore, and they sprang out eagerly on to dry land, leaving the boat +empty. The waves drew the little craft gently back to themselves, and +it began to glide away into the great sea. "Go now from us, dear +boat," cried Horn lovingly to it, as he saw it drawn away; "farewell, +sail softly, and may no wave do you harm." + +The boat floated slowly away, and Horn wept sorely at parting from +it. Then they all turned their faces inland, and left the sea behind +them, and set forth to seek whatsoever fortune might bring them. + + + + +HORN IS DUBBED KNIGHT + +Retold by F.J.H. Darton + + +The country to which Horn and his comrades had come was called +Westerness: Aylmer the Good was king of it. But of that the wanderers +knew nought as yet. + +They journeyed far over hill and dale, ignorant of the way, and seeing +no living man, until, as the day drew to an end? there met them Aylmer +the king himself. "Whence do you come, friends?" asked he. "Who are +you that are so fair and straight of body?" + +Horn spoke up for them all, for he was wisest and most skilled in the +use of courteous words. "We are from Suddenne, sire, of good lineage +and Christian faith. The pagans came to our land, and slew my father +and many others, and drove us from our homes. We thirteen whom you see +were set adrift in a boat, to be the sport of the sea; a day and a +night have we travelled without sail or rudder, and our boat brought +us to this land. We are in your hands, sire: slay us, or keep us +bound as prisoners; do with us as you will." + +The good king was no ungentle boor: he spoke them fair and +graciously. "Tell me, child," he said, "what is your name? No harm +shall come to you at my hands, whosoever you he." + +"Horn am I called, sire." + +"Horn, child, you are well and truly named: your fame shall ring like +a horn over dale and hill. Now, Horn, come with me. You and your +comrades shall abide at my court." + +They set out for the king's palace. When they were come thither, +Aylmer entrusted them to his steward, Athelbrus, whom he charged to +bring them up in knightly ways. They were added to Aylmer's household, +and taught all that squires of kings should know. But Horn was to come +to greater things than this. He learnt quickly, and became beloved by +every one; and most of all, Rimenhild, the king's daughter, loved him +from the day when she first set eyes on him. Her love for him grew +daily stronger and stronger, though she dared speak no word of it to +him, for she was a princess, and he only a squire rescued by chance +from the sea. + +At length Rimenhild could hide her love no longer. + +She sent for Athelbrus the steward, and bade him bring Horn to her +bower. But he, guessing her secret from her wild looks, was unwilling +to send Horn to her, fearing the king's displeasure; and he bade +Athulf, Horn's dearest companion, go to the princess instead, hoping +either that the princess would not know him from Horn (for she had as +yet spoken to neither of them, and they were much alike in face and +mien), or that by this plan she would see the folly of her desire. + +Athulf came to Rimenhild's bower, and she did not know that he was not +Horn, and received him lovingly. But soon the trick was made plain, +for Athulf, as beseems a loyal heart, could not hear himself praised +above all other squires at Aylmer's court, and vowed that Horn was far +fairer and better than he. Then Rimenhild in a rage sent him from her, +and bade Athelbrus bring Horn to her without more ado. And thus at +last Horn came before the princess. + +"King's daughter," said he with reverence and courtesy, "Athelbrus, +the steward, bade me come to you here. Say what you would have me do." + +Rimenhild rose, answering nothing till she had taken him by the hand, +and made him sit by her, and embraced him lovingly. "Welcome, Horn," +she said; "you are so fair that I cannot but love you. Take me to +wife; have pity on my love." + +Horn knew not what to say. "Princess," he began at last, "I am +too lowly for such a wife as you. I am but a thrall [Footnote: A slave +or bondsman.] and a foundling, and owe all that I have to the king +your sire. There is no meet wedding between a thrall and the king's +daughter." At those words Rimenhild fell into a swoon; and Horn was +filled with pity and love at the sight, and took her in his arms, and +kissed her. + +"Dear lady," he said, "be brave. Help me to win knighthood at the +hands of my lord the king; if I be dubbed knight my thraldom is ended, +and I am free to love you, as I do in my heart already." For Horn had +long loved the princess secretly, but dared not hope that she would +give him her love in turn. + +Rimenhild came to her senses as he spoke. "Horn," she said, "it shall +be as you wish. Ere fourteen days have passed you shall be made a +knight." + +Thereupon she sent for Athelbrus again, and bade him pray the king +Aylmer to dub Horn a knight; and, to be brief, Horn was speedily +knighted, and, asking the king's leave, himself knighted in turn his +twelve companions. + +As soon as he was knighted, Rimenhild called him to her; and Athulf, +his dear comrade, went with him into her presence. "Sir Horn, my +knight," she said, "sit by me here. See, it is time to fulfil your +word. Take me for your wife." + +"Nay, Rimenhild," answered Horn; "that may not be yet. It is not +enough that I am knighted. I must prove my knighthood, as all men do, +in combat with some other knight. I must do a deed of prowess in the +field for love of you: then if I win through with my life, I will +return and take you to wife." + +"Be it so, Horn. Now take from me this carven ring of gold. On it is +wrought: 'Be true to Rimenhild.' Wear it always on your finger, for +my love's sake. The stone in it has such grace that never need you +fear any wound nor shrink from any combat, if you do but wear this +ring, and look steadfastly upon it, and think of me. And you, Athulf, +you too, when you have proven your knighthood, shall have such another +ring also. Sir Horn, may Heaven bless and keep you, and bring you safe +to me again." + +With that Horn kissed her, and received her blessing, and went away to +prove his knighthood in brave feats of arms. + + + + +HORN THE KNIGHT ERRANT + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +When Horn had saddled his great black horse, and put on his armour, he +rode forth to adventure, singing gaily. Scarce had he gone a mile when +he spied by the seashore a ship, beached, and filled with heathen +Saracens. "What do you bring hither?" asked Horn. "Whence do you +come?" The pagans saw that he was but one man, and they were many, and +answered boldly, "We are come to win this land, and slay all its +folk." + +At that Horn gripped his sword, and his blood ran hot. He sprang upon +the Saracen chief and smote him with all his strength, so that he +cleft the man's head from off his shoulders. Then he looked at the +ring which Rimenhild had given him; and immediately such might came +upon him that in a trice he slew full five score of the pagans. They +fled in terror before him, and few of those whom he did not slay at +the first onset escaped. + +Horn set the head of the Saracen leader on the point of his sword, and +rode back to Aylmer's court. When he had come to the king's palace, he +went into the great hall, where the king and all his knights sat. +"King Aylmer," he cried, "and you, his knights, hear me. To-day, after +I was dubbed knight, I rode forth and found a ship by the shore, +filled with outlandish knaves, fierce Saracens, who were for slaying +you all. I set upon them; my sword failed not, and I smote them to the +ground. Lo, here is the head of their chief." + +Men marvelled at Horn's prowess, and the king gave him words of +praise. But not yet did Horn dare speak of his love for Rimenhild. On +the morrow, at dawn, King Aylmer went a-hunting in the forest, and +Horn's twelve companions rode with him. But Horn himself did not go to +the chase; he sought instead to tell his lady Rimenhild of his deeds, +and went to her bower secretly, thinking to hear her joy in the feats +he had done. But he found her weeping bitterly. "Dear love," he said, +"why do you weep?" + +"Alas, Horn, I have had an evil dream," she answered. "I dreamed that +I went fishing, and saw my net burst. A great fish was taken in it, +and I thought to have drawn him out safely; but he broke from my +hands, and rent the meshes of the net. It is in my mind that this +dream is of ill omen for us, Horn, and that the great fish signifies +you yourself, whereby I know that I am to lose you." + +"Heaven keep this ill hap from us, dear princess," said Horn. "Nought +shall harm you, I vow; I take you for my own for ever, and plight my +troth to you here and now." But though he seemed to be of good cheer, +he too was stirred by this strange dream, and had evil forebodings. + +Meanwhile Fikenhild, riding with King Aylmer by the river Stour, was +filled with envy of Horn's great deeds against the Saracens; and at +last he said to the king, "King Aylmer, hear me. This Horn, whom you +knighted yesterday for his valour in slaying the Saracens, would fain +undo you. I have heard him plotting to kill you and take Rimenhild to +wife. Even now, as we ride here by the river, he is in her bower--he, +Horn, the foundling, is with your daughter, the Princess Rimenhild. +Go now, and take him, and drive him out of your land for his +presumption." For Fikenhild had set a watch on Horn, and found out the +secret of his love for Rimenhild. + +Thereupon King Aylmer turned his horse, and rode home again, and found +Horn with Rimenhild, even as Fikenhild had said. "Get you hence, +Horn," he cried in anger, "you base foundling; forth out of my +daughter's bower, away with you altogether! See that you leave this +land of Westerness right speedily; here is no place nor work for you. +If you flee not soon, your life is forfeit." + +Horn, flushed with rage, went to the stable, and set saddle on his +steed, and took his arms; so fierce was his mien that none dared +withstand him. When all was ready for his going, he sought out +Rimenhild. "Your dream was true, dear love," he said. "The fish has +torn your net, and I go from you. But I will put a new ending to the +dream; fear not. Now fare you well; the king your father has cast me +out of his realm, and I must needs seek adventure in other lands. +Seven years will I wander, and it may be that I shall win such fortune +as shall bring me back to sue honourably for you. But if at the end of +seven years I have not come again to Westerness, nor sent word to you, +then do you, if you so will, take another man for husband in my stead, +and put me out of your heart. Now for the last time hold me in your +arms and kiss me good-bye." + +So Horn took his leave. But before he went away from Aylmer's court, +he charged Athulf his friend to watch over Rimenhild and guard her +from harm. Then he set forth on his horse, and rode down to the sea, +and took ship to sail away alone from Westerness. + + + + +HORN IN EXILE + +Retold by F. J. H. Barton + + +Ere Horn had sailed long, the wind rose, and the ship drove blindly +before it for many leagues, till at length it was cast up on land. +Horn stepped out on to the beach, and there before him saw two +princes, whose names (for they greeted him kindly) were Harild and +Berild. + +"Whence are you?" they asked, when they had told him who they were. +"What are you called?" + +Horn thought it wise to hide his real name from them, lest it should +come to Aylmer's ears, and his anger reach Horn even in this distant +land. "I am called Cuthbert," he answered, "and I am come far from the +west in this little ship, seeking adventure and honour." + +"Well met, sir knight," said Harild. "Come now to our father the king: +you shall do knightly deeds in his service." They led him to King +Thurston their father; and when Thurston saw that Horn was a man of +might, skilled in arms, and a true knight, he took him into his +service readily. So Horn--or Cuthbert, as they knew him--abode at +Thurston's court, and served the king in battle. But no great and +notable thing befell him until the coming of Christmas. + +It was King Thurston's custom to make each Christmas a great feast, +lasting many days. To this feast Horn was bidden, with all the other +knights of the court. Great mirth and joy was there that Yule-tide; +all men feasted with light hearts. Suddenly, about noon-day, the great +doors of the king's hall were flung open, and a monstrous giant strode +in. He was fully armed, in pagan raiment, and his mien was proud and +terrible. + +"Sit still, sir king," he roared, as Thurston turned to him. "Hearken +to my tidings. I am come hither with a Saracen host, and my comrades +are close at hand. From them I bring a challenge; and this is the +challenge. One of us alone will fight any three of your knights, in a +certain place. If your three slay our one, then we will depart and +leave you and your land unscathed. But if our one champion slays your +three, then will we take your land for our own, and deal with it and +you as it pleases us. To-morrow at dawn we will make ready for the +combat; and if you take not up this challenge, and send your appointed +knights to battle, then will we burn and lay waste and slay all over +this realm." Thereupon he turned, and stalked out of the hall, saying +never another word. "This is a sorry hap," said King Thurston, when +the Saracen had gone and left them all aghast. "Yet must we take up +this challenge. Cuthbert," he said, turning to Horn, "you have heard +this pagan boast; will you be one of our three champions? Harild and +Berild, my sons, shall be the other two, and may God prosper all +three! But alas! it is of little avail. We are all dead men!" + +But Horn felt no fear. He started up from the board when he heard the +king's sorrowful words. "Sir king," he cried, "this is all amiss. It +is not to our honour that three Christian knights should fight this +one pagan. I alone will lay the giant low, with my own sword, +unaided." + +Thurston hoped little of this plan, but none the less he agreed to it; +and when the next day came, he arose betimes, and with his own hands +helped to arm Horn; and having made ready, he rode down to the field +of battle with him. There, in a great open space, stood the Saracen +giant awaiting them, his friends standing by him to abide the issue of +the combat. They made little tarrying, but fell to right soon. Horn +dealt mightily with the giant; he attacked him at once, and showered +blows upon him, so that the pagan was hard pressed, and begged for a +breathing space. + +"Let us rest awhile, sir knight," he said. "Never suffered I such +blows from any man's hand yet, except from King Murry, whom I slew in +Suddenne." + +At that dear name Horn's blood ran hot within him: before him he saw +the man who had slain his father and had driven himself from his +kingdom. He fell to more furiously than ever, and drove hard at the +giant beneath the shield; and as he smote he cast his eye upon the +ring Rimenhild had given him. + +Therewith his strength was redoubled; so straight and strong was the +blow, so true his arm, that he pierced the giant to the heart, and he +fell dead upon the ground. + +When they saw their champion slain, the Saracens were stricken with +panic. They turned and fled headlong to their ships, Thurston and his +knights pursuing. A great battle was fought by the ships: Harild and +Berild were slain, but Horn did such deeds of prowess that every pagan +was killed. + +There was great lamentation over the two princes. Their bodies were +brought to the king's palace and laid in state, and lastly buried in a +great church built for them. + + + + +HORN'S RETURN + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +There was now no heir to Thurston's kingdom, since Harild and Berild +were slain; and in a little time, when the king's grief abated, he +bethought him of what should befall his people when his time came to +die. + +"Cuthbert," he said to Horn one day, when he had pondered long over +these things, "there is no heir to my kingdom. There is but my +daughter Reynild to come after me. Will you wed her, and he king and +rule this land after my death?" + +Horn was sorely tempted. But he looked on his ring, and remembered +Rimenhild. "Sir king," he answered, "you do me great honour, and I +give you thanks. But I am under a vow, and cannot wed the lady +Reynild." He would say no more, but was firm in his purpose; and King +Thurston had to be content with his loyal service only. For seven +years Horn abode at Thurston's court, serving in arms under him and +winning great fame by his knightly deeds. No word did he send to +Rimenhild, nor received tidings of any kind from Westerness. + +About the end of the seventh year Horn chanced to be riding in the +forest, when he met a page journeying as if towards Thurston's +palace. "What do you here?" he said. "Whither do you go?" + +"Sir," answered the page, "I have a message for one Sir Horn from Sir +Athulf in Westerness, where Aylmer is king. The Lady Rimenhild is to +be wedded on Sunday to King Modi of Reynes, and I am sent to bring +tidings thereof to Sir Horn. But I can find him nowhere, nor hear +even so much as his name, though I have wandered far and wide." + +At this heavy news Horn hid his name no longer. He told the page who +he was, and bade him go back with all speed, and say to Rimenhild that +she need no longer mourn: her lover would save her ere Sunday came. + +The page returned blithely with this message. But he never delivered +it, for as he went back he was by chance drowned; and Rimenhild, +hearing no word of Horn, despaired. Athulf, too, watching long for +Horn each day on a tower of Aylmer's palace, gave up hope. + +But Horn was not idle or forgetful. When he had despatched the page, +as he thought, safely back to Athulf and Rimenhild, he went straight +to King Thurston, and without more pretence told him his true name and +all the story of the adventures. + +"Sire," he said, at the end, "I have served you well. Grant me reward +for my service, and help me to win Rimenhild. See, you offered me the +hand of your daughter Reynild; that I might not accept, for I was +pledged already; but perchance my comrade Athulf might be deemed an +honourable suitor. If you will but help me, Athulf shall be Reynild's +husband; that I vow. Sire, give me your aid." + +"Be it so," said Thurston, loath to lose Horn, but glad to hear of a +knight waiting to wed the lady Reynild. Straightway a levy of knights +was made, and Horn set forth in a ship with a brave body of fighting +men. The wind blew favourably, and ere long they came to Westerness. +Even as they touched the shore, the bells ceased ringing for the +marriage of Rimenhild to King Modi. + +Horn saw how late they had arrived, and that he must needs act warily, +if he would save Rimenhild in the midst of the rejoicings over her +wedding. He left his men on board ship, and landed alone, setting out +to walk to the palace, where the wedding-feast was about to be held. +As he walked thus, he met a palmer [Footnote: A pilgrim], clad in +pilgrim's weeds. "Whither go you, sir palmer?" he asked. + +"I have just come from a wedding," he answered, "from the wedding of +Rimenhild, the king's daughter; and sad and sorrowful she seemed to +be, in truth, on this wedding day." + +"Now Heaven help me, palmer, but I will change clothes with you. Take +you my robe, and give me your long cloak. To-day I will drink at that +wedding feast, and some shall rue the hour that I sit at the board +with them." + +Without more ado he changed clothes with the palmer, taking also his +staff and scrip, and staining his face till it was like that of a +toil-worn traveller. Then he set out for the palace once more. + +He came soon to the gates, where a porter strove to bar his +entrance. But Horn broke in the wicket-gate, and entered, and threw +the man over the drawbridge, so that his ribs were broken. None other +stood in Horn's way, and he went into the great hall, and took his +place in a lowly seat among the beggars and poor men. + +As he looked about him, he saw, at a little distance, Rimenhild, +weeping and lamenting sorely. Athulf he did not see, for he was still +keeping watch in the tower for Horn's return. Before long Rimenhild +rose from her seat and began to minister to the guests, according to +custom, pouring them out wine and ale in horn beakers. When she came +low down among the guests, Horn spoke to her. + +"Fair queen," he said, "serve us also; we beggars are athirst." + +She laid down the vessel she bore, and took a great gallon cup, and +filled it with brown ale, and offered it him, thinking him a +glutton. "Take this cup," she said, "and drink your fill. Never saw I +so forward a beggar." + +"I will not drink your ale, lady," answered Horn, for he was minded to +let her know who he was, and yet to hide himself from all others at +the feast. "Give me wine; I am no beggar. I am a fisherman, come +hither to search my nets, and see what I have caught. Pledge me now +yourself and drink to Horn of horn." + +Thus by his strange words he thought to recall to her that dream she +had formerly dreamed, of a great fish that escaped from her net. + +Rimenhild looked on him, and hope and fear sprang up in her heart +together. She knew not what his saying about his nets and "Horn of +horn" might mean. With a steadfast look, she took her drinking-horn, +and filled it with wine, and gave it to Horn. + +"Drink your fill, friend," she said, "and tell me if you have seen +aught of this Horn of whom you seem to speak." + +Horn drained the beaker, and as he put it down dropped into it the +ring that Rimenhild had given him so long ago. When Rimenhild saw the +ring she knew it at once. She made an excuse, and left the feast, and +went to her bower. In a little time she sent for the palmer secretly, +and asked him where he got the ring. + +"Queen," said Horn, "in my travels I met one named Horn. He gave me +this ring to bring to you; it was on shipboard I met him, and he lay +dying." + +He said this to prove if her love were still constant to him. But +Rimenhild believed him, and when she heard him say that Horn was dead, +became as one mad with grief. Then Horn, seeing how strong was her +love, threw off his palmer's cloak, and showed her the false stain on +his face, and told her that he was in very truth Horn, her lover. + +When their first joy at meeting again was over, Horn told the princess +of the men he had brought with him in his ship. Secretly they sent for +Athulf, and when he too had learnt all Horn's tidings, a message was +sent to the men in the ship, who came to the palace speedily, and were +admitted by a private door. Then all the company of them broke +suddenly into the banquet-hall, and fell upon those there, and slew +many; but Modi and Fikenhild escaped and fled from Westerness. + + + + +THE KING OF SUDDENNE + +Retold by F. J. H. Barton + + +When they had made an end of slaying, Horn revealed himself to Aylmer, +and reproached him for giving his daughter in marriage to Modi, whom +she did not love; and Aylmer, when he heard of Horn's deeds--for the +fame which Horn had won under the name of Cuthbert had gone into many +lands--could not but feel sorrow that he had sent Horn away in anger +seven years ago; and he begged Horn to stay at his court and wed +Rimenhild, for the marriage with Modi was not fully complete when Horn +and his men broke up the feast. + +"Nay, I am of royal blood," answered Horn. "You thought me a +foundling and despised me. For that insult you formerly put upon me, +I vow I will not take Rimenhild for my wife until I have won my +kingdom of Suddenne back from the Saracens, and avenged my father King +Murry, whom they slew. I am a king's son; I will be a king before my +wife shall come to me." + +Aylmer could not gainsay Horn in his purpose, and once more Horn set +out on his wanderings. With him went Sir Athulf and a band of brave +knights. They took ship and for five days sailed the sea with a +favouring wind, till at last, late at night on the fifth day, they +came to the shores of Suddenne. + +Horn and Athulf landed, to spy out the country. A little way inland +they came upon an old knight sleeping by the wayside; on his shield +was the device of a cross. Horn woke him gently. "Tell me, sir knight, +who are you?" he asked. "Your shield shows that you are a Christian; +but this land is ruled by pagans." + +"I am a Christian, truly," said the old knight. "But I serve the +pagans perforce. They hold the power, and I must needs fight for them, +against my will. This land is in a sorry case. If King Murry's son, +Horn, were here, perchance we might drive the pagans out. But I know +not where to find him, nor where my own son is; for Athulf, my son, +was Horn's dearest companion." + +Such changes had the long absence wrought in Horn and Athulf and the +old knight that they did not recognise one another. But at these words +Horn and Athulf knew for certain that they were indeed in +Suddenne. They told the old knight who they were, and learnt that +Horn's mother, the Queen Godhild, was still alive, and many knights in +the land besides, desirous of driving the Saracens out, but unable to +fulfil their desire through lack of a leader and of men. + +Horn forthwith summoned his men from the ships, and blew his trumpet +for battle, and attacked the Saracens. There was a great fight, but +before long the heathen were defeated, and those who were not slain +were driven altogether out of the land. + +Thus Horn came into his kingdom again; but he had yet to punish +Fikenhild the traitor, who first separated him from Rimenhild (for +this Aylmer had told him), and King Modi, who had sought to wed her +against her will. + +Fikenhild, when Horn came back to Westerness in time to save Rimenhild +from Modi, had fled; but he still plotted deep treachery in his +heart. By bribes and favours he won many knights to follow him; and he +built himself a great castle of stone, set on a rock, surrounded on +all sides with water, so that none could come at it easily. Then by +stealth one night he carried off Rimenhild, and married her in this +castle, holding a great feast at sunrise to celebrate the marriage. + +Horn knew nought of this by word of mouth or letter. But in a dream he +beheld Rimenhild: she seemed to him as though shipwrecked, calling +upon his name; but when she tried to swim to him, Fikenhild appeared +and prevented her. + +When he awoke, Horn told Athulf this vision; and when they had thought +upon the lore of dreams, they agreed that it meant that Rimenhild was +in Fikenhild's sea-girt castle, the fame of which was known to all +men. Straightway they took a ship and sailed to the land hard by where +the castle lay. + +There a certain knight named Arnoldin, cousin of Athulf, met them, and +told them that Fikenhild had just wedded Rimenhild, arid the +wedding-feast was now beginning. + +They could not come nigh the castle openly as enemies, for none could +approach it across the water unless those within were willing to let +him enter. But Horn and some of his knights disguised themselves as +harpers, hiding their swords under long cloaks. + +They took a boat and rowed under the walls of the banqueting-hall, and +there they played and sang merrily, till Fikenhild heard them, and +called them in to the feast. + +When they had come into the hall, they began to sing again, at +Fikenhild's bidding. But soon Horn looked once more upon his ring, and +then, with a shout, he and his companions fell upon Fikenhild and his +men and slew every one of them. + +The tale is soon told. Horn made Arnoldin king in Fikenhild's +castle. Athulf he sent to Thurston's court, where in a little time he +married the princess Reynild; and Horn went back to his kingdom of +Suddenne, and there made Rimenhild his queen. Long and happily they +reigned in true love and in fear of God. + + + + +HAVELOK HID FROM THE TRAITOR + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +In former days there was a King of England called Athelwold; the very +flower of England was he, and he ruled justly and well. All things in +his realm he ordered strictly, and maintained truth and right +throughout the land. Under his rule robbers and traitors were put +down; men bought and sold freely, without fear, and wrongdoers were so +hard pressed that they could but lurk and creep in secret corners. +Athelwold set up justice in his kingdom. There was mercy for the +fatherless in his day; his judgments could not be turned aside by +bribes of silver and gold. If any man did evil, the king's arm reached +him to punish him, were he never so wary and strong. + +This Athelwold had no heir, save only one daughter, very fair to look +upon, named Goldborough. But ere she grew up, the king fell ill of a +dire sickness. He knew well that his time was come, and that death was +nigh him. "What shall I do now?" he said in his heart. "How shall my +daughter fare when I am dead? My heart is troubled for her: I think +nought of myself. She cannot yet speak or walk: if she were of age to +ride, she could rule England, and I would care nothing about dying." + +But it was idle to lament. The king was sure in his mind that he must +die, and he sent messengers to all his vassals, to his earls, and his +barons, rich and poor, from Roxburgh to Dover, bidding them come to +him speedily where he lay sick. + +All those who heard his message were sad at the tidings, and prayed +that he might be delivered from death. They came with all speed to the +king at Winchester. + +"Welcome," said he, when they entered the hall of his dwelling. "Full +glad am I that you are come. You see in what sorry case I lie. I have +bidden you here that you may know that my daughter shall be your lady +when I, your lord, am dead. But she is yet a child, and I am fain to +make some true man her guardian till she be a woman grown: I will that +Godrich, Earl of Cornwall, do guard her and bring her up. He is a true +man, wise in counsel and wise in deed, and men have him in awe." + +They brought a holy book to the king. On it he made Earl Godrich swear +a solemn oath to keep Goldborough well and truly, till she was of age +to rule and to order the realm of England wisely. Then the little +maid was given to the earl, her new guardian. Athelwold thanked the +earl, and bade him to be true to his charge; and in a little while +death took the good king. + +When King Athelwold was dead, Godrich ruled England. In every castle +he set some knight of his own, whom he could trust: all the English +folk he caused to take an oath to be faithful to him; and in a little +while Athelwold's realm was altogether in his power. + +In the meantime Goldborough was kept at Winchester, and brought up as +befitted a king's daughter. Every day she seemed to grow in wisdom and +fairness, till when she was twenty years old there was none like her +in the land. But Godrich, when he saw how good and how fair she was, +grew jealous of her. "Shall she be queen over me?" he thought. "Must I +give up my kingdom and my power to her? She has waxed all too proud; I +have treated her with too great gentleness. She shall not be queen. I +will rule, and after me my son shall be king." + +As that treason crept into his mind, he forgot his oath to Athelwold, +caring not a straw for it. Without more ado he sent for Goldborough +from Winchester and took her to Dover. There he set her in a strong +castle, and clad her meanly, and guarded her so strictly that no man +could see her or come at her without his leave. + +Now it chanced that about this time the same thing came to pass in +Denmark as in England. Birkabeyn, King of Denmark, died, and at his +death gave to one Earl Godard the charge of his kingdom and of his son +Havelok and his two daughters, Swanborough and Elfled. Godard stood by +his oath no better than Godrich, but cast all three children into +prison, and well-nigh starved them to death. But when they had lain in +prison for a little time, and were nearly dead of hunger, he went to +see them. + +"How do you fare?" he asked, for Havelok ran to him, and crept upon +his knees when he sat down, and looked up joyfully into his face. "I +hear that you moan and cry: why is this?" + +"We hunger sore," answered Havelok. "We have nought to eat, and no man +has brought us meat or drink. We are nigh dead of hunger." + +Godard heard his words, but felt no pity; he cared not a straw for +their misery. He took Swanborough and Elfled by the hand, and slew +them then and there. Then he turned to Havelok and would have slain +him also. But the boy in terror cried for mercy. "Have pity," he said. +"Spare me and I will give you all Denmark, and will vow never to take +up arms against you. Let me live, and I will flee from Denmark this +very day, and never more come back; I will take oath that Birkabeyn +was not my father." + +At that some touch of doubt came into Godard's mind. He put up his +knife, and looked at Havelok. "If I let him go alive," he thought, +"he might work me much woe. He shall die, but not now; I will cast him +in the sea and drown him." + +He went thence, and sent for a fisherman named Grim. "Grim," he said, +"you are my thrall; do my will and to-morrow I will give you your +freedom. Take the boy Havelok at night to the sea and cast him +therein." + +Grim took the boy, and bound him with strong cords, and bore him on +his back to his cottage, and showed him to his wife Leve. "You see +this boy, wife," said he. "I am to drown him in the sea; when I have +done it, I shall be made a free man, and much gold will be ours; so +has our Lord Godard promised." + +When Dame Leve heard that, she started up, and threw Havelok down so +roughly that he hurt his head on a great stone that lay on the ground. +"Alas that ever I was a king's son!" he moaned in his pain; and he lay +there where he fell till night-time. + +When night fell Grim made ready for his task. "Rise up, wife, blow +the fire," said he. "Light a candle. I must keep my word to my lord." + +Leve rose to tend the fire. Her eyes fell on Havelok, who still lay on +the ground. Round him, she marvelled to see, shone a bright light, and +out of his mouth proceeded light as it were a sunbeam. + +"What is that light?" quoth Dame Leve. "Grim, look what it means; +what is this light?" + +Grim went to Havelok, and unbound him. He rolled back the shirt from +the boy's shoulder. There he saw, bright and clear, a king's +birthmark. + +"Heaven help us," said Grim, "this is the heir to Denmark, who should +be king and lord of us all. He will work Godard great harm." Then he +fell on his knees before Havelok. "Lord king," he said, "have mercy on +me and on Leve here. We are both yours, lord, both your servants. We +will keep you and nurture you till you can ride and bear shield and +spear; Godard shall know nought of it. Some day I will take my freedom +at your hands, not at his." + +Then was Havelok blithe and glad. He sat up and asked for bread. "I am +well-nigh dead," he said, "with hunger and hardship." + +They fed him and cared for him, and lastly put him to bed; and he +slept soundly. On the morrow Grim went to the traitor Godard. "I have +done your will on the boy, lord," he said. "He is drowned in the +sea. Now I pray you give me gold for a reward, and grant me my +freedom, as you vowed." + +Godard looked at him, fierce and cruel of mien. "Will you not rather +be made an earl, proud knave?" he asked. "Go home, fool; go, and be +evermore a thrall and churl, [Footnote: An Ignorant laborer of the +lowest rank.] as you have ever been; no other reward shall be +yours. For very little I would lead you to the gallows for your wicked +deed." + +Grim went away. "What shall I do?" he thought as he hurried home. "He +will assuredly hang me on the gallows-tree. It were better to flee out +of the land altogether." + +He came home and told Leve all; and they took counsel together. Soon +Grim sold all his possessions. Only his boat he kept; and that he +made ready for a voyage, till there was not so much as a nail wanting +to make it better. Then he took on board his wife and his three sons, +Robert the Red, William Wendat, and Hugh Raven, and his two fair +daughters, Gunnild and Levive, and Havelok; and they set sail. + +The wind blew fair behind them, and drove them out to sea. Long did +they sail, and came at last to England, to Lindsey at the mouth of the +Humber. They landed safely; and before long Grim began to make a +little house of clay and turf for them to dwell in. He named the place +after himself, Grimsby; and so men call it now, and shall call it +forever, from now even to doomsday. + + + + +HAVELOK MARRIED AGAINST HIS WILL + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +Grim was a skilful fisherman, and caught many good fish. Great baskets +did he make, and others his sons made; and they carried the fish +inland in these baskets, and sold them. All over the country did Grim +go with his fish, and came home always with store of bread, or corn, +or beans, against their need. Much he sold in the fair town of +Lincoln, and counted many a coin after his sales there. + +Thus Grim fared for many winters; and Havelok worked with the rest, +thinking it no shame to toil like any thrall, though he was a king's +son born. + +There came at last a year of great dearth. Corn was so scarce that all +men were in poverty, and Grim did not know how to feed all his +family. For Havelok he had great dread, for he was strong and lusty, +and would eat more than he could earn. And soon the fish in the sea +also began to fail them, so that they were in sore straits. But Grim +cared more for Havelok than for all his own family; all his thoughts +ran on Havelok. + +"Dear son Havelok," he said at last, "we shall die of hunger anon; all +our food is gone. It is better for you to go hence, and strive for +yourself only, and not try to help us here. You are stout and strong; +go to Lincoln; there is many a man of substance there, who might take +you in service. It were better for you to serve there than to see us +starve here and to starve along with us. Would that I could clothe you +fitly! Alas I am too poor. Yet for your sake I will cut up the sail +of my boat and make you a cloak of it to cover your rags." + +He took the sail from his boat, and cut it up rudely into a cloak for +Havelok. Then Havelok bade him God-speed, and set out, and came in +time to the city of Lincoln. + +He had no friend in Lincoln, and knew no man. For two days he went to +and fro, fasting; no man had work or food for him. But on the third +day he heard a cry, "Porters, porters, hither quickly!" He sprang +forward like a spark from coal, and thrust aside all who stood in his +path; sixteen stout lads did he knock down, and came to where fish was +being laden into carts for Earl Godrich of Cornwall. There stood the +earl's cook, calling for men to load the carts; and Havelok fell to +work with a will at his bidding. + +When all was done, "Will you take service with me?" said the cook to +Havelok. "I will pay you good hire and feed you well." + +"Give me enough to eat, good sir," answered Havelok, "and I care not +what you pay me. I will blow your fire, and fetch wood and water; I +can wash dishes, and cleave faggots, and clean eels, and do all that +you need." + +"You shall be my man," answered the cook. + +So Havelok took service in Earl Godrich's household, and drew water +and cut wood. Strong and large was he of body, and fair to look on. + +Earl Godrich was lord of all England; it lay as it were in his +hand. Many men were wont to come to him at Lincoln to talk of great +things; and they held a parliament there, and came thither with a +great train of men-at-arms and followers, so that the town was always +full of folk coming and going. + +It chanced one day that eight or ten young men began to play together +near where Havelok was at work; they fell to throwing a great stone, +huge and heavy. He must needs be a stout man who could so much as lift +it to his knee. But those who threw it now were champions, and could +cast it many a foot. + +Havelok looked on and longed to throw against them; and his master, +seeing his looks, bade him go and try what he could do. He took the +stone and poised it well; and at the first effort he threw it twelve +feet or more farther than any other man. + +"We have been here too long," said the rest. "This lad is mightier +than any of us; it is time for us to go hence." + +They went away, and spread the news that there was at Lincoln a lad +mightier than any man of that day; and Havelok's fame grew and was +known far and wide. It came at last to Earl Godrich's ears. + +"This is a stout knave," thought the earl, when he heard of Havelok's +strength. "I would that he were wedded to Goldborough; he is the +fairest and strongest man in England, and if I gave Goldborough to +him, I should keep my word to Athelwold in some sort, for there is +none like Havelok: no better man could she desire. And if she were +wedded to him, she would be out of my way, and I should be secure in +my rule, and my son should reign in England after me." + +Thus he thought and planned secretly. Anon he sent for Goldborough, +and brought her to Lincoln. At her coming he caused bells to be rung, +and there was great rejoicing; but he was nevertheless full of +craft. "You shall have the fairest man alive for husband," he said to +Goldborough; "therefore have I sent for you." + +"I will wed no man but a king or a king's son, be he ever so fair," +she answered boldly. + +"Would you gainsay me as if you were queen and lady over me?" cried +Godrich in great wrath. "You shall have a churl for husband, and no +other. My cook's knave shall wed you; he shall be your lord. To-morrow +shall you be wedded to him." + +Goldborough wept and prayed his mercy, but it was of no avail. On the +morrow the church-bell was rung, and Godrich sent for Havelok. "Master, +are you minded to marry?" he asked. + +"Nay, by my life," quoth Havelok. "What should I do with a wife? I +cannot feed her or clothe her; I have no house and no possessions. The +very clothes I wear are the cook's, and I am his servant." + +"If you do not take to wife her whom I will give you," said Godrich, +"I will hang you high aloft, or thrust out your eyes." + +At that Havelok was sore afraid, and granted all that Godrich +bade. Then Godrich sent for Goldborough. "You will take this man for +husband," he said, "or you go to the gallows, unless rather I burn you +at the stake." + +She was afraid at his threats, and dared not refuse, though she liked +it ill. So they two were wedded perforce, and neither took joy in it. + + + + +HAVELOK WINS BACK HIS KINGDOM + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +When they were married, Havelok knew not what to do. He had no home +whereto he might take Goldborough. Godrich had such hatred for +Athelwold's daughter that he would do nought to aid them; and Havelok +was in sore straits till he bethought himself of Grimsby. + +Straightway he took Goldborough to Grimsby. But Grim himself was +dead. Nevertheless his sons welcomed Havelok gladly. + +"Welcome, dear lord, and welcome to your fair lady," they said. "We +have here horses and nets and ships, gold and silver, and much else +that Grim our father bequeathed. But he bade us give them to you; take +them, dear lord; they are all yours. You shall be our lord, and we +will be your servants in all things." + +So Havelok came back to Grimsby. But on the night of his coming +Goldborough was sad and sorrowful as she lay beside him, and she could +not sleep. Her wakeful eyes fell on Havelok, and she was aware +suddenly of a wondrous sight. A bright light, clear and flaming, +issued from his mouth, and lit up all the chamber. "What may this +mean?" she said to herself in sore dread. "Does it show me that some +high fortune shall come upon Havelok?" + +She looked again, and saw a new wonder. On Havelok's shoulder a king's +mark shone, a noble cross of red gold; and as she looked, an angel's +voice spoke to her: + +"Goldborough, let your sorrow be; Havelok, your husband, is a king's +son and a king's heir. The golden cross signifies that he shall +possess all Denmark and England, and shall be king of both realms." + +When she heard the angel's voice Goldborough could not contain her +joy, but turned and kissed Havelok as he slept. Havelok had not heard +the angel, but he started out of his sleep at Goldborough's kiss. + +"Dear lady, are you awake?" he said. "A strange dream have I just +dreamed. I thought I was in Denmark, on the highest hill that ever I +came to; it was so high that I could see, it seemed, all the world +spread out. As I sat there, I began to possess Denmark, with all its +towns and strong castles; and my arms were so long that I surrounded +in one grasp all Denmark, and drew it towards me till every man +therein cleaved to me. Another dream I dreamed also, that I flew over +the salt sea to England, and with me went all the folk of Denmark. +When I came to England, I took it all into my hand, and, Goldborough, +I gave it to you. Dear wife, what may this be?" + +"May these dreams turn to joy, Havelok, as I deem they will," answered +Goldborough. "I say to you that you shall wear the crown of England in +time to come, and Denmark shall kneel at your feet. Within a year this +shall come to pass. Let us two go to Denmark speedily; and do you +pray Grim's sons that they go with you, all three." + +On the morrow Havelok went to church and besought aid of God. Then he +betook himself to Grim's three sons, Robert, and William, and Hugh. +"Listen now to me," he said, "and I will tell you a thing concerning +myself. My father was king of the Danish land, and I should have been +his heir; but a wicked man seized the kingdom when my father died, and +slew my two sisters, and gave me to Grim to drown, but Grim spared me +and brought me hither, as you know. Now I am come to an age when I can +wield weapons and deal stout blows; and never will I take comfort till +I see Denmark again. I pray you come thither with me; I will reward +you well and will give each of you ten castles, with the land and +towns and woods that belong thereto." + +"We will follow you whithersoever you bid us, Havelok," they answered, +"and we will, if it please God, win back your kingdom for you." + +Havelok gave them due thanks, and began straightway to prepare all +things for his going to Denmark. Soon he had made ready, and they set +sail. + +Their voyage prospered, and they landed safely in Denmark, in the +dominions of one Ubbe, a rich earl, who had been a friend of King +Birkabeyn, Havelok's father. + +When Havelok heard who was lord of that part of Denmark, he was glad, +and set out to go to Ubbe's castle in good hope. He dared not say yet +that he was Birkabeyn's son, for if Earl Godard heard of it, he would +come against him and slay him before he could win any followers. But +he went to Ubbe and spoke him fair and courteously, and gave him a +gold ring, and asked leave to settle in that land to be a merchant; +and Ubbe, seeing how strong and comely Havelok was, gladly gave him +leave, and thereafter bade him to a great feast. Havelok went to the +feast, and Goldborough with him, and Grim's sons also; and Ubbe grew +to love him so well that when the feast was ended, he sent him with +ten knights and sixty men-at-arms to the magistrate of those parts, +Bernard Brun, a man of might and substance. + +Bernard was a trusty man, and entertained Havelok and Goldborough and +all their company well. + +But as they sat at meat, there came tidings that a band of sixty +thieves, well armed and fierce, was at the gate, demanding entrance. + +At that news Bernard started up and took a good axe in his hand, and +went to the gate; and Havelok followed him. + +"What do you here, rascals?" cried Bernard, "If I open the door to +you, some of you will rue it." + +"What say you?" answered one of the thieves. "Think you that we are +afraid of you? We shall enter by this gate for all that you can do." +Thereupon he seized a great boulder, and cast it mightily against the +gate, and broke it. + +Havelok saw what befell, and went to the gate. He drew therefrom the +great cross-bar, and threw the gate wide open. "I abide here," he +cried. "Flee, you dogs." + +"Nay," quoth one, "you shall pay for waiting;" and he came running at +Havelok, and the two others close behind with him. But Havelok lifted +up the door-beam, and at one blow slew all three. Then he turned upon +others, and in a moment overthrew four more. But a host of them beset +him with swords, and all his skill could not prevent them from +wounding him: full twenty wounds had he, from crown to toe. But he +began so to mow with the beam that the robbers soon felt how hard he +could smite. There was none who could escape him, and in a little +while he had felled twenty of them. + +Then a great din began to arise, for the rest of the thieves set upon +Havelok and Bernard with all their might. But Hugh and his brothers +heard the noise, and came running with many other men; and before long +there was not one of the thieves left alive. + +On the morrow tidings came to Ubbe that Havelok had slain with a club +more than a score of stout rogues. He went down to Bernard and asked +him what had come to pass; and Bernard, sore wounded from the fight, +showed him his wounds, and told him how sixty robbers had attacked his +house, and how Havelok had slain great plenty of them; but Havelok +also, he said, was grievously wounded. + +Others also of Bernard's men told the like true tale; and Ubbe sent +for Havelok, and when he had seen his wounds, called for a skilful +leech, and took Havelok into his house and cared for him. + +The first night that Havelok lay in Ubbe's house, Ubbe slept nigh him +in a great chamber, with places boarded off for each man. About +midnight he awoke, and saw a great light in the place where Havelok +lay, as bright as if it were day. "What may this be?" he thought. "I +will go myself and see. Perchance Havelok secretly holds revel with +his friends, and has lit many lights. I vow he shall do no such +sottishness in my castle." + +He stood up, and peeped in between the boards that shut Havelok from +him. He saw him sleeping fast, as still as any stone; and he was aware +of a great light coming as it were from Havelok's mouth. + +He was aghast at that sight, and called secretly to his knights and +sergeants and men-at-arms, more than five score of them, and bade them +come and see the strange light; and the light continued to issue from +Havelok's mouth, and to grow in strength till it was as bright as two +hundred wax-candles. + +Havelok's right shoulder was towards Ubbe and his men. + +Suddenly, as they looked at the light, they saw the king's mark on the +shoulder, a bright cross, brighter than gold, sparkling like a +carbuncle stone. Then Ubbe knew that Havelok was a king's son, and he +guessed that he must be Birkaheyn's son, the rightful king. + +When Havelok awoke, he fell at his feet and did obeisance, he and all +his men. "Dear lord," he said, "I know you to be Birkabeyn's son. You +shall be King of Denmark; right soon shall every lord and baron come +and do you homage." Then was Havelok glad and blithe, and gave thanks +to God for His goodness. + +Before long Ubbe dubbed Havelok knight; and as soon as he was knighted +all the barons and lords of those parts came to him and swore fealty; +and anon they crowned him King of Denmark, and set themselves in array +to attack the false Earl Godard. + +But Godard's knights, being weary of his rule, had all gone over to +Havelok; and Grim's son, Robert, sufficed to meet him in combat. +Robert wounded him in the right arm, and they bound him and brought +him before Havelok. + +Sorry now was Godard's lot; all his greatness was gone from him. He +came before Havelok and his nobles, and they gave sentence upon him, +that he should be flayed alive, and then hanged. And so he came to his +end in great misery and torment. + +When Godrich in England heard that Havelok was king of all Denmark, +and purposed (for Havelok had given out that this was his intent) to +come to England and set Goldborough on her throne, he set to work to +gather a great host to meet Havelok when he should come; and he spread +lying tales to make the English hate and fear Havelok, saying that he +would burn and destroy, and oppress them; and by these means he got +together many and led them to Grimsby. + +Afron came Havelok and his men, and landed at Grimsby; and they fought +a great battle. All that day Havelok's men fought with Godrich's men; +and on the morrow they fought again, and Godrich came face to face +with Havelok himself. + +"Godrich," Havelok cried, "you have taken Athelwold's kingdom for +yourself; I claim it for his daughter Goldborough. Yield it up, and I +will forgive you, for you are a doughty knight." + +"Never will I yield," answered Godrich: "I will slay you here." + +He gripped his sword, and smote at Havelok, and clove his shield in +twain. But Havelok drew his own good sword, and with one blow felled +him to the earth. Yet Godrich started up again, and dealt him such a +stroke on the shoulder that his armour was broken, and the blade bit +into the flesh. Then Havelok heaved up his sword in turn, and struck +fiercely, and shore off Godrich's hand, so that he could smite no +more, but yielded as best he might. + +They seized Godrich and fettered him; and all the English took the +oath of fealty to Goldborough, and swore to be her men. Then they +passed judgment on Godrich, and sentenced him to be burnt to death. + +So Havelok and Goldborough came again into their kingdoms; and Havelok +rewarded Grim's sons and made them barons. Havelok was crowned King of +England as well as of Denmark; and full sixty winters did he reign +with Goldborough in great joy and prosperity. + + + + +THE FAIR UNKNOWN + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +Sir Gawain had a son, and he was fair to look on, bright of face and +well-favoured in body. He was named Geynleyn. But for love of his fair +face his mother called him Beau-fys, and no other name; and he never +asked her what he was truly called, for Sir Gawain had wedded this +lady secretly, and none knew that he was Geynleyn's father. On a +certain day Geynleyn went to the woods to hunt the deer, and there he +found a knight in gay armour, lying slain. Geynleyn wondered thereat; +but in a little time he took off the knight's garments, and clad +himself in the rich armour; and when he had done this, he went to +Glastonbury, where King Arthur lay at that time. He came into the hall +before the knights and greeted them. + +"King Arthur, my lord," he said, "grant that I may speak a word, I +pray you. I would fain be made a knight." + +"Tell me your name," answered King Arthur, "for since I was born I +never saw before me one so fair to look on." + +"I know not what is my true name," answered the lad. "While I was at +home, my mother, jesting, called me Beau-fys, and nought else." + +Then said Arthur the king, "This is a wondrous thing, that the boy +should know not his name when he would become a knight; and yet he is +full fair of face. Now will I give him a name before you all. Let him +be called Le Beau Disconus, which is to say, 'The fair unknown': so is +he to be named." Thereupon King Arthur made him a knight, and gave +him bright arms, and girt him with a sword, and hung round him a +shield wrought with the design of a griffin. Sir Gawain took charge of +him to teach him knightly ways. + +When Le Beau Disconus had been made a knight, he asked yet another +boon of the king. "My lord," he said, "I should be right glad in heart +if I might have the first fight that is asked of you." + +"I grant your asking," answered Arthur the king, "whatsoever the +combat be. But you seem too young to do well in a great fight." + +Then they sat down to feast. Not long had they feasted ere there came +a maiden riding, and a dwarf beside her, in a great heat as though +with haste. This maid was called Elene the bright and gentle; no +countess or queen could be her equal in loveliness. She was richly +clad, and the saddle and bridle of her milk-white steed were full of +diamonds. Her dwarf wore silk of India; a stout and bold man was he, +and his beard, yellow as wax, hanged down to his girdle. His shoes +were decked with gold, and truly seemed a knight that felt no poverty. +His name was Teondelayn; he was skilled in playing all musical +instruments. + +The dwarf spoke to the maiden, and bade her tell her errand, and lose +no time. She knelt in the hall before all the knights, and greeted +them with honour, and said, "Never was sadder tidings than I bring. My +lady of Synadown is brought into a strong prison; she prays King +Arthur to send her a knight of stout courage, to win her out of +prison." + +Up started the young knight Le Beau Disconus; his courage was stout +and high. "Arthur, my lord," he said, "I shall take up this combat, +and win the lady bright, if you are true to your word." + +"Certain it is that I have promised even so," said King Arthur. "God +grant you grace and might." + +Then Elene began to complain, and said, "Alas that I was ever sent +hither! Now will the word go forth that Arthur's manhood is lost, if +you send a witless and wild child to deal doughty blows, when there +are here knights of proved valour, Launcelot, Percevale, and Gawain." +Le Beau Disconus answered, "Never yet was I afraid of any man; I have +learned to fight with spear and sword. I will take the battle, and +never forsake it, as is Arthur's law." + +Then said Arthur, "Maiden, you get no other knight of me. If you think +him not man enough, go get another of greater might where you can." +The maid said no more; but for wrath she would neither drink nor eat +at their feast, but sat down with her dwarf till the tables were taken +away. + +King Arthur bade four of the best knights of the Round Table arm Le +Beau Disconus straightway in arms true and perfect. "Through the help +of Christ, he shall hold to his word, and be a good champion to the +lady of Synadown, and uphold all her rights," he said. + +When he was armed Sir Le Beau Disconus sprang on his horse and +received the king's blessing, and set forth a-riding with the maiden +and the dwarf. Till the third day she railed at the young knight +continually; and on the third day, when they came to a certain place, +she said, "Caitiff, now is your pride undone. This vale before us is +kept by a knight who will fight every man that comes; and his fame is +gone far abroad. William Selebranche is he named, and he is a mighty +warrior. Through heart or thigh of all those who come against him he +thrusts his spear." + +"Does he fight so mightily then?" asked Le Beau Disconus. "Has he +never been hit? Whatsoever betides me, against him will I ride and +prove how he fights." + +On they rode all three till they came to a castle in a vale. There +they saw a knight in bright armour. He bore a shield of green, with a +device of three lions: and he was that William Selebranche of whom +maid Elene had spoken. When the knight had sight of them he rode +towards them, and said, "Welcome, fair brother. He that rides here, +day or night, must fight with me, or leave his arms here shamefully." + +"Now let us pass," said Sir Le Beau Disconus, "We have far to go to +our friends, I and this maid; we must needs speed on our way." + +"You shall not escape so," answered William. "Ere you go we will +fight." + +Then said Le Beau Disconus, "Now I see that it must be so. Make ready +quickly and do your best. Take a course with the spear, if you are a +knight of skill, for I am in haste." + +No longer did they wait, but rode together in arms. Le Beau Disconus +smote William in the side with his spear; but William sat firm in his +saddle. Nevertheless so mightily was he struck that his stirrup +leathers were broken, and he swayed over the horse's crupper and fell +to the ground. His steed galloped away, but William started up +speedily. "By my faith, never met I so stout a man," he said. "Now +that my steed is gone, let us fight on foot." They fell to on foot +with falchions. [Footnote: Broad, short swords.] So hard they struck +that sparks flew from their helmets. But William drove his sword +through Le Beau Disconus's shield, and a piece of it fell to the +ground; and thereat Le Beau Disconus was wroth. He smote with his +sword downwards from the crest of William's helmet even to his +hawberk, and shaved off with the point of his blade the knight's +beard, and well-nigh cut the flesh also. Then William smote back so +great a blow that his sword brake in two. + +"Let me go alive," cried William at that, seeing himself reft of his +arms. "It were great villainy to do to death an unarmed knight." + +"I will spare you," said Le Beau Disconus, "if you swear a vow ere we +go from one another. Kneel down, and swear on my sword to go to King +Arthur, and say to him, 'Lord of renown, a knight sent me hither, +defeated and a prisoner: his name is Le Beau Disconus, of unknown kith +and kin.'" + +William went upon his knees and took a vow as Le Beau Disconus bade +him, and thus they departed each on his way. William took the road to +Arthur's court; and it chanced that as he went, he met, on that +self-same day, three proud knights, his own sister's sons. "William +our uncle," said they when they saw his wounds and his sorry array, +"who has done you this shame?" + +"The man is not to blame," answered William. "He was a knight stout +and stern. One thing only grieves me sorely, that I must at his +bidding go to King Arthur's court." And he told them of his vow. + +"You shall be full well avenged," said they. "He alone against us +three is not worth a straw. Go your way, uncle, and fulfil your vow; +and we will assail the traitor ere he be out of this forest." Then +William went on his way to the court of King Arthur. + +But the three knights his nephews armed themselves, and leapt on their +steeds, and without more tarrying went after Le Beau Disconus. + +Le Beau Disconus knew nought of this, but rode on with the fair maid, +and made great mirth with her, for she had seen that he was a true and +doughty knight. She asked pardon for the ill things she had said +against him at the king's court, and he forgave her this trespass; and +the dwarf was their squire, and served them in all their needs. + +At morning when it was day, as they rode on towards Synadown, they saw +three knights in bright mail. They cried to him straightway, "Thief, +turn again and fight." + +"I am ready to ride against you all," quoth Le Beau Disconus. He +pricked his horse towards them. The eldest brother (Sir Gower was his +name) ran against him with a spear; but Le Beau Disconus smote him +such a blow that he broke his thigh, and ever thereafter was lame. The +knight groaned for pain, but Le Beau Disconus with might and main +felled him altogether. + +The next brother came riding fierce as a lion, as if to cast Le Beau +Disconus down. Like a warrior out of his wits he smote Le Beau +Disconus on his helmet with his sword; he struck so hard that the +blade drove through the helmet and touched the young knight's head. + +Then Le Beau Disconus, when he felt the sword touch him, swung his +sword as a madman, and all that he struck he clove through. Though two +were against him--for the third brother also came riding to the +fray--they saw that they had no might to withstand him in his +fury. They yielded up their spears and shields to Le Beau Disconus, +and cried mercy. + +"Nay," answered Le Beau Disconus, "you escape not, unless you plight +me your faith to go to King Arthur, and tell him that I overcame you +and sent you to him. If you do not so, I will slay you all three." The +knights swore to go to King Arthur, and plighted their troth upon +it. Then they departed, and Le Beau Disconus and the fair maid rode on +towards Synadown. All that day they rode, and at night they made their +lodges in the wood out of green leaves and boughs, for they came nigh +no town or castle; and thus for three days they pricked ever +westwards. + + + + +THE FIGHT WITH THE TWO GIANTS + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +As they slept at night the dwarf woke, fearing that thieves might +steal their horses. Suddenly his heart began to quake, for less than +half a mile away he saw a great fire. "Arise, young knight," he +cried. "Arm yourself, and to horse! I doubt there is danger here: I +hear a great sound, and smell burning afar off." + +Le Beau Disconus leapt on his war-horse and took his arms, and rode +towards the fire. When he drew nigh he saw there two giants, one red +and loathly to look upon, the other swarthy as pitch. The black giant +held in his arms a maiden as bright as a flower, while the red giant +was burning a wild boar on a spit before the flaming fire. + +The maiden cried aloud for help. "Alas," she said, "that ever I saw +this day!" + +Then said Le Beau Disconus, "It were a fair venture to save this +maiden from shame. To fight with giants so grim is no child's game." + +He rode against them with his spear, and at the first course smote the +black giant clean through the body and overthrew him, so that never +could he rise again. The maiden his prisoner fled from his grasp, and +betook herself to maid Elene; and they went to the lodge of leaves in +the wood, and prayed for victory for Le Beau Disconus. + +But the red giant, seeing his brother fall, smote at Le Beau Disconus +with the half-roasted boar, like a madman; and he laid on so sore that +Le Beau Disconus's horse was slain. But Le Beau Disconus leapt out of +the saddle, like a spark from a torch, and drove at him with his +falchion, fierce as a lion. The giant fought with his spit till it +broke in two; then he caught up a tree by the roots, and smote Le Beau +Disconus so mightily that his shield was broken into three pieces. But +before the giant could heave up the tree again, Le Beau Disconus +struck off his right arm; and at that sore wound he fell to the +ground, and Le Beau Disconus cut off his head. + +Then Le Beau Disconus turned to the two maidens; and he learned that +she whom he had saved was called Violette, and her father was Sir +Autore, an earl in that country. Long had the two giants sought to +take her; and the day before at eventide they had sprung out upon her +suddenly and carried her off. + +Le Beau Disconus took the giants' heads, and when he had escorted the +maidens to the castle of Sir Autore, he sent the heads to King Arthur. +Sir Autore wished to give him Violette to wife; but Le Beau Disconus +refused, saying that he was upon a quest with fair Elene. And with +that they set forth once more on their journey. + +Presently they came to the fair city of Kardevyle, and saw there in a +park a castle stout and stark, royally built: never such a castle had +they seen. "Oh," said Le Beau Disconus, "here were a worthy thing for +a man to win." + +Then laughed maid Elene. "The best knight in all the country round +owns that castle, one Giffroun," she said. "He that will fight with +him, be it day or night, is bowed down and laid low. For love of his +lady, who is wondrous fair, he has proclaimed that he will bestow a +gerfalcon, white as a swan, on him who brings a fairer lady. But if +she be not so bright and fair as his lady, he must fight this knight +Giffroun, who is a mighty warrior. Giffroun slays him, and sets his +head on a spear, that it may be seen afar abroad; and you may see on +the castle walls a head or two set thus." + +"I will fight this Giffroun," said Sir Le Beau Disconus, "and try for +the gerfalcon; I will say that I have in this town a lady fairer than +his; and if he would see her I will show him you." + +"That were a great peril," said the dwarf. "Sir Giffroun beguiles many +a knight in combat." + +"Heed not that," answered Le Beau Disconus. "I will see his face ere +I go westward from this city." + +Without more ado they went to the town, and dwelt there in the inn for +the night. In the morn Le Beau Disconus rose and armed himself, and +rode with the dwarf towards Giffroun's palace. + +Sir Giffroun, when he came out of his house, saw Le Beau Disconus +advancing as proudly as a prince. He rode out to him, and cried in a +loud voice, "Come you for good or for ill?" + +"I should have a great delight in fighting you," answered Le Beau +Disconus, "for you say a grievous thing, that there is no woman so +fair as your lady. I have in this town one fairer, and therefore I +shall take your gerfalcon and give it to Arthur the king." + +"Gentle knight," said Giffroun, "how shall we prove which of the two be +fairer?" + +"Here in Kardevyle city," said Le Beau Disconus, "they shall both be +set in the market-place where all men may look on them. If my lady be +not esteemed so fair as yours, I will fight with you to win the +gerfalcon." + +"All this I grant," said Sir Giffroun. "This day shall it be done." +And he held up his glove for a proof. + +Sir Le Beau Disconus rode to his lodging, and bade maid Elene put on +her seemliest robes. Then he set her on a dappled palfrey, and they +rode forth to the market-place. Presently came also Sir Giffroun +riding, with his lady and two squires. And the lady was so lovely +that no man could describe her. All, young and old, judged that she +was fairer than Elene; she was as sweet as a rose in an arbour, and +Elene seemed but a laundry-maid beside her. + +Then said Sir Giffroun, "Sir Le Beau Disconus, you have lost the +gerfalcon." + +"Nay," said Le Beau Disconus, "we will joust for it. If you bear me +down, take my head and the falcon; and if I bear you down, the falcon +shall go with me." + +They rode to the lists, and many people with them. At the first course +each smote the other on the shield, so that their lances were broken; +and the sound of their onset was as thunder. Sir Giffroun called for a +lance that would not break. "This young knight is as firm in his +saddle as a stone in the castle wall," quoth he. "But were he as bold +a warrior as Alexander or Arthur, Launcelot or Percevale, I will shake +him out over his horse's crupper." + +Together they charged again. Le Beau Disconus smote Giffroun's shield +from his arm at the shock: never yet had man been seen to joust so +stoutly. Giffroun, like a madman, struck furiously back at him, but Le +Beau Disconus sat so firm that Giffroun was thrown, horse and all, and +broke his leg. + +All men said that Giffroun had lost the white gerfalcon; and they bore +him into the town upon his shield. But Le Beau Disconus sent the white +gerfalcon to King Arthur for a gift, and the king sent him a hundred +pounds' weight of florins. And thereafter he feasted forty days in +Kardevyle. + +At the end of this feasting, Le Beau Disconus and maid Elene took +their leave of Kardevyle, and rode towards Synadown. As they were +riding, they heard horns blowing hard under a hill, and the noise of +hounds giving tongue in the vale. "To tell truth," said the dwarf +Teondelayn, "I know that horn well. One Sir Otes de Lyle blows it; he +served my lady some while, but in great peril fled into Wirral." + +As they rode talking, a little hound came running across their way; +never man saw hound so gay; it was of all colours of flowers that +bloom between May and midsummer. + +"Never saw I jewel," said maid Elene, "that so pleased me. Would I had +him!" + +Le Beau Disconus caught the hound, and gave him to her. And they went +on their way. They had scarce ridden a mile before they saw a hind +fleeing, and two greyhounds close upon it. They stopped and waited +under a linden tree to watch; and they saw riding behind the hounds a +knight clad in silk of India, upon a bay horse. He began to blow his +bugle, so that his men should know where he was. But when he saw Le +Beau Disconus, and the dog in maid Elene's arms, he drew rein and +said. "Sir, that hound is mine; I have had him these seven years +past. Friends, let him go." + +"That shall never be," said Le Beau Disconus, "for with my two hands I +gave him to this maiden." + +Straightway answered Sir Otes de Lyle (for it was he), "Then you are +in peril." + +"Churl," said Le Beau Disconus, "I care not for whatever you say." + +"Those are evil words, sir," said Sir Otes. "Churl was never my name. +My father was an earl and the Countess of Karlyle my mother. Were I +armed now, even as you are, we would fight. If you give me not the +hound, you shall play a strange game ere evening." + +"Whatsoever you do," answered Le Beau Disconus, "this hound shall go +with me." + +Then they took their way westward once more. But Sir Otes rode home to +his castle, and sent for his friends, and told them that one of +Arthur's knights had used him shamefully and taken his little hound. +They armed themselves, and when all was ready, rode out after Le Beau +Disconus. Upon a high hill they saw him riding slowly. "Traitor, you +shall die for your trespass," they cried to him, when they came a +little distance from him. + +Sir Le Beau Disconus beheld how full of knights the vale was. "Maid +Elene," he said, "we are come into a sorry case for the sake of this +little hound. It were best that you go into the greenshaws and hide +your heads. For though I be slain, yet will I abide combat with these +knights." + +Into the woods they rode; but Le Beau Disconus stayed without, as +beseems an adventurous knight. They shot at him with bows and +arbalists, [Footnote: A crossbow] but he charged with his horse, and +bore down horse and man and spared none; whosoever Le Beau Disconus +struck, after the first blow that man slept for evermore. + +But soon Le Beau Disconus was beset as in a net. Twelve knights came +riding through the forest, in arms clear and bright: all day they had +rested, and thought thereby to slay Le Beau Disconus. One of them was +Sir Otes himself and they smote at Le Beau Disconus all at once, and +thought to fell him. + +Fierce was the fight; sword rang on steel, sparks sprang from shield +and helmet. Le Beau Disconus slew three, and four flew. But Sir Otes +and his four sons stayed to sell their lives there. + +Le Beau Disconus against those five fought like a madman. His sword +brake, and he took a great blow on his helmet that bore him down. Then +the foeman thought to slay him outright; but Le Beau Disconus was +minded suddenly of his axe that was at his hinder saddle-bow. He +quitted himself like a true knight: three steeds he hewed down in +three strokes. + +Sir Otes saw that sight, and turned his horse and fled. Le Beau +Disconus stood no longer on defence, but pursued him, and caught him +under a chestnut tree and made him yield. + +Le Beau Disconus sent this knight also to King Arthur for a sign of +his powers; and himself and maid Elene went to Sir Otes's castle, and +there rested and were refreshed. + + + + +IN THE CASTLE OF THE SORCERERS + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +When they had tarried at this castle a certain time, they rode forth +again. It was the month of June, when the days are long and birds' +songs are merry. Sir Le Beau Disconus and maid Elene and the dwarf +Teondelayn came riding by a river-side, and saw a great and proud +city, with high strong castles and many gates. Le Beau Disconus asked +the name of this city. + +"They call it Golden Isle," answered maid Elene. "Here hath been more +fighting than in any country, for a lady of price, fair as a rose, has +put this land in peril. A giant named Maugis, whose like is nowhere on +earth, has laid siege to her. He is as black as pitch, stern and stout +indeed. He that would pass the bridge into her castle must lay down +his arms and do a reverence to the giant." + +Then said Le Beau Disconus, "I shall not turn aside for him. If God +give me grace, ere this day's end I will overthrow him." + +They rode all three towards the fair city. On a wooden bridge they saw +Maugis, as bold as a wild boar. His shield was black, and all his +armour black also. When he saw Le Beau Disconus, he cried, "Tell me, +fellow in white, what are you? Turn home again for your own profit." + +"Arthur made me a knight," said Le Beau Disconus, "and to him I made a +vow that I would never turn back. Therefore, friend in black, make +ready." + +They rode forthright at one another. Their lances brake at the first +blows. But they drew swords in a fury and rushed at one another. Le +Beau Disconus smote the giant's shield so that it fell from him; but +Maugis in turn slew Le Beau Disconus's steed with a great blow on its +head. Le Beau Disconus said nought, but started up from his dead +charger and took his axe: a great blow he struck, that shore the head +of Maugis's horse clean from its body. + +Then they fell to on foot, and no man can tell of the blows that +passed from one to the other; and they fought till evening drew nigh. + +Sir Le Beau Disconus thirsted sore, and said, "Maugis, let me go to +drink. I will grant you what boon you ask of me in like case. Great +shame would it be to slay a knight by thirst." + +Maugis granted it, but when Le Beau Disconus went to the river and +drank, Maugis struck him unawares such a blow that he fell into the +river. "Now am I truly refreshed," cried Le Beau Disconus, as he +climbed out. "I will repay you for this." + +Then a new fight was begun, and they continued till darkness grew +apace. At length Le Beau Disconus struck such a blow that the giant's +right arm was shorn off. Thereupon Maugis fled, but Le Beau Disconus +ran swiftly after him and with three stern strokes clove his backbone. +Then Le Beau Disconus smote off the giant's head, and went into the +town; and all the folk welcomed him. + +A fair lady came down to meet him, called Le Dame d'Amour; and she +thanked him for his aid against the giant, and led him to her +palace. There he was clad in clean raiment, and feasted, and the lady +would have had him be lord of her city and castle. + +Le Beau Disconus granted her prayer, and gave her his love, for she +was indeed fair and bright. Alas that he did not refrain! Twelve +months and more he dwelt there; and fair Elene was afraid lest he +might never go thence, for the lady of the castle knew much of +sorcery, and put a charm upon Le Beau Disconus so that he wished never +to leave her. + +But it fell on a day that Le Beau Disconus met maid Elene by chance +within the castle. "Sir knight," she said, "you are false of faith to +King Arthur. For love of a sorceress you do great dishonour. The lady +of Synadown lies in prison yet!" + +At her words Le Beau Disconus thought his heart would break for sorrow +and shame. By a postern-gate he crept away from the lady of the +castle, and took with him his horse and his armour and rode forth with +maid Elene and the dwarf and a squire named Gyfflet. Fast they rode +without ceasing till on the third day they came in sight of the strong +city of Synadown. + +But Le Beau Disconus wondered at a custom he saw as he descried the +town. For all the waste and refuse that was cast outside the town was +gathered again by the folk and kept. + +"What means this?" asked Sir Le Beau Disconus. + +"This it is," said maid Elene. "No knight may abide here without leave +of a steward called Sir Lambard. Ride to that eastern gate yonder, and +ask his leave to enter fairly and well; ere he grants it, he will +joust with you. And if he bears you down, he will blow his trumpets, +and all through Synadown, at the sound thereof, the maidens and boys +will throw on you this filth and mud that they have gathered; and so +to your life's end will you be known as a coward, and King Arthur +shall lose his honour through you." + +"That were great shame for any man living," said Sir Le Beau Disconus. +"I will meet this man. Gyfflet, make me ready." Then they made ready +and rode to the castle gate, and asked where knights might find +lodging. The porter let them in and asked, "Who is your overlord?" + +"King Arthur, the well of courtesy and flower of chivalry, is my +lord," answered Le Beau Disconus. + +The porter went and told Sir Lambard of the knight, and Sir Lambard +was glad, and vowed to joust with him. Thereupon the porter came again +to Le Beau Disconus, and said, "Adventurous knight, ride to the field +without the castle gate, and arm you speedily, for my lord would joust +with you." + +Sir Le Beau Disconus rode to the field and made ready. Presently there +came the steward all armed for the fight, and they fell to. Long and +fierce was the fray, but at the last Le Beau Disconus struck Sir +Lambard so fiercely that he was borne clean out of his saddle +backwards. + +"Will you have more?" asked Sir Le Beau Disconus. + +"Nay," answered Sir Lambard. "Never since I was born came I against +such a knight. If you will fight for my lady, you are welcome, sir +knight." + +"Nay," said Sir Le Beau Disconus, "but I fight for a lady even now." +Then they went into Sir Lambard's castle and feasted and were right +merry. Sir Lambard and Sir Le Beau Disconus spoke much of adventures, +and at last Sir Le Beau Disconus asked him concerning his quest. "What +is the knight's name who holds in prison the gentle lady of Synadown?" + +"Nay, sir, knight is he none. Two magicians are her foes, false in +flesh and bone: Mabon and Irayn are their names, and they have made +this town a place of strange magic arts. They hold this noble lady in +prison, and often we hear her cry, but have no power to come to +her. They have sworn to slay her if she will not do their will, and +give up to them all her rights in this fair dukedom which is hers." + +They took their rest. On the morrow Le Beau Disconus clad himself in +his best armour, and rode forth to the gate of the great palace of +Synadown; and with him for escort came Lambard and his knights. + +They found the gate open, but no further durst any man go save Le Beau +Disconus and his squire Gyfflet; and Le Beau Disconus made Gyfflet +also turn back with the rest. + +Then he rode alone into the palace, and alighted at the great hall. He +saw minstrels before the dais, and a fire burning brightly, but no +lord of the palace was there. Le Beau Disconus paced through all the +chambers, and saw no one but minstrels who made merry. Le Beau +Disconus went further, seeking those whom he should fight. He peered +into all the corners, and looked on wondrous pillars of jasper and +fine crystal; but never a foe did he see. + +At last he sat him down at the dais in the great hall. As he sat, the +minstrels ceased their music and vanished, and the torches were +extinguished; doors and windows shook like thunder, and the very +stones of the walls fell round him. The dais began to quake, and the +roof above opened. + +As he sat thus dismayed, believing that he was betrayed by magic, he +heard horses neigh. "Yet may I hope to joust," he said, better +pleased. He looked out into a field, and there he saw two knights come +riding with spear and shield; their armour was of rich purple, with +golden garlands. One of the knights rode into the hall. "Sir knight," +he cried, "proud though you be, you must fight with us." + +"I am ready to fight," answered Le Beau Disconus, and he leapt into +his saddle, and rode against the knight. His might bore Mabon (for it +was he) over his horse's tail: the hinder saddle-bow broke, and he +fell. With that rode in Irayn fully armed, fresh for the fight, and +meaning with main and might to assail Sir Le Beau Disconus. But Le +Beau Disconus was aware of him, and bore down on him with his spear, +leaving Mabon where he had fallen. They broke their lances at the +first stroke, and fell to with swords. As they fought, Mabon rose up +from the ground, and ran to aid Irayn. But Le Beau Disconus fought +both, and kept himself back warily. + +When Irayn saw Mabon, he smote fiercely at Le Beau Disconus and struck +his steed. But Sir Le Beau Disconus returned his blow, and shore off +his thigh, skin and bone and all: of no avail were his arms or his +enchantments then! + +Then Le Beau Disconus turned swiftly again to Mabon; and Mabon with a +great blow broke the knight's sword. But Le Beau Disconus ran to +Irayn, where he lay dying, and drew from him his sword, and rushed +fiercely upon Mabon once more, and smote off his left arm with the +shield. + +"Hold, gentle knight," said Mabon, "and I will yield that to your +will, and will take you to the fair lady. Through the wound from that +sword I am undone, for I poisoned both it and mine, to make certain of +slaying you." + +"I will have none of your gifts, were I to win all this world by +them," said Le Beau Disconus. "Lay on. One of us shall die." + +Then they fell to again, and so fiercely did Le Beau Disconus fight +that in a little while he cleft Mabon's head and helmet in twain. + +When Mabon was slain, he ran to where he had left Irayn, meaning to +cleave his head also. But Irayn was not there; he had been borne away, +whither Le Beau Disconus did not know. He sought him everywhere, and +when he found him not, he believed that he was caught in a snare, and +fell on his knees and prayed. As he prayed a marvel came to pass. In +the stone wall a window opened, and a great dragon issued therefrom. +It had the face of a woman, fair and young, her body and wings shone +like gold; her tail was loathly, and her paws grim and great. + +Le Beau Disconus's heart sank within him, and he trembled. Ere he +could think, the dragon clasped him by the neck and kissed him; and +lo! as it kissed him, the tail and wings fell from it, and he saw +before him the fairest lady that ever he looked upon. + +"Gentle knight," she said, "you have slain the two magicians, my +foes. They changed me into a dragon, and bade me keep that shape till +I had kissed Sir Gawain or some other knight of kin to Sir Gawain. You +have saved my life: I will give you fifteen castles and myself for +wife, if it be King Arthur's will." + +Then was Le Beau Disconus glad and blithe, and leapt on his horse and +rode back to Sir Lambard to bring him these good tidings; and +presently there came to him from the palace the lady herself, richly +clad, and all the people of the town made a fair procession in her +train. Every knight in Synadown did her homage and fealty as was due +to her. Seven nights did they abide in the castle with Lambard, and +then Sir Le Beau Disconus returned with the fair lady to King Arthur, +and at his court gave thanks to God for their adventures. King Arthur +gave the lady to Le Beau Disconus for wife; and the joy of that bridal +can be told in no tale or song. + + + + +TALES TOLD BY CHAUCER'S CANTERBURY PILGRIMS + + +Geoffrey Chaucer, born about 1340, was the first great English poet. +The immense popularity of the Canterbury Tales is shown by the number +of manuscript copies still in existence. It was one of the first books +printed in England. + +The vividness with which the author describes scenes and events and +people, as if he had them before his eyes, is one of his greatest +charms as a writer. Those who know him best place him second only to +Shakespeare as a writer of delightful English. + +The spelling of Chaucer's time differs so much from ours that the +difficulty of reading it discourages a great many people. The few +stories here given are retold in the language of to-day. + + + + +THE OLD WOMAN AND THE KNIGHT + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +In the old days of King Arthur all the land was filled with fairies, +and the elf queen and her merry company held many a dance in the green +meadows where now you will see never one of them. But that was many +hundred years ago. + +It happened that there was at King Arthur's court a young knight, in +the full vigour and pride of his strength, who one day, as he was +riding out, came upon a maiden walking all alone. She was very +beautiful, and the sight of her made him forget his knighthood. + +He went up to her, and tried to carry her off with him by force; but +before he could succeed help came, and he was seized and taken before +the king. + +The king sentenced him to die, according to the law at that time, and +he would surely have been put to death if the queen and her ladies had +not long and earnestly prayed for mercy. The king at last relented and +granted him his life, and left it to the queen to say what punishment +should be given him. + +When the queen had thanked King Arthur she sent for the knight. She +did not wish to let him go wholly free. + +"You are still in danger of losing your life," she said to him; "but I +will give you your freedom on one condition: you must find me the +answer to the question--'What is it that women most desire?' If you +cannot now give me the answer that I have in my mind you shall have a +year and a day in which to learn it. Do your best, and take great +care, for if at the end of that time you still cannot answer, you must +die." + +The knight pondered awhile, but he could not guess the answer at once. + +So he pledged himself to return to the court at the end of a year and +a day, and went away very sorrowfully. + +How was he to find the answer to the riddle? He thought for a long +time by himself, and then asked every one he met what it was that +women loved best. But nowhere could he discover two people who agreed +in saying the same thing. Some told him the answer was honour; some, +riches; others, fine clothing; others, again, flattery. But none of +these replies pleased the knight, and he could not guess anyhow what +it was that the queen had in her mind as the right answer. + +He wandered far and wide in his mournful search for some one wise +enough to help him. At length the time came when he had to turn +homewards again, in order to return to the queen by the appointed +day. His way lay through a forest, and he was riding along sadly +enough when suddenly he saw a strange sight. In a little glade just in +front of him was a ring of fair ladies dancing, four-and-twenty or +more of them; but as he drew nigh eagerly to look at them more +closely, and see if by chance lie might gain an answer from them, they +all vanished. + +In the place where they had been not a living thing remained except an +old woman sitting on the grass. When he came near to her he saw that +she was withered and ugly, and as horrible a sight as could be +imagined, + +"Sir knight," she said to him, standing up, "this road leads to no +place. Whither are you going? Tell me your errand, and perchance I +can help you. We old folk have knowledge of many things." + +"Old mother," he said, "my trouble is this: I am as good as dead if I +cannot discover what it is that women love best. If you could help me +I would reward you well." And he told her the conditions on which his +life was spared. + +"Give me your word here and now that you will do the next thing that I +ask of you, whatever it is, if it is in your power," said the hag when +she heard the story, "and I will tell you the answer." + +"I give my word," the knight replied. + +"Then your life is safe. I promise you that my answer will be that +which the queen wishes to have, and the proudest lady of all her court +will not dare gainsay it. Let us go on our journey without any more +talking." + +She whispered a word or two in his ear, and bade him pluck up heart; +and together they rode to the court. + +The knight came before the queen, and said that he was ready to give +his answer, and a great company of noble ladies gathered to hear what +he would reply to the riddle. Silence was proclaimed, and he was +called upon to speak. + +"I have kept my word faithfully," he said in a manly voice that was +heard all over the hall, "and I am here on the day appointed, prepared +to answer the queen's question. The answer she desired was that women +love power best, whether it be over husband or lover. If that is not +the right answer do with me as you wish. I am here ready to die if you +so will it." + +They all agreed that he had saved his life by his reply. But when +their verdict was made known up started the old hag who had told the +knight the answer. + +"Give me justice, lady queen, before your court departs," she +cried. "I told the knight that answer, and he gave me his word that he +would do the first thing that I asked of him if it lay in his +power. Now, before all this court, I ask you, sir knight, to take me +to be your wife; and remember it is I who have saved your life." + +"Alas!" said the knight; "truly I gave my word, but will you not ask +some other thing of me? Take all my riches, and let me go." + +"No," insisted the old woman. "Though I be old and poor and ugly I +would not let you go for all the gold on earth. I will be your wife +and your love." + +"My love!" he cried; "nay, rather my death! Alas that any of my race +should suffer such dishonour." + + +All the knight's prayers and entreaties were of no avail. He had to +keep his word and marry the hideous old hag; and a mournful wedding he +made of it. He took his new bride home to his house, feeling not at +all like a happy lover; and his woe was increased by her first words +to him. + +"Dear husband, will you not kiss me? Is it the custom of the king's +court for every knight to neglect his wife? I am your own love, who +saved you from death, and I have done you no wrong. Yet you act +towards me like a madman who has lost his senses, with your groans and +your glum looks. Tell me what I have done amiss, and I will set it +right." + +"You cannot set it right," said the knight sorrowfully. "Do you +wonder that I am ashamed to have married one of such mean birth, so +poor and old and ugly?" + +"Is that the cause of your grief?" she asked. + +"Yes," answered he. + +"I could set it right," said his wife. "But you speak so proudly of +your high birth and old family. Such pride is worth nothing, for +poverty and low birth are no sin. Look rather at him who leads the +best life both in secret and in the open, who strives always to do +gentle and honourable deeds; take him for the truest gentleman, and be +sure that a noble nature like his is not made only by high birth or +the wealth of his fathers. But you say that I am low-born, old, and +ugly. Well, choose now which you would desire me to be--as I am, poor, +old, and ugly, but a true and faithful wife who will obey you always; +or young and fair, but fickle and fond of vain pleasures, always +emptying your purse and wounding your love?" + +The knight did not know which to choose. He was moved to shame by his +wife's words, and after long thought he said: "My lady, my dear wife, +I put myself in your hands. Choose for yourself; that will do honour +to you, and what you wish is enough for me." + +"Then I have gained the mastery! I have power over you," said she, "if +I may choose as I please." + +"Yes, dear wife," he answered, "I think that best." + +"Kiss me," she said, "and let us quarrel no longer. I will be both to +you--both fair and true. I will be as good a wife as ever there was +since the beginning of the world; and if I am not as beautiful as any +lady, queen, or empress in the whole earth, from east to west, then +slay me or do with my life as you wish." + +The knight looked up at her again. But instead of the withered old +crone he expected to see, his eyes fell upon the most beautiful wife +that could be imagined; for the old woman was a fairy, and had wished +to give him a lesson before he knew her as she really was. No longer +now was he ashamed of her, and they lived together happily to their +lives' end. + + + + +DEATH AND THE THREE REVELLERS + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +There was once in Flanders a company of young men who spent much time +in drinking and rioting among the taverns, wasting their lives in +gambling and dancing day and night. + +Early one morning a certain three of these revellers were sitting in a +tavern drinking, and making a great noise with their horrible talk. As +they jested idly with one another they heard a bell tolling outside +for a dead man who was about to be buried. + +"Run quickly," one of them called to his servant-boy, "and ask the +name of the man whose body is being carried out to burial. Take care +to tell it us aright." + +"I need not go, sirs," answered the boy. "I heard two hours before you +came here that this man who is now dead was an old comrade of yours, +slain last night as he lay in a drunken sleep. There came to him a +stealthy old thief named Death, who kills many folk in this country; +he pierced your comrade's heart with a spear, and went his way without +a word. He has slain a thousand or more in the pestilence here. I +think it would be well for you; my masters, to beware of coming into +the presence of such a foe, and to be ready to meet him." + +"Yes," said the keeper of the tavern, "the boy speaks truly. Death has +this year slain men, women, and children, pages and peasants, +throughout the whole of a great village a mile from here. I think he +dwells in that place. It would be wise to be prepared before he does +one any evil." + +"Is it so great a danger to meet him, then?" cried one of the +revellers with an oath. "I will go myself, and seek him high and low +in the streets and lanes. Listen, comrades: there are three of us; let +us join together and slay this false traitor Death. We will swear to +be true to one another, and before night-time we will slay him who +kills so many others." + +The other two agreed, and the three swore to be to one another as +brothers. Up they started, and went forth towards the village where +Death was said by the innkeeper to live. + +"Death shall die," they cried, with many a boastful oath, "if we once +lay hold of him!" + +They had not gone half a mile on their way when they met an old, +poor-looking man, who greeted them meekly and bade them God-speed. + +"Who are you, you ragged old beggar?" cried the proudest of the +rioters to him. "Why are you so well wrapped up, except for your face? +Why is an old man like you allowed to live so long?" + +The old man looked him in the face, and said: "I must needs keep my +old age myself. I can find no man anywhere--no, not even if I walked +to India--who would exchange his youth for my age. Death himself +refuses to take my life; so I walk restlessly up and down the world, +old and weary, tapping the ground with my staff early and late, and +begging Mother Earth to take me to her again. 'Look how I am slowly +vanishing,' I cry to her; 'I feel myself wasting, flesh and skin and +blood and all. Receive me into the dust again, Mother Earth, for my +bones are tired.' But the earth will not hear my prayer yet, and I +must wander on. I beseech you, therefore, do not harm an old man, good +sirs, and may the blessing of Heaven be upon you!" + +"Nay, old churl," said one of the revellers, "you shall not get off so +lightly. You spoke just now of the traitor Death, who slays all our +friends in this district. Tell us where he is to be seen, or you shall +rue it. I believe that you must be one of his friends yourself, and +anxious to slay us young folk, since you talk so lovingly of him." + +"Sirs," answered the old man, "if you are so eager to find Death, turn +up this crooked path. In that grove yonder, upon my faith, I left him, +under a tree. There he will await you. He will not hide himself from +you for all your boasts. Do you see the oak? You shall find Death +there. God save you and make you better men!" + +Thus spoke the old stranger. They paid no more heed to him, but ran +off straightway to search for Death by the oak tree. There they found, +not Death himself, but a great heap of fine golden florins piled up, +well-nigh eight bushels of them. No longer had they any thought about +Death, but were so glad at the sight of the fair bright florins that +they sat down there by the precious heap to think what should be done. + +The worst of the three was the first to speak. "Listen to me, +brethren. I am no fool, for all that I spend my life in folly. Fortune +has given us this great treasure, so that we can live the rest of our +lives in mirth and jollity. It has come to us easily, and easily we +will spend it. But there is one thing which we must do to make our +happiness sure: we must get the gold away from this place to my house, +or else to one of yours--for, of course, the treasure is ours. But we +cannot do this by day; men would say that we were thieves, and we +should be hanged for stealing our own treasure. It must be done by +night, as secretly and carefully as we can, and we must wait here all +day. Let us therefore draw lots to see which of us shall go to the +town and bring food and drink hither as quickly as he can for the +other two. The others must stay by the treasure, for we cannot leave +it unguarded. Then, when night comes, we will carry it all away +safely." + +They agreed to this, and drew lots. The lot fell on the youngest of +them, who left them at once and went towards the town. + +As soon as he was gone, one of those who remained with the gold said +to the other: "You know that we have sworn to be true to one another +like brothers. Hear, then, how can we win profit for ourselves: our +comrade is gone, and has left us here with this gold, of which there +is great plenty. We are to divide it among the three of us, by our +agreement. But if I can contrive that we divide it between us two +alone, will not that be doing you a friendly turn?" + +"How can it be?" asked the other. "He knows that the gold is with us; +what could we say to him?" + +"Will you keep a secret?" said his comrade. "If so, I will tell you in +a few words what we must do." + +"Yes," answered the other; "trust me not to betray you." + +"Look you, then, there are two of us, and two are stronger than one. +When he comes back and sits down, do you rise and go to him as if for +a friendly wrestling bout. I will stab him in the side as you struggle +in play; see that you also do the like with your dagger. Thus shall +the treasure be divided between us two, dear friend, and we shall live +in ease and plenty for the rest of our lives." + +The two rogues agreed on this plan for getting rid of their comrade; +but he, as he went on his way to the town, could not take his mind +away from the bright golden florins. + +"If only I could have this treasure all for myself," he thought, "no +man on earth would live so merrily as I." And at last the idea of +poisoning his comrades came into his head. + +When he reached the town, he went without hesitating any more to an +apothecary, and asked him to sell him some poison to kill the rats in +his house; and there was a polecat also, he said, which ate his +chickens. + +"You shall have a poison," answered the apothecary, "the like of which +is not to be found on earth. It is so strong that if a man does but +taste a little piece of it, the size of a grain of wheat, he shall die +at once; before you can walk a mile he will be dead, so strong and +violent is this poison." + +The man took the poison in a box and went into the next street. There +he borrowed three large bottles, and into two he put the poison; the +third he kept clean for his own drink, thinking that he would be +working hard that night, carrying the gold all by himself to his own +house. Then he filled all the bottles up with wine, and went back to +his comrades. + +Why should a long tale be made of it? When he came back the other two +set upon him, and killed him as they had planned. + +"Now let us eat and drink," said one to the other. "When we have made +merry we will bury him." + +With that word, he took one of the bottles; it happened to be one of +those containing the poisoned wine. He drank, and gave it to his +fellow; and in a little while they both fell dead beside the body of +their comrade. + +Thus the three revellers met Death, whom they set out to kill. + + + + +PATIENT GRISELDA + +Retold by F. J. H. Darton + + +There is on the western side of Italy a large and fertile plain, +wherein lie a tower and town founded long ago by the men of the olden +days. The name of this noble country is Saluzzo. A worthy marquis +called Walter was once lord of it, as his fathers had been before +him. He was young, strong, and handsome, but he had several faults for +which he was to blame; he took no thought for the future, but in his +youth liked to do nothing but hawk and hunt all day, and let all other +cares go unheeded. And the thing which seemed to the people of Saluzzo +to be worst of all was that he would not marry. + +At length his subjects came to him in a body to urge him to take a +wife. The wisest of them spoke on behalf of the rest. + +"Noble marquis," he said, "you are ever kind to us, and so we now dare +to come to you and tell you our grief. Of your grace, my lord, listen +to our complaint. Bethink you how quickly our lives pass, and that no +man can stop the swift course of time. You are in your youth now, but +age will creep upon you in a day which you cannot foresee. We pray +you therefore to marry, that you may leave an heir to rule over us +when you are gone. If you will do this, lord marquis, we will choose +you a wife from among the noblest in the land. Grant our boon, and +deliver us from our fears, for we could not live under a lord of a +strange race." + +Their distress and grief filled the marquis with pity. "My own dear +people," he answered, "you are asking of me that which I thought never +to do. I rejoice to be free, and like not to have my freedom cut short +by marriage. But I see that your prayer is just and truly meant, and +that it is my duty to take a wife. Therefore I consent to marry as +soon as I may. But as for your offer to choose a wife for me, of that +task I acquit you. The will of God must ordain what sort of an heir I +shall have, and be your choice of a wife never so wise, the child may +yet be amiss, for goodness is of God's gift alone. To Him, therefore, +I trust to guide my choice. You must promise also to obey and +reverence my wife, and not to rebel against her so long as she lives, +whosoever she may be." + +With hearty goodwill they promised to do as he bade them, and to obey +his wife, but before they went away they begged him to fix a day for +the wedding. + +Walter appointed a day for his marriage, saying that this, too, he did +because they wished it; and they fell on their knees and thanked him, +and went away to their homes again, while he gave orders to his +knights and officers to prepare a great wedding-feast, with every kind +of splendour and magnificence. But he told no one who was to be his +bride. + +Near the great palace of the marquis there stood a small village, +where a number of poor folk dwelt. Among them lived a man called +Janicola, the poorest of them all. Janicola had a daughter named +Griselda, the fairest maiden under the sun, and the best. She had been +brought up simply, knowing more of labour than of ease, and she worked +hard to keep her father's old age in comfort. All day long she sat +spinning and watching sheep in the fields; when she came home to their +poor cottage in the evening she would bring with her a few herbs, +which she would cut up and cook, to make herself a meal before she lay +down to rest on her hard bed; and she had not a moment idle till she +was asleep. + +Walter had often seen this maiden as he rode out a-hunting, and he was +filled with pleasure at the sight of her loveliness and her gentle, +kindly life. In his heart he had vowed to marry none other than her, +if ever he did marry. + +The day appointed for the wedding came, but still no one knew who +would be the bride. Men wondered and murmured and gossiped secretly, +But the marquis had ordered all kinds of costly gems, brooches, and +rings to be made ready, and rich dresses were prepared for the bride +(for there was a maid in his service about Griselda's stature, so that +they knew how to measure the cloth and silks and fine linen for the +wedding garments). Yet still, when the very hour for the marriage +arrived, no one but Walter knew who would be the bride. + +All the palace was put in array, and the board set for the feast. The +bridal procession started as if to fetch the bride, the marquis at its +head, dressed in gay attire, and attended by all his lords and ladies. + +They set out in all their pomp and magnificence, to the sound of +joyful music, and rode until they came to the little village where +Griselda lived. + +Griselda, all ignorant of what was to happen, went that morning to the +well to draw water, according to her wont, for she had heard of the +procession which would take place in honour of the wedding. + +"I will do my work as soon as I can, and go and stand at the door as +the other maidens do," she thought, "to watch the marquis and his +bride pass, if they come this way to the castle." + +Just as she went to the door the procession reached the cottage, and +the marquis called her. She set down her waterpot by the threshold of +the ox's stall (for they were so poor that their one ox lived in the +hut with them), and fell on her knees to hear what the marquis wished +to say to her. + +"Where is your father, Griselda?" he asked soberly and gravely. + +"My lord, he is within," she answered humbly, and went in and brought +Janicola before him. + +Walter took the old man by the hand, and led him aside. "Janicola," he +said, "I can no longer hide the desire of my heart. If you will grant +me your daughter, I will take her with me to be my wife to my life's +end. You are my faithful liege subject, and I know that you love and +obey me. Will you, then, consent to have me for your son-in-law?" + +The sudden question so amazed the old man that he turned red and +confused, and stood trembling before the marquis. All he could say +was: "My lord, my will is as your will, and you are my sovereign. Let +it be as you wish." + +"Let us talk privately a little," said the marquis, "and afterwards I +will ask Griselda herself to be my wife, and we three will speak of +the matter together." So they went apart to confer privately about +it. Meanwhile the courtiers were in the yard of the mean little +cottage, marvelling at the care and kindness which Griselda showed in +tending her old father. But their wonder was not so great as hers, for +she had never before seen so splendid a sight as these richly-dressed +lords and ladies, nor received such noble guests; and she stood in +their presence pale with astonishment. + +But her father and the marquis called her. "Griselda," said Walter, +"your father and I desire that you shall become my wife. I wish to ask +you whether you give your consent now, or whether you would like to +think further of it. If you marry me, will you be ready to love and +obey me, and never to act against my will, even so much as by a word +or a frown?" + +"My lord," Griselda answered, fearing and wondering at his words, "I +am all unworthy of so great an honour; but as you wish, so will I do. +Here and now I promise that I will never willingly disobey you in deed +or thought--no, not if I die for it." + +"That is enough, my Griselda," said the marquis; and with that he went +gravely to the door, with Griselda following him. + +"This is my bride," he cried to all the people. "Honour and love her, +I pray you, if you love me." + +Then, that she might not enter his palace poorly dressed in her old +clothes, he bade the women robe her fitly and honourably; and though +these ladies did not like even to touch the old rags which Griselda +wore, still, at his orders, they took them off her, and clad her +afresh from head to foot. They combed her hair, and set a crown on her +head, and decked her with precious stones and jewelled clasps, so that +they hardly knew her again; and in this rich array she seemed more +lovely than ever. The marquis put a ring on her finger, she was set on +a snow-white horse, and they all rode to the palace, where they +feasted and revelled till the sun set. + +Thus Griselda was married to Walter. By her marriage her gentleness +and beauty seemed only to increase, so that folk who had known her +many a year would not believe that she was the same Griselda, the +daughter of Janicola, who had lived in a mean hut in a poor +village. Every one who looked on her loved her, and her fame spread +all over Walter's realm, so that young and old used to come to Saluzzo +merely to see her. + +Thus for a time Walter and Griselda lived together in great +happiness. At length Griselda had a daughter, and though they would +have liked a son better, Walter and Griselda were very glad and joyful +at the event, and so were all their subjects. + +But when the child was still quite young a strange desire came upon +the marquis to try his wife's goodness and obedience, though he had +tested it in many ways times enough already, and had discovered no +faults in her. It was cruel to put her to such pains for no need, but +he could not rid himself of the wish, and he set about carrying it +out. + +One night, as she lay alone, he came to her with a stern, grave +face. "Griselda," he said, "I think you have not forgotten the day +when I took you from your poor home and set you high in rank and +nobility. This present dignity which you now enjoy must not make you +unmindful of your former low estate. Take heed to my words, therefore, +now that we are alone, with none to hear what I am going to say. You +must know that you are very dear to me, but not to my people. They say +that it is shameful to be subjects of one of such mean birth; and +since your daughter was born their grumbling has not grown less. Now, +I wish to live my life with them in peace, as I have always done, and +I cannot but give ear to their words. I must deal with your child as +seems best, not for my own sake, but for my people's. Yet I am very +loth to do what must be done, and I will not do it unless you +consent. Show me, therefore, the obedience and patience which you +promised at our marriage." + +Griselda never moved when she heard of all this false tale. She did +not reveal her grief in look or word, but simply answered: "My lord, +it is in your power to do as you please; my child and I are yours. Do +with us as you wish. Whatever you do cannot displease me, for all my +desire is to obey you, and no length of time can change it--no, not +even death itself--nor move my heart from you." + +Walter was filled with gladness at this gentle answer, but he hid his +joy, and went mournfully out of her room. A little while after this he +told his plan to a faithful servant, a harsh and fierce-looking +officer, whom he had often before trusted greatly; and when this man +understood what was to be done he went to Griselda, and stalked into +her chamber, silent and grim. + +"My lady," he said bluntly, "I must obey my lord, and you must forgive +me for doing that which I am ordered to do. I am commanded to take +away your daughter." + +Not a word more did he say, but seized the child and made as if to +slay it there and then. Griselda sat obedient to the commands which +she thought to be those of her lord, and uttered no sound. At last she +spoke, and gently prayed him to let her kiss her child before it was +slain; and he granted her prayer. She clasped her little daughter to +her bosom, kissing it and lulling it to rest, and saying softly, +"Farewell, my child; never again shall I see you. May the kind Father +above receive your soul!" + +Then she spoke again to the officer, so meekly and humbly that it +would have stirred any mother's heart to see her. "Take the little +child and go and do whatever my lord has bidden you. Only one thing +more I ask you--that, unless my lord forbid it, you bury the babe so +that no birds of prey can reach her little body." But he would promise +nothing. He took the child, and went his way again to Walter, and +told him all that Griselda had said and done. + +The marquis was touched a little by remorse when he heard of his +wife's gentle obedience, but none the less he held to his cruel +purpose like a man who is resolved to have his own way. He bade the +officer take the babe with all care and secrecy to his sister, who was +Countess of Bologna, and tell her the whole story, asking her to bring +the child up honourably, without saying whose it was. + +But Walter's mind was not yet softened from his wicked intent. He +looked eagerly to see if what he had done would make his wife show in +her face any signs of grief or anger. But Griselda did not seem to be +changed in the least. She was always gentle and kind, and still as +glad, as humble, as ready to obey him as she had ever been; and not a +word either in jest or in earnest did she say of her little daughter. + +Thus there passed four years or so more, until Griselda had a little +son, at which Walter and all his subjects were overjoyed, giving +thanks to God because now there was an heir to the kingdom. + +But when the boy was some two years old Walter's heart again became +cruel and perverse, and he made up his mind to test his wife's +patience once more. Her gentle obedience seemed only to make him wish +to torment her still further. + +"Wife," he said to her. "I have told you that my subjects did not like +our marriage, but now, since our son was born, their murmuring has +been worse than ever before, so that I am greatly afraid of what they +may do. They speak openly of the matter. 'When Walter dies,' they say, +'we shall be ruled by Janicola's grandson.' I cannot but hear their +words, and I fear them. So, in order to live in peace, I am resolved +to serve our son as I did his sister before; and I warn you now, so +that you may have patience to bear his loss when the time comes." + +"I have always said, and always will say," answered Griselda, "that I +will do nothing but what you wish. I am not grieved that both my son +and my daughter are slain, if it is you who order it. You are my +lord, and can do with me as you will. When I left my home and my poor +rags I left there my freedom also, and took your clothing, and became +obedient to your commands. Therefore do as you will; if I knew +beforehand what you wished I would do it, and if my death would please +you I would gladly die." + +When Walter heard these words he cast down his eyes, wondering at the +patience of his wife. Yet he went away from her with a stern and +cruel face, though his heart was full of joy at her goodness. + +The fierce officer came to her again in a little while, and seized her +son. Again she prayed him to give the babe proper burial, and kissed +its little face, and blessed it, without a word of complaint or +bitterness. Again the child was taken to Bologna, to be brought up +there. The marquis watched for signs of grief in his wife, but found +none, and the more he regarded her the more he wondered. + +Meanwhile rumours crept about among the people that Walter had +murdered his two children secretly because their mother was nothing +but a poor village maiden of low birth. The report spread far and +wide, so that the marquis began to be hated by the subjects who had +formerly loved him so well. Nevertheless, he did not change his +purpose. He sent a secret message to Rome, asking that a decree from +the Pope should be forged which would allow him, for the good of his +subjects to put away his wife Griselda and wed another. + +In due time the false decree arrived. It said that, since great strife +had arisen between the Marquis of Saluzzo and his people because he +had married a poor wife of humble birth, he was to put away this wife, +and be free to marry another if he pleased. The common people believed +these lying orders, but when the news came to Griselda her heart was +full of woe. Yet she resolved to endure patiently whatever was done by +the husband whom she loved so dearly. + +Walter now sent a letter secretly to Bologna to the count who had +married his sister asking him to bring to Saluzzo Griselda's son and +daughter, openly and in state, but without saying to any man whose +children they really were, and to proclaim that the young maiden was +soon to be married to the Marquis of Saluzzo. + +The count did as he was asked. He set out with a great train of lords +and ladies in rich array, bringing the girl with her brother riding +beside her. + +She was decked in bright jewelled robes, as if for marriage, and the +boy, too, was nobly and fittingly dressed. + +When all this plan was being carried out, the marquis, according to +his wicked design, put yet another trial upon Griselda's patience by +saying to her boisterously, before all his court: "Griselda, I was +once glad to marry you for your goodness and obedience--not for your +birth or your wealth. But now I know that great rulers have duties +and hardships of many kinds; I am not free to do as every ploughman +may, and marry whom I please. Every day my people urge me to take +another wife, and now I have got leave to do so to stop the strife +between me and them. I must tell you that even now my new wife is on +her way hither. Be brave then, and give place to her, and I will +restore to you again the dowry you brought me when I married +you. Return again to your father's house; remember that no one is +always happy, and bear steadfastly the buffeting of misfortune." + +"My lord," answered Griselda patiently, "I knew always how great was +the distance between your high rank and my poverty. I never deemed +myself worthy to be your wife, nor even to be your servant. May Heaven +be my witness that in this house whither you led me as your wife I +have always tried to serve you faithfully, and ever will while my life +lasts. I thank God and you that of your kindness you have so long held +me in honour and dignity when I was so unworthy. I will go to my +father gladly, and dwell with him to my life's end. May God of His +grace grant you and your new wife happiness and prosperity! As for the +dowry which you say I brought with me, I remember well what it was; it +was my poor clothes that I wore in my father's house. Let me, then, go +in my old smock back to him. Though I have lost your love, I will +never in word or deed repent that I gave you my heart." + +"You may take the old smock and go," said Walter. Scarcely another +word could he speak, but went away with great pity in his heart. + +Before them all Griselda stripped off her fine clothes, and went forth +clad only in her smock, barefoot and bareheaded. The people followed +her weeping and railing at her hard lot, but she made no complaint, +and spoke never a word. Her father met her at his door, lamenting the +day that he saw her cast off thus. So Griselda went home and lived for +a while with Janicola as though she had never left him. + +At length the count drew near from Bologna with Griselda's son and +daughter. The news spread among the people, and every one talked of +the grand wife who was coming to be married to the marquis with such +splendour as had never been seen in all West Lombardy. + +When Walter heard of their approach he sent for Griselda. She came +humbly and reverently, and knelt before him. + +"Griselda," said he, "I desire that the lady whom I am to wed shall be +received to-morrow as royally as may be. I have no woman who can make +all the preparations for this, and arrange that every one shall be +placed according to his proper rank, and I have sent for you to do it, +since you know my ways of old. Your garments are poor and mean, but +you will do your duty as well as you can." + +"I am glad always to do your will, my lord," she answered. With that +she turned to her task of setting the house in order for the guests of +the marquis. + +The next morning the Count of Bologna arrived with Griselda's son and +daughter. All the people ran out to see the fine sight. She was +younger and even fairer than Griselda, and the fickle people, ever +changeable, as a weathercock, were full of praises for the choice of +the marquis. + +Griselda had made everything ready, and went into the courtyard of the +palace with the other folk to greet the marquis and his bride. When +the procession reached the banquet-hall, she took no shame in her torn +old clothes, but went busily about her work with a cheerful face, +showing the guests each to his appointed place. + +At length, when they were all sitting down to the feast, Walter called +out to her as she busied herself in the great hall. "Griselda," he +cried, as if in jest, "what think you of my wife?" + +"Never have I looked upon a fairer maiden, my lord," she answered. "I +pray that you may have all prosperity to your lives' end. One thing +only I ask of you--that you do not torment her as you did me; for she +is tenderly brought up, and could not bear hardship as well as I, who +was poorly bred." + +When Walter heard her gentle answer, and saw that even now she had no +discontent or malice for all the wrong he had done her, he relented at +last, and blamed himself sorely for his cruelty. + +"Enough, Griselda," he said; "be not ill at ease any longer. I have +tried and tested your faithfulness and goodness, and I know your true +heart, dear wife." + +He took her in his arms and kissed her, but she was so filled with +wonder that she hardly heard what he said till he spoke again. + +"Griselda, you are my wife, and I will have no other. This is your +daughter, who you thought was my new bride, and this your son, who +shall be my heir; they have been kept and brought up secretly at +Bologna. Take them again, and see for yourself that your children are +safe. Let no one think evil of me for my cruelty; I did it but to make +trial of my wife's goodness and show it the more brightly." + +Griselda swooned for joy at his words. When she came to her senses +again she thanked Heaven for restoring her children to her. "And I +thank you, too, my lord. Now I fear nothing, not even death itself, +since I have truly won your love. Dear children, God of His mercy has +brought you back to me." + +[Illustration: "This is my bride" he cried to all the people. From +the drawing by Hugh Thomson.] + +Suddenly she swooned again. Walter raised her up and comforted her +till every one wept at the sight. Then the ladies of the court took +her into a chamber apart, and dressed her in splendid robes again, and +set a golden crown on her head, and brought her back into the +banquet-hall, where she was honoured as she deserved with feasting and +rejoicing that lasted all that day. + +Full many a year Walter and Griselda lived together in happiness and +peace. Janicola, too, was brought to the court, and dwelt there with +them. Their daughter was married to one of the greatest lords in all +Italy, and their son succeeded Walter at his death, and ruled well and +prosperously. + + + + +TALES FROM FRENCH AND ITALIAN CHRONICLES + + +As many stories gather round the great name of the French King +Charlemagne as about that of the English King Arthur. Some versions +are in French and some in Italian. The four stories beginning with +"The Treason of Ganelon" make up the great epic song of France, the +"Chanson de Roland" and the battle they celebrate was fought in +788. Roncesvalles is in Spain. + +When William the Conqueror fought the battle of Hastings in 1066, +Taillefer, his minstrel, rode ahead of the army and sang of Roland and +Oliver, and of the rear guard which fell at Roncesvalles. + +"How the Child of the Sea Was Made Knight" is from Amadis of Gaul, +which is described in Don Quixote as one of the earliest and best of +the Spanish romances. Some critics give it a Portuguese and some a +French origin. Lobeira, its author, died in 1405. + + + + +OGIER THE DANE + +By Thomas Bulfinch + + +Ogier the Dane was the son of Geoffroy, who wrested Denmark from the +Pagans, and reigned the first Christian king of that country. In his +education nothing was neglected to elevate him to the standard of a +perfect knight, and render him accomplished in all the arts necessary +to make him a hero. + +He had hardly reached the age of sixteen years, when Charlemagne, +whose power was established over all the sovereigns of his time, +recollected that Geoffroy, Ogier's father, had omitted to render the +homage due to him as emperor, and sovereign lord of Denmark. He +accordingly sent an embassy to demand of the King of Denmark this +homage, and on receiving a refusal, sent an army to enforce the +demand. Geoffroy, after an unsuccessful resistance, was forced to +comply, and as a pledge of his sincerity, delivered Ogier, his eldest +son, a hostage to Charles, to be brought up at his court. + +Ogier grew up more and more handsome and amiable every day. He +surpassed in form, strength, and address all the noble youths his +companions; he failed not to be present at all tourneys; he was +attentive to the elder knights, and burned with impatience to imitate +them. + +Yet his heart rose sometimes in secret against his condition as a +hostage, and as one apparently forgotten by his father. + +Ogier's mother having died, the king had married a second wife, and +had a son named Guyon. The new queen had absolute power over her +husband, and fearing that, if he should see Ogier again, he would give +him the preference over Guyon, she had adroitly persuaded him to delay +rendering his homage to Charlemagne, till now four years had passed +away since the last renewal of that ceremony. Charlemagne, irritated +at this delinquency, drew closer the bonds of Ogier's captivity until +he should receive a response from the King of Denmark to a fresh +summons which he caused to be sent to him. + +The answer of Geoffroy was insulting and defiant, and the rage of +Charlemagne was roused in the highest degree. He was at first disposed +to wreak his vengeance upon Ogier, his hostage; but consented to spare +his life, if Ogier would swear fidelity to him as his liege-lord, and +promise not to quit his court without his permission. Ogier accepted +these terms, and was allowed to retain all the freedom he had before +enjoyed. + +The emperor would have immediately taken arms to reduce his +disobedient vassal, if he had not been called off in another direction +by a message from Pope Leo, imploring his assistance. The Saracens had +landed in the neighborhood of Rome, and prepared to carry fire and +sword to the capital of the Christian world. Charlemagne speedily +assembled an army, crossed the Alps, traversed Italy, and arrived at +Spoleto, a strong place to which the Pope had retired. He stopped but +two days at Spoleto, and learning that the Infidels were besieging the +Capitol, marched promptly to attack them. + +The advanced posts of the army were commanded by Duke Namo, on whom +Ogier waited as his squire. He did not yet bear arms, not having +received the order of knighthood. The Oriflamme, the royal standard, +was borne by a knight named Alory, who showed himself unworthy of the +honor. + +Duke Namo, seeing a strong body of the Infidels advancing to attack +him, gave the word to charge them. Ogier remained in the rear, with +the other youths, grieving much that he was not permitted to fight. +Very soon he saw Alory lower the Oriflamme, and turn his horse in +flight. Ogier pointed him out to the young men, and, seizing a club, +rushed upon Alory and struck him from his horse. Then, with his +companions, he disarmed him, clothed himself in his armor, raised the +Oriflamme, and, mounting the horse of the unworthy knight, flew to the +front rank, where he joined Duke Namo, drove back the Infidels, and +carried the Oriflamme quite through their broken ranks. The duke, +thinking it was Alory, whom he had not held in high esteem, was +astonished at his strength and valor. Ogier's young companions +imitated him, supplying themselves with armor from the bodies of the +slain; they followed Ogier and carried death into the ranks of the +Saracens, who fell back in confusion upon their main body. + +Duke Namo now ordered a retreat, and Ogier obeyed with reluctance, +when they perceived Charlemagne advancing to their assistance. The +combat now became general, and was more terrible than ever. +Charlemagne had overthrown Corsuble, the commander of the Saracens, +and had drawn his famous sword, Joyeuse, to cut off his head, when two +Saracen knights set upon him at once, one of whom slew his horse, and +the other overthrew the emperor on the sand. Perceiving by the eagle +on his casque who he was, they dismounted in haste to give him his +death-blow. Never was the life of the emperor in such peril. But +Ogier, who saw him fall, flew to his rescue. Though embarrassed with +the Oriflamme, he pushed his horse against one of the Saracens and +knocked him down; and with his sword dealt the other so vigorous a +blow that he fell stunned to the earth. Then helping the emperor to +rise, he remounted him on the horse of one of the fallen knights. +"Brave and generous Alory!" Charles exclaimed, "I owe to you my honor +and my life!" Ogier made no answer; but, leaving Charlemagne +surrounded by a great many of the knights who had flown to his succor, +he plunged into the thickest ranks of the enemy, and carried the +Oriflamme, followed by a gallant train of youthful warriors, till the +standard of Mahomet turned in retreat and the Infidels sought safety +in their intrenchments. + +As the good Archbishop Turpin took his mitre and his crosier, and +intoned Te Deum, Ogier, covered with blood and dust, came to lay the +Oriflamme at the feet of the emperor. He knelt at the feet of +Charlemagne, who embraced him, calling him Alory, while Turpin, from +the height of the altar, blessed him with all his might. Then young +Orlando, son of the Count Milone and nephew of Charlemagne, no longer +able to endure this misapprehension, threw down his helmet, and ran to +unlace Ogier's, while the other young men laid aside theirs. It would +be difficult to express the surprise, the admiration, and the +tenderness of the emperor and his peers. Charlemagne folded Ogier in +his arms, and the happy fathers of those brave youths embraced them +with tears of joy. "My dear Ogier! I owe you my life! My sword leaps +to touch your shoulder, and those of your brave young friends." At +these words he drew that famous sword, Joyeuse, and, while Ogier and +the rest knelt before him, conferred on them the order of knighthood. +The young Orlando and his cousin Oliver could not refrain from falling +upon Ogier's neck and pledging with him that brotherhood in arms, so +dear and so sacred to the knights of old times; but Charlot, the +emperor's son, at the sight of the glory with which Ogier had covered +himself, conceived the blackest jealousy and hate. + +The rest of the day and the next were spent in the rejoicings of the +army. Duke Namo presented them with golden spurs, Charlemagne himself +girded on their swords. But what was his astonishment when he examined +that intended for Ogier! The loving fairy, Morgana, had had the art +to change it, and to substitute one of her own procuring, and when +Charlemagne drew it out of the scabbard, these words appeared written +on the steel: "My name is Cortana, of the same steel and temper as +Joyeuse and Durindana." The emperor saw that a superior power watched +over the destiny of Ogier; he vowed to love him as a father would, and +Ogier promised him the devotion of a son. + +The Saracen army had hardly recovered from its dismay when Carahue, +King of Mauritania, who was one of the knights overthrown by Ogier, +determined to challenge him to single combat. With that view, he +assumed the dress of a herald, resolved to carry his own message. He +began by passing the warmest eulogium upon the knight who bore the +Oriflamme on the day of the battle, and concluded by saying that +Carahue, King of Mauritania, respected that knight so much that he +challenged him to the combat. + +Ogier had risen to reply, when he was interrupted by Charlot, who said +that the gage of the King of Mauritania could not fitly be received by +a vassal, living in captivity; by which he meant Ogier, who was at +that time serving as hostage for his father. Fire flashed from the +eyes of Ogier, but the presence of the emperor restrained his speech, +and he was calmed by the kind looks of Charlemagne, who said, with an +angry voice, "Silence, Charlot! By the life of Bertha, my queen, he +who has saved my life is as dear to me as yourself. Ogier," he +continued, "you are no longer a hostage. Herald! report my answer to +your master, that never does knight of my court refuse a challenge on +equal terms. Ogier the Dane accepts of his, and I myself am his +security." + +Carahue, profoundly bowing, replied, "My lord, I was sure that the +sentiments of so great a sovereign as yourself would be worthy of your +high and brilliant fame; I shall report your answer to my master, who +I know admires you, and unwillingly takes arms against you." Then, +turning to Charlot, whom he did not know as the son of the emperor, he +continued, "As for you, sir knight, if the desire of battle inflames +you, I have it in charge from Sadon, cousin of the King of Mauritania, +to give the like defiance to any French knights who will grant him the +honor of the combat." + +Chariot, inflamed with rage and vexation at the public reproof which +he had just received, hesitated not to deliver his gage. Carahue +received it with Ogier's, and it was agreed that the combat should be +on the next day, in a meadow environed by woods and equally distant +from both armies. + +During the night Charlot collected some knights unworthy of the name; +he made them swear to avenge his injuries, armed them in black armor, +and sent them to lie in ambush in the wood, with orders to make a +pretended attack upon the whole party, but in fact to lay heavy hands +upon Ogier and the two Saracens. + +At the dawn of day Sadon and Carahue, attended only by two pages to +carry their spears, took their way to the appointed meadow; and +Charlot and Ogier repaired thither also, but by different paths. Ogier +advanced with a calm air, saluted courteously the two Saracen knights, +and joined them in arranging the terms of combat. + +While this was going on, the perfidious Charlot remained behind and +gave his men the signal to advance. That cowardly troop issued from +the wood and encompassed the three knights. All three were equally +surprised at the attack, but neither of them suspected the other to +have any hand in the treason. Seeing the attack made equally upon them +all, they united their efforts to resist it, and made the most forward +of the assailants bite the dust. Cortana fell on no one without +inflicting a mortal wound, but the sword of Carahue was not of equal +temper and broke in his hands. At the same instant his horse was +slain, and Carahue fell, without a weapon and entangled with his +prostrate horse. Ogier, who saw it, ran to his defence, and, leaping +to the ground, covered the prince with his shield, supplied him with +the sword of one of the fallen ruffians, and would have had him mount +his own horse. At that moment Charlot, inflamed with rage, pushed his +horse upon Ogier, knocked him down, and would have run him through +with his lance if Sadon, who saw the treason, had not sprung upon him +and thrust him back. Carahue leapt lightly upon the horse which Ogier +presented him, and had time only to exclaim, "Brave Ogier, I am no +longer your enemy, I pledge to you an eternal friendship," when +numerous Saracen knights were seen approaching, having discovered the +treachery, and Charlot with his followers took refuge in the wood. + +The troop which advanced was commanded by Dannemont, the exiled King +of Denmark, whom Geoffroy, Ogier's father, had driven from his throne +and compelled to take refuge with the Saracens. Learning who Ogier +was he instantly declared him his prisoner, in spite of the urgent +remonstrances and even threats of Carahue and Sadon, and carried him, +under a strong guard, to the Saracen camp. Here he was at first +subjected to the most rigorous captivity, but Carahue and Sadon +insisted so vehemently on his release, threatening to turn their arms +against their own party if it was not granted, while Dannemont as +eagerly opposed the measure, that Corsuble, the Saracen commander, +consented to a middle course, and allowed Ogier the freedom of his +camp, upon his promise not to leave it without permission. + +Carahue was not satisfied with this partial concession. He left the +city next morning, proceeded to the camp of Charlemagne, and demanded +to be led to the emperor. When he reached his presence he dismounted +from his horse, took off his helmet, drew his sword, and, holding it +by the blade, presented it to Charlemagne as he knelt before him. + +"Illustrious prince," he said, "behold before you the herald who +brought the challenge to your knights from the King of Mauritania. The +cowardly old King Dannemont has made the brave Ogier prisoner, and has +prevailed on our general to refuse to give him up. I come to make +amends for this ungenerous conduct by yielding myself, Carahue, King +of Mauritania, your prisoner." + +Charlemagne, with all his peers, admired the magnanimity of Carahue; +he raised him, embraced him, and restored to him his sword. "Prince," +said he, "your presence and the bright example you afford my knights +consoles me for the loss of Ogier. Would to God you might receive our +holy faith, and be wholly united with us." All the lords of the court, +led by Duke Namo, paid their respects to the King of Mauritania. +Charlot only failed to appear, fearing to be recognized as a traitor; +but the heart of Carahue was too noble to pierce that of Charlemagne +by telling him the treachery of his son. + +Meanwhile the Saracen army was rent by discord. The troops of Carahue +clamored against the commander-in-chief because their king was left in +captivity. They even threatened to desert the cause, and turn their +arms against their allies. Charlemagne pressed the siege vigorously, +till at length the Saracen leaders found themselves compelled to +abandon the city and betake themselves to their ships. A truce was +made; Ogier was exchanged for Carahue, and the two friends embraced +one another with vows of perpetual brotherhood. The Pope was +reestablished in his dominions, and Italy being tranquil, Charlemagne +returned, with his peers and their followers, to France. + + + + +A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER + +By Thomas Bulfinch + + +Guerin de Montglave held the lordship of Vienne, subject to +Charlemagne. He had quarrelled with his sovereign, and Charles laid +siege to his city, having ravaged the neighboring country. Guerin was +an aged warrior, but relied for his defence upon his four sons and two +grandsons, who were among the bravest knights of the age. After the +siege had continued two months, Charlemagne received tidings that +Marsilius, King of Spain, had invaded France, and, finding himself +unopposed, was advancing rapidly in the Southern provinces. At this +intelligence, Charles listened to the counsel of his peers, and +consented to put the quarrel with Guerin to the decision of Heaven, by +single combat between two knights, one of each party, selected by +lot. The proposal was acceptable to Guerin and his sons. The names of +the four, together with Guerin's own, who would not be excused, and of +the two grandsons, who claimed their lot, being put into a helmet, +Oliver's was drawn forth, and to him, the youngest of the grandsons, +was assigned the honor and the peril of the combat. He accepted the +award with delight, exulting in being thought worthy to maintain the +cause of his family. On Charlemagne's side Roland was the designated +champion, and neither he nor Oliver knew who his antagonist was to be. + +They met on an island in the river Rhone, and the warriors of both +camps were ranged on either shore, spectators of the battle. At the +first encounter both lances were shivered, but both riders kept their +seats, immovable. They dismounted, and drew their swords. Then ensued +a combat which seemed so equal, that the spectators could not form an +opinion as to the probable result. Two hours and more the knights +continued to strike and parry, to thrust and ward, neither showing any +sign of weariness, nor ever being taken at unawares. At length Roland +struck furiously upon Oliver's shield, burying Durindana in its edge +so deeply that he could not draw it back, and Oliver, almost at the +same moment, thrust so vigorously upon Roland's breastplate that his +sword snapped off at the handle. Thus were the two warriors left +weaponless. Scarcely pausing a moment, they rushed upon one another, +each striving to throw his adversary to the ground, and failing in +that, each snatched at the other's helmet to tear it away. Both +succeeded, and at the same moment they stood bareheaded face to face, +and Roland recognized Oliver, and Oliver, Roland. For a moment they +stood still; and the next, with open arms, rushed into one another's +embrace. "I am conquered," said Roland. "I yield me," said Oliver. + +The people on the shore knew not what to make of all this. Presently +they saw the two late antagonists standing hand in hand, and it was +evident the battle was at an end. The knights crowded round them, and +with one voice hailed them as equals in glory. If there were any who +felt disposed to murmur that the battle was left undecided, they were +silenced by the voice of Ogier the Dane, who proclaimed aloud that all +had been done that honor required, and declared that he would maintain +that award against all gainsayers. + +The quarrel with Guerin and his sons being left undecided, a truce was +made for four days, and in that time, by the efforts of Duke Namo on +the one side, and of Oliver on the other, a reconciliation was +effected. Charlemagne, accompanied by Guerin and his valiant family, +marched to meet Marsilius, who hastened to retreat across the +frontier. + + + + +THE TREASON OF GANELON + +By Sir George W. Cox + + +Charles the great king had tarried with his host seven years in Spain, +until he conquered all the land down to the sea, and his banners were +riddled through with battle-marks. There remained neither burg nor +castle the walls whereof he brake not down, save only Zaragoz, a +fortress on a rugged mountain top, so steep and strong that he could +not take it. There dwelt the pagan King Marsilius, who feared not God. + +King Marsilius caused his throne to be set in his garden beneath an +olive-tree, and thither he summoned his lords and nobles to +council. Twenty thousand of his warriors being gathered about him, he +spake to his dukes and counts saying, "What shall we do? Lo! these +seven years the great Charles has been winning all our lands till only +Zaragoz remains to us. We are too few to give him battle, and, were it +not so, man for man we are no match for his warriors. What shall we do +to save our lands?" + +Then up and spake Blancandrin, wily counsellor--"It is plain we must +be rid of this proud Charles; Spain must be rid of him. And since he +is too strong to drive out with the sword, let us try what promises +will do. Send an ambassage and say we will give him great treasure in +gold and cattle, hawk and hound; say we will be his vassals, do him +service at his call; say we will be baptized, forsake our gods and +call upon his God: say anything, so long as it will persuade him to +rise up with his host and quit our land." + +And all the pagans said, "It is well spoken." + +Charles the emperor held festival before Cordova, and rejoiced, he and +his host, because they had taken the city. They had overthrown its +walls; they had gotten much booty, both of gold and silver and rich +raiment; they had put cables round about its towers and dragged them +down. Not a pagan remained in the city; for they were all either slain +or turned Christian. The emperor sat among his knights in a green +pleasance. Round about him were Roland his nephew, captain of his +host, and Oliver, and Duke Sampson; proud Anseis, Geoffrey of Anjou +the king's standard-bearer, and fifteen thousand of the noblest born +of gentle France. Beneath a pine-tree where a rose-briar twined, sat +Charles the Great, ruler of France, upon a chair of gold. White and +long was his beard; huge of limb and hale of body was the king, and of +noble countenance. It needed not that any man should ask his fellow, +saying, "Which is the king?" for all might plainly know him for the +ruler of his people. + +When the messengers of King Marsilius came into his presence, they +knew him straightway, and lighted quickly down from their mules and +came meekly bending at his feet. Then said Blancandrin, "God save the +king, the glorious king whom all men ought to worship. My master King +Marsilius sends greeting to the great Charles, whose power no man can +withstand, and he prays thee make peace with him. Marsilius offers +gifts of bears and lions and leashed hounds, seven hundred camels and +a thousand moulted falcons, of gold and silver so much as four hundred +mules harnessed to fifty chariots can draw, with all his treasure of +jewels. Only make the peace and get thee to Aachen, and my master will +meet thee there at the feast of St. Michael; and he will be thy man +henceforth in service and worship, and hold Spain of thee; thou shalt +be his lord, and thy God shall be his God." + +The emperor bowed his head the while he thought upon the purport of +the message; for he never spake a hasty word, and never went back from +a word once spoken. Having mused awhile he raised his head and +answered, "The King Marsilius is greatly my enemy. In what manner +shall I be assured that he will keep his covenant?" The messengers +said, "Great king, we offer hostages of good faith, the children of our +noblest. Take ten or twenty as it seemeth good to thee; but treat them +tenderly, for verily at the feast of St. Michael our king will redeem +his pledge, and come to Aachen to be baptized and pay his homage and +his tribute." + +Then the king commanded a pavilion to be spread wherein to lodge them +for the night. On the morrow, after they had taken their journey home, +he called his barons to him and showed them after what manner the +messengers had spoken, and asked their counsel. + +With one voice the Franks answered, "Beware of King Marsilius." + +Then spake Roland and said, "Parley not with him, trust him not. +Remember how he took and slew Count Basant and Count Basil, the +messengers whom we sent to him aforetime on a peaceful errand. Seven +years have we been in Spain, and now only Zaragoz holds out against +us. Finish what has been so long a-doing and is well nigh done. Gather +the host; lay siege to Zaragoz with all thy might, and conquer the +last stronghold of the pagans; so win Spain, and end this long and +weary war." + +But Ganelon drew near to the king and spake: "Heed not the counsel of +any babbler, unless it be to thine own profit. What has Marsilius +promised? Will he not give up his gods, himself, his service and his +treasure? Could man ask more? Could we get more by fighting him? How +glorious would it be to go to war with a beaten man who offers thee +his all! How wise to wage a war to win what one can get without! +Roland is wholly puffed up with the pride of fools. He counsels battle +for his glory's sake. What careth he how many of us be slain in a +causeless fight, if he can win renown? Roland is a brave man; brave +enough and strong enough to save his skin, and so is reckless of our +lives." + +Then said Duke Naymes (a better vassal never stood before a king), +"Ganelon has spoken well, albeit bitterly. Marsilius is altogether +vanquished, and there is no more glory in fighting him. Spurn not him +who sues at thy feet for pity. Make peace, and let this long war end." +And all the Franks answered, "The counsel is good." + +So Charles said, "Who will go up to Zaragoz to King Marsilius, and +bear my glove and staff and make the covenant with him?" + +Duke Naymes said straightway, "I will go;" but the king answered, +"Nay, thou shalt not go. Thou art my right hand in counsel and I +cannot spare thee." Then said Roland, "Send me." But Count Oliver, his +dear companion, said, "What! send thee upon a peaceful errand? +Hot-blooded as thou art, impatient of all parleying? Nay, good Roland, +thou wouldst spoil any truce. Let the king send me." + +Charles stroked his long white beard and said, "Hold your peace, both +of you; neither shall go." + +Then arose Archbishop Turpin and said, "Let me go. I am eager to see +this pagan Marsilius and his heathen band. I long to baptize them all, +and make their everlasting peace." + +The king answered, "All in good time, zealous Turpin; but first let +them make their peace with me: take thy seat. Noble Franks, choose me +a right worthy man to bear my message to Marsilius." + +Roland answered, "Send Ganelon, my stepfather." And the Franks said, +"Ganelon is the man, for there is none more cunning of speech than +he." + +Now when the coward Ganelon heard these words, he feared greatly, well +knowing the fate of them which had gone aforetime as messengers to +Marsilius; and his anger was kindled against Roland insomuch that the +expression of his countenance changed in sight of all. He arose from +the ground and throwing the mantle of sable fur from his neck, said +fiercely to Roland, "Men know full well that I am thy step-father, and +that there is no love between us; but thou art a fool thus openly to +show thy malice. If God but give me to return alive, I will requite +thee." + +Then he came bending to King Charles, "Rightful emperor, I am ready to +go up to Zaragoz, albeit no messenger ever returned thence alive. But +I pray thee for my boy Baldwin, who is yet young, that thou wilt care +for him. Is he not the son of thy sister whom I wedded? Let him have +my lands and honors, and train him up among thy knights if I return no +more." + +Charles answered, "Be not so faint-hearted; take the glove and baton, +since the Franks have awarded it to thee, and go, do my bidding." +Ganelon said, "Sire, this is Roland's doing. All my life have I hated +him; and I like no better his companion, Oliver. And as for the twelve +champion peers of France, who stand by him in all he does, and in +whose eyes Roland can do no wrong, I defy them all, here and now." + +Charles smoothed his snowy beard and said, "Verily Count Ganelon thou +hast an ill humor. Wert thou as valiant of fight as thou art of +speech, the twelve peers perchance might tremble. But they laugh. Let +them. Thy tongue may prove of better service to us upon this mission +than their swords." Then the king drew off the glove from his right +hand, and held it forth; but Ganelon, when he went to take it, let it +fall upon the ground. Thereat the Franks murmured, and said one to +another, "This is an evil omen, and bodes ill for the message." But +Ganelon picked it up quickly, saying, "Fear not: you shall all hear +tidings of it." And Ganelon said to the king, "Dismiss me, I pray +thee." So the king gave him a letter signed with his hand and seal, +and delivered to him the staff, saying, "Go, in God's name and mine." + +Many of his good vassals would fain have accompanied him upon his +journey, but Ganelon answered, "Nay. 'Tis better one should die than +many." Then Ganelon leaped to horse, and rode on until he overtook the +pagan messengers who had halted beneath an olive-tree to rest. There +Blancandrin talked with Ganelon of the great Charles, and of the +countries he had conquered, and of his riches and the splendor of his +court. Ganelon also spake bitterly of Roland and his eagerness for +war, and how he continually drove the king to battle, and was the +fiercest of all the Franks against the pagans. And Blancandrin said to +Ganelon, "Shall we have peace?" Ganelon said, "He that sueth for peace +often seeketh opportunity for war." Blancandrin answered, "He that +beareth peace to his master's enemies often desireth to be avenged of +his own." Then each of the two men knew the other to be a rogue; and +they made friends, and opened their hearts to each other, and each +spake of what was in his mind, and they laid their plans. So it befell +that when they came to Zaragoz, Blancandrin took Ganelon by the hand, +and led him to King Marsilius, saying, "O king! we have borne thy +message to the haughty Charles, but he answered never a word. He only +raised his hands on high to his God, and held his peace; but he has +sent the noble Count Ganelon, at whose mouth we shall hear whether we +may have peace or no." + +Then Ganelon, who had well considered beforehand what he should say, +began, "God save the worthy King Marsilius. Thus saith the mighty +Charles through me his messenger: 'So thou wilt become a Christian, I +will give thee the half of Spain to hold of me, and thou shalt pay me +tribute and be my servant. Otherwise I will come suddenly and take the +land away by force, and will bring thee to Aachen, to my court, and +will there put thee to death.'" + +When King Marsilius heard this, the color went from his face, and he +snatched a javelin by the shaft, and poised it in his hand. Ganelon +watched him, his fingers playing the while with the sword-hilt +underneath his mantle, and he said, "Great king, I have given my +message and have freed me of my burden. Let the bearer of such a +message die if so it seemeth good to thee. What shall it profit thee +to slay the messenger? Will that wipe out the message, or bring a +gentler one? Or thinkest thou Charles careth not for his barons? Read +now the writing of King Charles the Great." Therewith he gave into +the king's hand a parchment he had made ready in the likeness of his +master's writing. And Marsilius brake the seal, and read: "Before I +will make the peace, I command thee send hither to me thine uncle, the +caliph, that sitteth next thee on the throne, that I may do with him +as I will." Then the king's son drew his scimitar and ran on Ganelon, +saying, "Give him to me; it is not fit this man should live!" But +Ganelon turned, brandished his sword and set his back against a +pine-trunk. Then cried Blancandrin, "Do the Frank no harm; for he has +pledged himself to be our spy, and work for our profit." So +Blancandrin went and fetched Ganelon, and led him by the hand and +brought him against the king. And the king said, "Good Sir Ganelon, I +was wrong to be angry; but I will make amends. I will give thee five +hundred pieces of gold in token of my favor." Ganelon answered, "He +that taketh not counsel to his own profit is a fool. God forbid I +should so ill requite thy bounty as to say thee nay." + +Marsilius said, "Charles is very old. For years and years he has +fought and conquered, and put down kings and taken their lands, and +heaped up riches more than can be counted. Is he not yet weary of war, +nor tired of conquest, nor satisfied with his riches?" Ganelon +answered, "Charles has long been tired of war; but Roland, his +captain, is a covetous man, and greedy of possession. He and his +companion Oliver, and the twelve peers of France, continually do stir +up the king to war. Were these but slain, the world would be at +peace. But they have under them full twenty thousand men, the pick of +all the host of France, and they are very terrible in war." + +Marsilius spake to him again, saying, "Tell me; I have four hundred +thousand warriors, better men were never seen: would not these suffice +to fight with Charles?" + +Ganelon answered, "Nay; what folly is this! Heed wiser counsel. Send +back the hostages to Charles with me. Then will Charles gather his +host together, and depart out of Spain, and go to Aachen, there to +await the fulfilment of thy covenant. But he will leave his rear-guard +of twenty thousand, together with Roland and Oliver and the Twelve, to +follow after him. Fall thou on these with all thy warriors; let not +one escape. Destroy them, and thou mayest choose thy terms of peace, +for Charles will fight no more. The rear-guard will take their journey +by the pass of Siza, along the narrow Valley of Roncesvalles. +Wherefore surround the valley with thy host, and lie in wait for them. +They will fight hard, but in vain." + +Then Marsilius made him swear upon the book of the law of Mohammed, +and upon his sword handle, that all should happen as he had said. Thus +Ganelon did the treason. And Marsilius gave Ganelon rich presents of +gold and precious stones, and bracelets of great worth. He gave him +also the keys of his city of Zaragoz, that he should rule it after +these things were come to pass, and promised him ten mules' burden of +fine gold of Arabia. So he sent Ganelon again to Charles, and with +him twenty hostages of good faith. + +When Ganelon came before Charles, he told him King Marsilius would +perform all the oath which he sware, and was even now set out upon his +journey to do his fealty, and pay the price of peace, and be baptized. +Then Charles lifted up his hands toward Heaven, and thanked God for +the prosperous ending of the war in Spain. + + + + +THE GREAT BATTLE OF RONCESVALLES + +By Sir George W. Cox + + +In the morning the king arose and gathered to him his host to go away +to keep the feast of Saint Michael at Aachen, and to meet Marsilius +there. + +And Ogier the Dane made he captain of the vanguard of his army which +should go with him. Then said the king to Ganelon, "Whom shall I make +captain of the rear-guard which I leave behind?" Ganelon answered, +"Roland; for there is none like him in all the host." So Charles made +Roland captain of the rear-guard. With Roland there remained behind, +Oliver, his dear comrade, and the twelve peers, and Turpin the +archbishop, who for love of Roland would fain go with him, and twenty +thousand proven warriors. Then said the king to his nephew, "Good +Roland, behold, the half of my army have I given thee in charge. See +thou keep them safely." Roland answered, "Fear nothing. I shall +render good account of them," + +So they took leave of one another, and the king and his host marched +forward till they reached the borders of Spain. And ever as the king +thought upon his nephew whom he left behind, his heart grew heavy with +an ill foreboding. So they came into Gascoigny and saw their own lands +again. But Charles would not be comforted, for being come into France +he would sit with his face wrapped in his mantle, and he often spake +to Duke Naymes, saying he feared that Ganelon had wrought some +treason. + +Now Marsilius had sent in haste to all his emirs and his barons to +assemble a mighty army, and in three days he gathered four hundred +thousand men to Roncesvalles, and there lay in wait for the rearguard +of King Charles. + +Now when the rear-guard had toiled up the rocky pass and climbed the +mountain ridge, way-wearied, they looked down on Roncesvalles, whither +their journey lay. And behold! all the valley bristled with spears, +and the valley sides were overspread with them, for multitude like +blades of grass upon a pasture; and the murmur of the pagan host rose +to them on the mountain as the murmur of a sea. Then when they saw +that Ganelon had played them false, Oliver spake to Roland, "What +shall we now do because of this treason? For this is a greater +multitude of pagans than has ever been gathered together in the world +before. And they will certainly give us battle." Roland answered, "God +grant it; for sweet it is to do our duty for our king. This will we +do: when we have rested we, will go forward." Then said Oliver, "We +are but a handful. These are in number as the sands of the sea. Be +wise; take now your horn, good comrade, and sound it; peradventure +Charles may hear, and come back with his host to succor us." But +Roland answered, "The greater the number the more glory. God forbid I +should sound my horn and bring Charles back with his barons, and lose +my good name, and bring disgrace upon us all. Fear not the numbers of +the host; I promise you they shall repent of coming here; they are as +good as dead already in my mind." Three times Oliver urged him to +sound his horn, but Roland would not, for he said, "God and His angels +are on our side." Yet again Oliver pleaded, for he had mounted up +into a pine tree and seen more of the multitude that came against +them; far as the eye could see they reached; and he prayed Roland to +come and see also. But he would not; "Time enough," he said, "to know +their numbers when we come to count the slain. We will make ready for +battle." + +Then Archbishop Turpin gathered the band of warriors about him, and +said, "It is a right good thing to die for king and faith; and verily +this day we all shall do it. But have no fear of death. For we shall +meet to-night in Paradise, and wear the martyr's crown. Kneel now, +confess your sins, and pray God's mercy." Then the Franks kneeled on +the ground while the archbishop shrived them clean and blessed them in +the name of God. And after that he bade them rise, and, for penance, +go scourge the pagans. + +Roland ranged his trusty warriors and went to and fro among them +riding upon his battle-horse Veillantif; by his side his good sword +Durendal. Small need had he to exhort them in extremity; there was +not a man but loved him unto death and cheerfully would follow where +he led. He looked upon the pagan host, and his countenance waxed +fierce and terrible; he looked upon his band, and his face was mild +and gentle. He said, "Good comrades, lords, and barons, let no man +grudge his life to-day; but only see he sells it dear. A score of +pagans is a poor price for one of us. I have promised to render good +account of you. I have no fear. The battlefield will tell, if we +cannot." Then he gave the word, "Go forward!" and with his golden spurs +pricked Veillantif. So, foremost, he led the rear-guard down the +mountain-side, down through the pass of Siza into the Valley of Death +called Roncesvalles. Close following came Oliver, Archbishop Turpin, +and the valiant Twelve; the guard pressing forward with the shout +"Montjoy!" and bearing the snow-white banner of their king aloft. + +Marvellous and fierce was the battle. That was a good spear Roland +bare; for it crashed through fifteen pagan bodies, through brass and +hide and bone, before the trusty ash brake in its hand, or ever he was +fain to draw Durendal from his sheath. The Twelve did wondrously; nay, +every man of the twenty thousand fought with lionlike courage; neither +counted any man his life dear to him. Archbishop Turpin, resting for +a moment to get fresh breath, cried out, "Thank God to see the +rear-guard fight to-day!" then spurred in again among them. Roland saw +Oliver still fighting with the truncheon of his spear and said, +"Comrade, draw thy sword," but he answered, "Not while a handful of +the stump remains. Weapons are precious to-day." + +For hours they fought, and not a Frank gave way. Wheresoever a man +planted his foot, he kept the ground or died. The guard hewed down the +pagans by crowds, till the earth was heaped with full two hundred +thousand heathen dead. Of those kings which banded together by oath to +fight him, Roland gave good account, for he laid them all dead about +him in a ring. But many thousands of the Franks were slain, and of the +Twelve there now remained but two. + +Marsilius looked upon his shattered host and saw them fall back in +panic, for they were dismayed because of the Franks. But Marsilius +heard the sound of trumpets from the mountain top and a glad man was +he; for twenty strong battalions of Saracens were come to his help, +and these poured down the valley-side. Seeing this, the rest of the +pagans took heart again, and they all massed about the remnant of the +guard, and shut them in on every hand. Nevertheless Roland and his +fast lessening band were not dismayed. So marvellously they fought, so +many thousand pagans hurled they down, making grim jests the while as +though they played at war for sport, that their enemies were in mortal +fear and doubted greatly if numbers would suffice to overwhelm these +men, for it misgave them whether God's angels were not come down to +the battle. But the brave rear-guard dwindled away, and Roland scarce +dared turn his eyes to see the handful that remained. + +Then Roland spake to Oliver, "Comrade, I will sound my horn, if +peradventure Charles may hear and come to us." But Oliver was angry, +and answered, "It is now too late. Hadst thou but heeded me in time, +much weeping might have been spared the women of France, Charles +should not have lost his guard, nor France her valiant Roland." "Talk +not of what might have been," said Archbishop Turpin, "but blow thy +horn. Charles cannot come in time to save our lives, but he will +certainly come and avenge them." + +Then Roland put the horn to his mouth and blew a great blast. Far up +the valley went the sound and smote against the mountain tops; these +flapped it on from ridge to ridge for thirty leagues. Charles heard it +in his hall, and said, "Listen! what is that? Surely our men do fight +to-day." But Ganelon answered the king: "What folly is this! It is +only the sighing of the wind among the trees." + +Weary with battle Roland took the horn again and winded it with all +his strength. So long and mighty was the blast, the veins stood out +upon his forehead in great cords; he blew on till with the strain his +brain-pan brake asunder at the temples. Charles heard it in his +palace and cried, "Hark! I hear Roland's horn. He is in battle or he +would not sound it." Ganelon answered, "Too proud is he to sound it in +battle. My lord the king groweth old and childish in his fears. What +if it be Roland's horn? He hunteth perchance in the woods." + +In sore pain and heaviness Roland lifted the horn to his mouth and +feebly winded it again. Charles heard it in his palace, and started +from his seat; the salt tears gathered in his eyes and dropped upon +his snowy beard; and he said, "O Roland, my brave captain, too long +have I delayed! Thou art in evil need. I know it by the wailing of the +horn!' Quick, now, to arms! Make ready, every man! For straightway +we will go and help him." Then he thrust Ganelon away, and said to his +servants, "Take this man, and bind him fast with chains; keep him in +ward till I return in peace and know if he have wrought us treason." +So they bound Ganelon and flung him into a dungeon; and Charles the +Great and his host set out with all speed. + +Fierce with the cruel throbbing of his brain, and well nigh blinded, +Roland fought on, and with his good sword Durendal slew the pagan +prince Faldrun and three and twenty redoubtable champions. + +The little company that was left of the brave rear-guard cut down +great masses of the pagans, and reaped among them as the reapers reap +at harvest time; but one by one the reapers fell ere yet the harvest +could be gathered in. Yet where each Frank lay, beside him there lay +for a sheaf his pile of slain, so any man might see how dear he had +sold his life. Marganices, the pagan king, espied where Oliver was +fighting seven abreast, and spurred his horse and rode and smote him +through the back a mortal wound. But Oliver turned and swung his sword +Hautclere, and before he could triumph clove him through the helmet to +his teeth. Yet even when the pains of death gat hold on Oliver so +that his eyes grew dim and he knew no man, he never ceased striking +out on every side with his sword and calling "Montjoy!" Then Roland +hasted to his help, and cutting the pagans down for a wide space +about, came to his old companion to lift him from his horse. But +Oliver struck him a blow that brake the helm to shivers on his +throbbing head. + +Nevertheless Roland for all his pain took him tenderly down and spake +with much gentleness, saying, "Dear comrade, I fear me thou art in an +evil case." Oliver said, "Thy voice is like Roland's voice; but I +cannot see thee." Roland answered, "It is I, thy comrade." Then he +said "Forgive me, that I smote thee. It is so dark I cannot see thy +face; give me thy hand; God bless thee, Roland; God bless Charles, and +France!" So saying he fell upon his face and died. + +A heavy-hearted man was Roland; little recked he for his life since +Oliver his good comrade was parted from him. Then he turned and looked +for the famous rear-guard of King Charles the Great. + +Only two men were left beside himself. + +Turpin the archbishop, Count Gaulter, and Roland set themselves +together with the fixed intent to sell their lives as dearly as they +might; and when the pagans ran upon them in a multitude with shouts +and cries, Roland slew twenty, Count Gaulter six, and Turpin five. +Then the pagans drew back and gathered together all the remnant of +their army, forty thousand horsemen and a thousand footmen with spears +and javelins, and charged upon the three. Count Gaulter fell at the +first shock. The archbishop's horse was killed, and he being brought +to earth, lay there a-dying, with four wounds in his forehead, and +four in his breast. Yet gat Roland never a wound in all that fight, +albeit the pain in his temples was very sore. + +Then Roland took the horn and sought to wind it yet again. Very feeble +was the sound, yet Charles heard it away beyond the mountains, where +he marched fast to help his guard. And the king said, "Good barons, +great is Roland's distress; I know it by the sighing of the horn. +Spare neither spur nor steed for Roland's sake." Then he commanded to +sound all the clarions long and loud; and the mountains tossed the +sound from peak to peak, so that it was plainly heard down in the +Valley of Roncesvalles. + +The pagans heard the clarions ringing behind the mountains, and they +said, "These are the clarions of Charles the Great. Behold Charles +cometh upon us with his host, and we shall have to fight the battle +again if we remain. Let us rise up and depart quickly. There is but +one man more to slay." Then four hundred of the bravest rode at +Roland; and he, spurring his weary horse against them, strove still to +shout "Montjoy!" but could not, for voice failed him. And when he was +come within spear-cast, every pagan flung a spear at him, for they +feared to go nigh him, and said, "There is none born of woman can slay +this man." Stricken with twenty spears, the faithful steed, +Veillantif, dropped down dead. Roland fell under him, his armor +pierced everywhere with spear-points, yet not so much as a scratch +upon his body. Stunned with the fall he lay there in a swoon. The +pagans came and looked on him, and gave him up for dead. Then they +left him and made all speed to flee before Charles should come. + +Roland lifted his eyes and beheld the pagans filing up the mountain +passes; and he was left alone among the dead. In great pain he drew +his limbs from underneath his horse, and gat upon his feet, but scarce +could stand for the anguish of his brain beating against his +temples. He dragged himself about the valley, and looked upon his dead +friends and comrades, and Roland said, "Charles will see that the +guard has done its duty." He came to where Oliver lay, and lifted the +body tenderly in his arms, saying, "Dear comrade, thou wast ever a +good and gentle friend to me; better warrior brake never a spear, nor +wielded sword; wise wert thou of counsel, and I repent me that once +only I hearkened not to thy voice. God rest thy soul! A sweeter friend +and truer comrade no man ever had than thou." Then Roland heard a +feeble voice, and turned and was ware of Archbishop Turpin. Upon the +ground he lay a-dying, a piteous sight to see; howbeit, he raised his +trembling hands and blessed the brave dead about him in the dear name +of God. + +And when Turpin beheld Roland, his eyes were satisfied. He said, "Dear +Roland, thank God the field is thine and mine. We have fought a good +fight." Then joined he his hands as though he fain would pray, and +Roland, seeing the archbishop like to faint for the sharpness of his +distress, took and dragged himself to a running stream that he espied +pass through the valley; and he dipped up water in his horn to bring +to him, but could not, for he fell upon the bank and swooned. And +when he came to himself, and crawled to where the archbishop lay, he +found him with his hands still clasped, but having neither thirst nor +any pain, for he was at rest. A lonesome man in the Valley of Death, +Roland wept for the last of his friends. + +And Roland, when he found death coming on him, took his sword Durendal +in one hand, and his horn in the other, and crawled away about a +bowshot to a green hillock whereupon four diverse marble steps were +built beneath the trees. + +Then he took Durendal into his hands, and prayed that it might not +fall into the power of his enemies. He said, "O Durendal, how keen of +edge, how bright of blade thou art! God sent thee by his angel to King +Charles, to be his captain's sword. Charles girt thee at my side. How +many countries thou hast conquered for him in my hands! O Durendal, +though it grieves me sore, I had rather break thee than that pagan +hands should wield thee against France." Then he besought that God +would now eke out his strength to break the sword; and lifting it in +his hands he smote mightily upon the topmost marble step. The gray +stone chipped and splintered, but the good blade brake not, neither +was its edge turned. He smote the second step, which was of sardonyx; +the blade bit it, and leaped back, but blunted not, nor brake. The +third step was of gray adamant; he smote it with all his might; the +adamant powdered where he struck, but the sword brake not, nor lost +its edge. And when he could no more lift the sword, his heart smote +him that he had tried to break the holy blade; and he said, "O +Durendal, I am to blame; the angels gave thee; they will keep thee +safe for Charles and France!" + +Then Roland lay down and set his face toward Spain and toward his +enemies, that men should plainly see he fell a conqueror. Beneath him +he put the sword and horn; then having made his peace with God, he lay +a-thinking. He thought of his master Charles. He thought of France and +his home that was so dear. He thought of his dear maid, Hilda, who +would weep and cry for him. Then lifted he his weary hands to Heaven +and closed his eyes in death. + +Gloom fell; the mists went up, and there was only death and silence in +the valley. The low red sun was setting in the west. + + + + +CHARLEMAGNE REVENGES ROLAND + +By Sir George W. Cox + + +Charles and his host rode hard, and drew not rein until they reached +the mountain top, and looked down on the Valley of Roncesvalles. They +blew the clarions, but there was no sound, neither any that answered +save the ringing mountain sides. Then down through gloom and mist they +rode, and saw the field; saw Roland dead, and Oliver; the archbishop +and the twelve valiant peers, and every man of the twenty thousand +chosen guard; saw how fiercely they had fought, how hard they died. + +There was not one in all the king's host but lifted up his voice and +wept for pity at the sight they saw. + +But Charles the king is fallen on his face on Roland's body, with a +great and exceeding bitter cry. No word lie spake, but only lay and +moaned upon the dead that was so passing dear to him. + +Charles was an old man when he took the babe Roland from his mother's +arms. He had brought him up and nourished him, had taught him war, and +watched him grow the bravest knight, the stanchest captain of his +host. Right gladly would he have given Spain and the fruits of all the +seven years' war to have Roland back again. Tears came, but brought no +words; and God sent sleep to comfort him for his heaviness. + +Then having watered and pastured their horses, the king left four good +knights in Roncesvalles to guard the dead and set out in chase of the +pagans. + +In the Vale of Tenebrus the Franks overtook them, hard by the broad, +swift river Ebro. There being hemmed in, the river in front and the +fierce Franks behind, the pagans were cut to pieces; Not one escaped, +save Marsilius and a little band who had taken another way and got +safe to Zaragoz. Thence Marsilius sent letters to Baligant, King of +Babylon, who ruled forty kingdoms, praying him to come over and help +him. And Baligant gathered a mighty great army and put off to sea to +come to Marsilius. + +But King Charles went straightway back to Roncesvalles to bury the +dead. He summoned thither his bishops and abbots and canons to say +mass for the souls of his guard and to burn incense of myrrh and +antimony round about. But he would by no means lay Roland and Oliver +and Turpin in the earth. Wherefore he caused their bodies to be +embalmed, that he might have them ever before his eyes; and he arrayed +them in stuffs of great price and laid them in three coffins of white +marble, and chose out the three richest chariots that he had and +placed the coffins in them, that they might go with him whithersoever +he went. + +Now after this Marsilius and Baligant came out to battle with King +Charles before the walls of Zaragoz. But the king utterly destroyed +the pagans there and slew King Baligant and King Marsilius, and brake +down the gates of Zaragoz and took the city. So he conquered Spain and +avenged himself for Roland and his guard. + +But when King Charles would go back again to France his heart grew +exceeding heavy. He said, "O Roland, my good friend, I have no more +pleasure in this land which we have conquered. When I come again to +Laon, to my palace, and men ask tidings, they will hear how many +cities and kingdoms we have taken; but no man will rejoice. They will +say, Count Roland our good captain is dead, and great sadness will +fall on all the realm. O Roland, my friend, when I come again to +Aachen, to my chapel, and men ask tidings, they will hear that we have +won a land and lost the best captain in all France; and they will weep +and mourn, and say the war has been in vain. O Roland, my friend, +would God that I had died for thee!" + +Now when the people of France heard how King Charles the Great +returned victorious, they gathered together in great multitudes to +welcome him. And when Hilda, the fair maid whom Roland loved, heard +it, she arrayed herself in her richest apparel and proudly decked +herself with her jewels. For she said, "I would be pleasing in the +eyes of my brave true captain who comes home to wed with me. There is +no gladder heart in France than mine." Then she hasted to the palace. +The king's guards all drew back for fear and let her pass, for they +dared not speak to her. Right proudly walked she through them, and +proudly came she to the king, saying,--"Roland, the captain of the +host, where is he?" + +And Charles feared exceedingly and scarce could see for tears. He +said, "Dear sister, sweet friend, am I God that I can bring back the +dead? Roland my nephew is dead; Roland my captain and my friend is +dead. Nay, take time and mourn with us all, and when thy heart is +healed I will give thee Louis mine own son, who will sit after me upon +the throne. Take Louis in his stead." + +Hilda cried not, nor uttered sound. The color faded from her face, and +straightway she fell dead at the king's feet. + + + + +HOW THIERRY VANQUISHED GANELON + +By Sir George W. Cox + + +It is written in the old chronicle, that after these things Charles +sent and summoned many men from many lands to come and try if Ganelon +had done him a treason or no; for the twenty thousand who were +betrayed being dead and the pagans utterly destroyed, there was none +left to bear witness against him. So the king sent and fetched Ganelon +up out of prison and set him on his trial. Howbeit Ganelon contrived +to get thirty of his kinsfolk chosen among his judges, and chief of +them Pinabel, a man of great stature and strength of limb. Moreover, +Pinabel was a ready man to pick a quarrel with any; a man cunning of +tongue and very rich and powerful, so that people feared him greatly. +These thirty Ganelon bribed, with part of the price he took from King +Marsilius for the treason, to give judgment for him. Then Pinabel and +the others went to and fro among the judges and persuaded them, +saying: "We have no witnesses, only Ganelon himself, and what saith +he? He owns he hated Roland, and for that cause he challenged Roland, +in the presence of the king and all his court, to fight when he +returned from his mission. The open challenger is not the betrayer in +secret. Moreover, had he done this thing, would Ganelon have come back +again to King Charles? Besides, would any man betray an army of his +friends to rid himself of a single enemy? Blood enough has been shed. +Slaying Ganelon will not bring Roland back. The Franks are angry since +they have lost their captain, and blindly clamor for a victim. Heed +not their foolish cry, for Ganelon has done no treason." To this the +others all agreed, save Thierry, the son of Duke Geoffrey; and he +would not. + +The judges came to King Charles and said, "We find that Ganelon has +done nothing worthy of death. Let him live and take anew the oath of +fealty to France and the king." Then the king was grieved, and said, +"It misgives me you have played me false. In my esteem the judgment is +not just. Nevertheless, it is judgment: only God can alter it." + +Then stepped forth the youth Thierry, Geoffrey's son. He was but a +lad, very little and slender of body, and slight of limb. And he said, +"Let not the king be sad. I Thierry do impeach Ganelon as a felon and +a traitor who betrayed Roland and the rear-guard to the pagans, and I +also say that thirty of Ganelon's kinsfolk have wrought treason and +corrupted judgment. And this will I maintain with my sword, and prove +upon the body of any man who will come to defend him or them." Thereto +to pledge himself he drew off his right glove and gave it to the king +for a gage. + +Pinabel strode forward, a giant among the throng. He looked down upon +the lad Thierry and despised him; he came to the king and gave his +glove, saying, "I will fight this battle to the death." The Franks +pitied Thierry and feared for him, for they had hoped Naymes or Olger +or some mighty champion would have undertaken the cause, and not a +stripling. But Charles the king said, "God will show the right." So +they made ready the lists; and the king commanded Ganelon and his +thirty kinsmen to be held in pledge against the issue. + +The battle was done in a green meadow near to Aachen in presence of +the king and his barons and a great multitude of people. First the men +rode together and tilted till their spears brake and the saddle-girths +gave way; then they left their steeds and fought on foot. Thierry was +wondrous quick and agile, and wearied Pinabel at the outset by his +swift sword-play; but Thierry's hand was weak against his sturdy +adversary, and his sword point pierced not mail nor shield. Pinabel +clave his helm and hewed great pieces off his mail, but could not slay +him. Then said Pinabel, "Fool, why should I kill thee? Give up the +battle and the cause, and I will be thy man henceforth in faith and +fealty. It shall prove greatly for thy profit to reconcile Ganelon and +the king." + +Thierry answered, "I will not parley; God will surely show whether of +us twain be right! Guard thyself." So they fell to again, and all men +saw that nothing would now part them till one was dead; and +straightway they gave the lad Thierry up for lost. Pinabel's sword was +heavy, and great the strength of his arm. He smote Thierry a blow upon +the helm that sliced off visor and ventailles. But Thierry lifted up +his sword and struck the brown steel helm of Pinabel. God put His +might into the young man's arm, for the blade cleft steel and skull, +and entered Pinabel's brain, so that he reeled and dropped down +dead. Then all the people shouted, "God hath spoken! Away with Ganelon +and his fellows." + +Then King Charles raised up his hands to heaven and gave thanks, and +taking Thierry in his arms embraced him for joy, and with his own +hands took off his armor, and he set the noblest in the land to tend +his wounds. + +King Charles sat in judgment in his palace at Aachen. + +He said, "Take the thirty kinsmen of Ganelon, perverters of justice, +let not one escape, and hang them." Blithely the Franks obeyed his +word. + +But Ganelon he caused to be drawn and quartered; and thus did Charles +the king make an end of his vengeance for his guard. + +This is the song which Turold used to sing. + + + + +RINALDO AND BAYARD + +By Thomas Bulfinch + + +Charlemagne was overwhelmed with grief at the loss of so many of his +bravest warriors at the disaster of Roncesvalles, and bitterly +reproached himself for his credulity in resigning himself so +completely to the counsels of the treacherous Count Ganelon. Yet he +soon fell into a similar snare when he suffered his unworthy son +Charlot to acquire such an influence over him, that he constantly led +him into acts of cruelty and injustice that in his right mind he would +have scorned to commit. Rinaldo and his brothers, for some slight +offence to the imperious young prince, were forced to fly from Paris, +and to take shelter in their castle of Montalban; for Charles had +publicly said, if he could take them, he would hang them all. He sent +numbers of his bravest knights to arrest them, but all without +success. Either Rinaldo foiled their efforts and sent them back, +stripped of their armor and of their glory, or, after meeting and +conferring with him, they came back and told the king they could not +be his instruments for such a work. + +At last Charles himself raised a great army, and went in person to +compel the paladin to submit. He ravaged all the country round about +Montalban, so that supplies of food should be cut off, and he +threatened death to any who should attempt to issue forth, hoping to +compel the garrison to submit for want of food. + +Rinaldo's resources had been brought so low that it seemed useless to +contend any longer. His brothers had been taken prisoners in a +skirmish, and his only hope of saving their lives was in making terms +with the king. + +So he sent a messenger, offering to yield himself and his castle if +the king would spare his and his brothers' lives. While the messenger +was gone, Rinaldo, impatient to learn what tidings he might bring, +rode out to meet him. When he had ridden as far as he thought prudent +he stopped in a wood, and, alighting, tied Bayard to a tree. Then he +sat down, and, as he waited, he fell asleep. Bayard meanwhile got +loose, and strayed away where the grass tempted him. Just then came +along some country people, who said to one another, "Look, is not that +the great horse Bayard that Rinaldo rides? Let us take him, and carry +him to King Charles, who will pay us well for our trouble." They did +so, and the king was delighted with his prize, and gave them a present +that made them rich to their dying day. + +When Rinaldo woke he looked round for his horse, and, finding him not, +he groaned, and said, "O unlucky hour that I was born! how fortune +persecutes me!" So desperate was he, that he took off his armor and +his spurs, saying, "What need have I of these, since Bayard is lost?" +While he stood thus lamenting, a man came from the thicket, seemingly +bent with age. He had a long beard hanging over his breast, and +eyebrows that almost covered his eyes. He bade Rinaldo good +day. Rinaldo thanked him, and said, "A good day I have hardly had +since I was born." Then said the old man, "Signor Rinaldo, you must +not despair, for God will make all things turn to the best." Rinaldo +answered, "My trouble is too heavy for me to hope relief. The king has +taken my brothers, and means to put them to death. I thought to rescue +them by means of my horse Bayard, but while I slept some thief has +stolen him." The old man replied, "I will remember you and your +brothers in my prayers. I am a poor man, have you not something to +give me?" Rinaldo said, "I have nothing to give," but then he +recollected his spurs. He gave them to the beggar, and said, "Here, +take my spurs. They are the first present my mother gave me when my +father, Count Aymon, dubbed me knight. They ought to bring you ten +pounds." + +The old man took the spurs, and put them into his sack, and said, +"Noble sir, have you nothing else you can give me?" Rinaldo replied, +"Are you making sport of me? I tell you truly if it were not for shame +to beat one so helpless, I would teach you better manners." The old +man said, "Of a truth, sir, if you did so, you would do a great sin. +If all had beaten me of whom I have begged, I should have been killed +long ago, for I ask alms in churches and convents, and wherever I +can." "You say true," replied Rinaldo, "if you did not ask, none would +relieve you." The old man said, "True, noble sir, therefore I pray if +you have anything more to spare, give it me." Rinaldo gave him his +mantle, and said, "Take it, pilgrim. I give it you for the love of +Christ, that God would save my brothers from a shameful death, and +help me to escape out of King Charles's power." + +The pilgrim took the mantle, folded it up, and put it into his +bag. Then a third time he said to Rinaldo, "Sir, have you nothing left +to give me that I may remember you in my prayers?" "Wretch!" +exclaimed Rinaldo, "do you make me your sport?" and he drew his sword, +and struck at him; but the old man warded off the blow with his staff, +and said, "Rinaldo, would you slay your cousin, Malagigi?" When +Rinaldo heard that he stayed his hand, and gazed doubtingly on the old +man, who now threw aside his disguise, and appeared to be indeed +Malagigi. "Dear cousin," said Rinaldo, "pray forgive me. I did not +know you. Next to God, my trust is in you. Help my brothers to escape +out of prison, I entreat you. I have lost my horse, and therefore +cannot render them any assistance." Malagigi answered, "Cousin +Rinaldo, I will enable you to recover your horse. Meanwhile, you must +do as I say." + +Then Malagigi took from his sack a gown, and gave it to Rinaldo to put +on over his armor, and a hat that was full of holes, and an old pair +of shoes to put on. They looked like two pilgrims, very old and +poor. Then they went forth from the wood, and, after a little while, +saw four monks riding along the road. Malagigi said to Rinaldo, "I +will go meet the monks, and see what news I can learn." + +Malagigi learned from the monks that on the approaching festival there +would be a great crowd of people at court, for the prince was going to +show the ladies the famous horse Bayard that used to belong to +Rinaldo. "What!" said the pilgrim; "is Bayard there?" "Yes," answered +the monks; "the king has given him to Charlot, and, after the prince +has ridden him, the king means to pass sentence on the brothers of +Rinaldo, and have them hanged." Then Malagigi asked alms of the +monks, but they would give him none, till he threw aside his pilgrim +garb, and let them see his armor, when, partly for charity and partly +for terror, they gave him a golden cup, adorned with precious stones +that sparkled in the sunshine. + +Malagigi then hastened back to Rinaldo, and told him what he had +learned. + +The morning of the feast-day Rinaldo and Malagigi came to the place +where the sports were to be held. Malagigi gave Rinaldo his spurs back +again, and said, "Cousin, put on your spurs, for you will need them." +"How shall I need them," said Rinaldo, "since I have lost my horse?" +Yet he did as Malagigi directed him. + +When the two had taken their stand on the border of the field among +the crowd, the princes and ladies of the court began to assemble. When +they were all assembled, the king came also, and Charlot with him, +near whom the horse Bayard was led, in the charge of grooms, who were +expressly enjoined to guard him safely. The king, looking round on the +circle of spectators, saw Malagigi and Rinaldo, and observed the +splendid cup that they had, and said to Chariot, "See, my son, what a +brilliant cup those two pilgrims have got. It seems to be worth a +hundred ducats." "That is true," said Chariot; "let us go and ask +where they got it." So they rode to the place where the pilgrims +stood, and Chariot stopped Bayard close to them. + +The horse snuffed at the pilgrims, knew Rinaldo, and caressed his +master. The king said to Malagigi, "Friend, where did you get that +beautiful cup?" Malagigi replied, "Honorable sir, I paid for it all +the money I have saved from eleven years' begging in churches and +convents. The Pope himself has blessed it." Then said the king to +Chariot, "My son, these are right holy men; see how the dumb beast +worships them." + +Then the king said to Malagigi, "Give me a morsel from your cup, that +I may be cleared of my sins." Malagigi answered, "Illustrious lord, I +dare not do it, unless you will forgive all who have at any time +offended you. You know that Christ forgave all those who had betrayed +and crucified him." The king replied, "Friend, that is true; but +Rinaldo has so grievously offended me, that I cannot forgive him, nor +that other man, Malagigi, the magician. These two shall never live in +my kingdom again. If I catch them, I will certainly have them +hanged. But tell me, pilgrim, who is that man who stands beside you?" +"He is deaf, dumb, and blind," said Malagigi. Then the king said +again, "Give me to drink of your cup, to take away my sins." Malagigi +answered, "My lord king, here is my poor brother, who for fifty days +has not heard, spoken, nor seen. This misfortune befell him in a house +where we found shelter, and the day before yesterday we met with a +wise woman, who told him the only hope of a cure for him was to come +to some place where Bayard was to be ridden, and to mount and ride +him; that would do him more good than anything else." Then said the +king, "Friend, you have come to the right place, for Bayard is to be +ridden here to-day. Give me a draught from your cup, and your +companion shall ride upon Bayard." Malagigi, hearing these words, +said, "Be it so." Then the king, with great devotion, took a spoon, +and dipped a portion from the pilgrim's cup, believing that his sins +should be thereby forgiven. + +When this was done, the king said to Chariot, "Son, I request that you +will let this sick pilgrim sit on your horse, and ride if he can, for +by so doing he will be healed of all his infirmities." Chariot +replied, "That will I gladly do." So saying, he dismounted, and the +servants took the pilgrim in their arms, and helped him on the horse. + +When Rinaldo was mounted, he put his feet in the stirrups, and said, +"I would like to ride a little." Malagigi, hearing him speak, seemed +delighted, and asked him whether he could see and hear also. "Yes," +said Rinaldo, "I am healed of all my infirmities." When the king heard +it, he said to Bishop Turpin, "My lord bishop, we must celebrate this +with a procession, with crosses and banners, for it is a great +miracle." + +When Rinaldo remarked that he was not carefully watched, he spoke to +the horse, and touched him with the spurs. Bayard knew that his master +was upon him, and he started off upon a rapid pace, and in a few +moments was a good way off. Malagigi pretended to be in great +alarm. "O noble king and master," he cried, "my poor companion is run +away with; he will fall and break his neck." The king ordered his +knights to ride after the pilgrim, and bring him back, or help him if +need were. They did so, but it was in vain. Rinaldo left them all +behind him, and kept on his way till he reached Montalban. Malagigi +was suffered to depart, unsuspected, and he went his way, making sad +lamentation for the fate of his comrade, who he pretended to think +must surely be dashed to pieces. + +Malagigi did not go far, but, having changed his disguise, returned to +where the king was, and employed his best art in getting the brothers +of Rinaldo out of prison. He succeeded; and all three got safely to +Montalban, where Rinaldo's joy at the rescue of his brothers and the +recovery of Bayard was more than tongue can tell. + + + + +HOW THE CHILD OF THE SEA WAS MADE KNIGHT + +[Footnote: The young Amadis, son of King Perion of Gaul, was called by +his father the Child of the Sea because he was born on the sea.] + +By Robert Southey + + +King Falangiez reigned in Great Britain, and died without children. He +left a brother Lisuarte, of great goodness in arms, and much +discretion, who had married Brisena, daughter of the King of Denmark; +and she was the fairest lady that was to be found in all the islands +of the sea. After the death of the king the chief men of his land sent +for Lisuarte to be their king. + +When King Lisuarte heard this embassage he set sail with a great +fleet, and on their way they put into Scotland, where he was honorably +received by King Languines. Brisena, his wife, was with him, and their +daughter Oriana, born in Denmark and then about ten years old, the +fairest creature that ever was seen, wherefore she was called the one +without a peer. And because she suffered much at sea it was determined +to leave her there. Right gladly did King Languines accept this +charge, and his queen said: "Believe me, I will take care of her like +her own mother." So Lisuarte proceeded. * * * + +The Child of the Sea was now twelve years old, but in stature and size +he seemed fifteen, and he served the queen; but now that Oriana was +there the queen gave her the Child of the Sea that he should serve +her, and Oriana said that it pleased her; and that word which she said +the child kept in his heart, so that he never lost it from his memory, +and in all his life he was never weary of serving her, and his heart +was surrendered to her, and his love lasted as long as they lasted, +for as well as he loved her did she also love him. But the Child of +the Sea, who knew nothing of her love, thought himself presumptuous to +have placed his thoughts on her, and dared not speak to her; and she +who loved him in her heart was careful riot to speak more with him +than with another; but their eyes delighted to reveal to the heart +what was the thing on earth that they loved best. And now the time +came that he thought he could take arms if he were knighted, and this +he greatly desired, thinking that he could do such things that, if he +lived, his mistress would esteem him. With this desire he went to the +king, who was at that time in the garden, and fell upon his knees +before him, and said, "Sire, if it please you, it is time for me to +receive knighthood." "How, Child of the Sea?" said Languines, "are +you strong enough to maintain knighthood? it is easy to receive, but +difficult to maintain; and he who would keep it well, so many and so +difficult are the things he must achieve, that his heart will often be +troubled; and if, through fear, he forsakes what he ought to do, +better is death to him than life with shame." "Not for this," replied +he, "will I fail to be a knight; my heart would not require it, if it +were not in my will to accomplish what you say. And since you have +bred me up, complete what you ought to do in this; if not, I will seek +some other who will do it." The king, who feared lest he should do +this, replied, "Child of the Sea, I know when this is fitting better +than you can know, and I promise you to do it, and your arms shall be +got ready; but to whom did you think to go?" "To King Perion, who they +say is a good knight, and has married the sister of your queen. I +would tell him how I was brought up by her, and then he would +willingly fulfil my desire." "Now," said the king, "be satisfied, it +shall be honourably done." And he gave orders that the arms should be +made, and sent to acquaint Gandales thereof. + +When Gandales heard this, he greatly rejoiced; and sent a damsel with +the sword and the ring and the letter in the wax, which he had found +in the ark. The Child of the Sea was with Oriana and the ladies of +the palace, discoursing, when a page entered and told him there was a +strange damsel without who brought presents for him, and would speak +with him. When she who loved him heard this her heart trembled, and if +any one had been looking at her he might have seen how she changed; +and she told the Child of the Sea to let the damsel come in, that they +might see the presents. Accordingly she entered, and said, "Sir Child +of the Sea, your good friend Gandales salutes you as the man who loves +you much, and sends you this sword and this ring and this wax, and he +begs you will wear this sword while you live for his sake." He took +the presents, and laid the ring and the wax in his lap, while he +unrolled the sword from a linen cloth in which it was wrapt, wondering +that it should be without a scabbard. Meantime Oriana took up the wax, +and said, "I will have this," not thinking that it contained anything: +it would have better pleased him if she had taken the ring, which was +one of the finest in the world. While he was looking at the sword, the +king came in and asked him what he thought of it. "It seems a goodly +one, sir," said he, "but I marvel wherefore it hath no scabbard." "It +is fifteen years," said the king, "since it had one"; and, taking him +by the hand, he led him apart, and said, "You would be a knight, and +you know not whether of right you should be one. I therefore tell you +all that I know concerning you." And with that he told him all that +Gandales had communicated. The Child of the Sea answered, "I believe +this; for the damsel said my good friend Gandales had sent her, and I +thought she had mistaken, and should have called him my father; but am +nothing displeased herewith, except that I know not my parents, nor +they me, for my breast tells me I am well born; and now, sir, it +behoves me more to obtain knighthood, that I may win honour and the +praise of prowess, since I know not my lineage, and am like one whose +kindred are all dead." When the king heard him speak thus, he believed +that he would prove a hardy and good knight. + +As they were thus conversing, a knight came to inform the king that +King Perion was arrived. Languines went to welcome him, as one who +knew how to do honour to all, and, after they had saluted, he asked +how it was that he came so unexpectedly. "I come to seek for +friends," replied Perion, "of whom I have more need than ever; for +King Abies of Ireland wars upon me, and is now, with all his power, in +my country; and Daganel, his half-brother, is with him; and both +together have collected such a multitude against me that I stand in +need of all my friends and kinsmen; for I have lost many of my people +in battle already, and others whom I trusted have failed me." +"Brother," replied Languines, "your misfortunes grieve me not a +little, and I shall aid you the best I can." Agrayes, who was already +knighted, now came and knelt before his father, saying, "Sir, I beg a +boon." The which being granted,--for King Languines loved him as +himself,--he pursued, "I request that I may go to defend the queen, my +aunt." "And I grant it," answered Languines; "and you shall be as +honourably and well accompanied as may be." + +This while had the Child of the Sea been looking earnestly at Perion, +not as his father, for of that he knew nothing, but because of his +great goodness in arms, of which he had heard the fame; and he desired +to be made a knight by his hand, rather than by any man in the world. +To attain this purpose, he thought best to entreat the queen; but her +he found so sad that he would not speak to her, and going to where +Oriana was, he knelt before her, and said, "Lady Oriana, could I know +by you the cause of the queen's sadness?" Oriana's heart leaped at +seeing him whom she most loved before her, and said to him, "Child of +the Sea, this is the first thing ye ever asked of me, and I shall do +it with a good will."--"Ah, lady! I am neither so bold nor worthy as +to ask anything from one like you, but rather to obey what it pleases +you to command." "What!" said she. "Is your heart so feeble?"--"So +feeble, that in all things towards you it would fail me, except in +serving you like one who is not his own, but yours." "Mine!" said she. +"Since when?"--"Since _it pleased you_." "How _since it pleased +me_?"--"Remember, lady, the day whereon your father departed, the +queen took me by the hand, and leading me before you, said, 'I give +you this child to be your servant'; and you said _it pleased you._ And +from that time I have held and hold myself yours to do your service: +yours only, that neither I nor any other, while I live, can have +command over me." "That word," said she, "you took with a meaning that +it did not bear; but _I am well pleased_ that it is so." Then was he +overcome with such pleasure that he had no power to answer; and +Oriana, who now saw the whole power that she had over him, went to the +queen, and learnt the cause of her sadness, and, returning to the +Child of the Sea, told him that it was for the queen, her sister, who +now was so distressed. He answered, "If it please you that I were a +knight, with your aid, I would go and aid the queen, her sister." +"With my leave! And what without it? Would you not then go?"--"No," +said he; "for without the favour of her whose it is, my heart could +not sustain itself in danger." Then Oriana smiled, and said, "Since I +have gained you, you shall be my knight, and you shall aid the sister +of the queen." The Child of the Sea kissed her hand--"The king, my +master, has not yet knighted me; and I had rather it should be done by +King Perion at your entreaty." "In that," said she, "I will do what I +can; but we must speak to the Princess Mabilia, for her request will +avail with her uncle." + +Mabilia, who loved the Child of the Sea with pure love, readily +agreed. "Let him go," said she, "to the chapel of my mother, armed at +all points, and we and the other damsel will accompany him; and when +King Perion is setting off, which will be before daybreak, I will ask +to see him; and then will he grant our request, for he is a courteous +knight." When the Child of the Sea heard this, he called Gandalin, and +said to him, "My brother, take all my arms secretly to the queen's +chapel, for this night I think to be knighted; and, because it behoves +me to depart right soon, I would know if you wish to bear me company." +"Believe me," quoth Gandalin, "never, with my will, shall I depart +from ye." The tears came in the eyes of the Child at this, and he +kissed him on the face, and said, "Do, now, what I told you." Gandalin +laid the arms in the chapel, while the queen was at supper; and, when +the cloths were removed, the Child of the Sea went there, and armed +himself, all save his head and his hands, and made his prayer before +the altar, beseeching God to grant him success in arms, and in the +love which he bore his lady. + +When the queen had retired, Oriana and Mabilia went with the other +damsels to accompany him, and Mabilia sent for Perion as he was +departing; and, when he came, she besought him to do what Oriana, the +daughter of King Lisuarte, should request. "Willingly," said King +Perion, "for her father's sake." Then Oriana came before him; and when +he saw her how fair she was, he thought there could not be her equal +in the world. She begged a boon, and it was granted. "Then," said she, +"make this my gentleman knight." And she showed him to Perion kneeling +before the altar. The king saw him how fair he was, and approaching +him, said, "Would you receive the order of knighthood?"--"I would."-- +"In the name of God, then! And may He order it that it be well +bestowed on you, and that you may grow in honour as you have in +person." Then, putting on the right spur, he said, "Now are you a +knight, and may receive the sword." The king took the sword, and gave +it to him, and the Child girded it on. "Then," said Perion, "according +to your manner and appearance, I would have performed this ceremony +with more honours; and I trust in God that your fame will prove that +so it ought to have been done." Mabilia and Oriana then joyfully +kissed the king's hands, and he, commending the Child of the Sea to +God, went his way. + + + + +THE SPANISH CHRONICLE OF THE CID + + +The Cid, who was as actual individual, is the Arthur and Roland of the +Spaniards, the great hero of mediaeval Spain. The Chronicles, based on +heroic songs and national traditions of the struggle with the Moors, +pictures for us the life of an old and haughty nation, proud in arms. +It was compiled in the reign of King Alfonso the Wise, who reigned +between 1252 and 1284, and was translated into English by Robert +Southey in 1808. + +In the stories here given, Southey's rich and descriptive English has +been retained, the condensation being secured by omitting long, +tedious passages. + + + + +WHY DON SANCHO ATTACKED HIS NEIGHBORS + +By Robert Southey + + +History relates that after the death of King Don Ferrando of Spain, +the three kings, his sons, Don Sancho, Don Alfonso and Don Garcia, +reigned each in his kingdom, according to the division made by their +father. Don Ferrando had divided into five portions (one for each of +the sons and one for each of the two daughters, Donya Urraca and Donya +Elvira) that which should all by right have descended to Don Sancho as +the eldest son. + +Now, the kings of Spain were of the blood of the Goths, which was a +fierce blood, for it had many times come to pass among the Gothic +kings, that brother had slain brother. From this blood was King Don +Sancho descended, and he thought that it would be a reproach to him if +he did not join together the three kingdoms under his own dominion, +for he was not pleased with what his father had given him, holding +that the whole ought to have been his. And he went through the land +setting it in order, and what thing soever his people asked, that did +he grant them freely, to the end that he might win their hearts. + +When King Don Sancho of Navarre, nephew of Don Ferrando, saw that +there was a new king in Castille, he thought to recover the lands +which had been lost when the king, his father, was defeated and slain +in the mountains of Oca. And now seeing that the kingdom of Ferrando +was divided, he asked help of his uncle Don Ramiro, King of Aragon; +and the men of Aragon and of Navarre entered Castille together. But +King Don Sancho gathered together his host, and put the Cid at their +head; and such account did he give of his enemies, that he of Navarre +was glad to lay no farther claim to what his father had lost. The King +of Castille was wroth against the King of Aragon, that he should thus +have joined against him without cause; and in despite of him he +marched against the Moors of Zaragoza, and laying waste their country +with fire and sword, he came before their city, gave orders to assault +it, and began to set up his engines. The Moors seeing that they could +not help themselves, made such terms with him as it pleased him to +grant, and gave him hostages that they might not be able to prove +false. They gave him gold and silver and precious stones in abundance, +so that with great riches and full honourably did he and all his men +depart from the siege. + +Greatly was the King of Aragon displeased at this which King Don +Sancho had done. He required he should yield unto him all the spoil +which the King of Zaragoza had given him, else should he not pass +without battle. King Don Sancho, being a man of great heart, made +answer that he was the head of the kingdoms of Castille and Leon, and +all the conquests in Spain were his. Wherefore he counselled him to +waive his demand, and let him pass in peace. But the King of Aragon +drew up his host for battle, and the onset was made, and heavy blows +were dealt on both sides, and many horses were left without a +master. And while the battle was yet undecided, King Don Sancho riding +right bravely through the battle, began to call out Castille! +Castille! and charged the main body so fiercely that by fine force he +broke them; and when they were thus broken, the Castillians began +cruelly to slay them, so that King Don Sancho had pity, and called to +his people not to kill them, for they were Christians. Then King Don +Ramiro being discomfited, retired to a mountain, and King Don Sancho +beset the mountain round about, and made a covenant with him that he +should depart, and that the King of Zaragoza should remain tributary +to Castille; and but for this covenant the King of Aragon would then +have been slain, or made prisoner. + +In all these wars did my Cid demean himself after his wonted manner; +and because of the great feats which he performed the king loved him +well, and made him his Alfarez, [Footnote: A standard bearer] so that +in the whole army he was second only to the king. And because when the +host was in the field it was his office to choose the place for +encampment, therefore was my Cid called the Campeador. [Footnote: One +who is remarkable for his exploits] + + + + +DON GARCIA DEFIES DON SANCHO + +By Robert Southey + + +While King Don Sancho was busied in these wars, King Don Garcia of +Galicia took by force from Donya Urraca his sister a great part of the +lands which the king their father had given her. When King Don Sancho +heard what his brother had done he was well pleased thereat, thinking +that he might now bring to pass that which he so greatly desired; and +he assembled together his Ricos-omes [Footnote: Noblemen, grandees.] and +his knights, and said unto them, The king my father divided the +kingdoms which should have been mine, and therein he did unjustly; now +King Don Garcia my brother hath broken the oath and disherited Donya +Urraca my sister; I beseech ye therefore counsel me what I shall do, +and in what manner to proceed against him, for I will take his kingdom +away from him. Upon this Count Don Garcia Ordonez arose and said, +There is not a man in the world, sir, who would counsel you to break +the command of your father, and the vow which you made unto him. And +the king was greatly incensed at him and said, Go from before me, for +I shall never receive good counsel from thee. The king then took the +Cid by the hand and led him apart, and said unto him, Thou well +knowest, my Cid, that when the king my father commended thee unto me, +he charged me upon pain of his curse that I should take you for my +adviser, and whatever I did that I should do it with your counsel, and +I have done so even until this day; and thou hast always counselled me +for the best, and for this I have given thee a county in my kingdom, +holding it well bestowed. Now then I beseech you advise me how best to +recover these kingdoms, for if I have not counsel from you I do not +expect to have it from any man in the world. + +Greatly troubled at this was the Cid, and he answered and said, Ill, +sir, would it behove me to counsel you that you should go against the +will of your father. You well know that when I went to him, after he +had divided his kingdoms, how he made me swear to him that I would +always counsel his sons the best I could, and never give them ill +counsel; and while I can, thus must I continue to do. But the king +answered, My Cid, I do not hold that in this I am breaking the oath +made to my father, for I ever said that the partition should not be, +and the oath which I made was forced upon me. Now King Don Garcia my +brother hath broken the oath, and all these kingdoms by right are +mine: and therefore I will that you counsel me how I may unite them, +for from so doing there is nothing in this world which shall prevent +me, except it be death. + +Then when the Cid saw that he could by no means turn him from that +course, he advised him to obtain the love of his brother King Don +Alfonso, that he might grant him passage through his kingdom to go +against Don Garcia: and if this should be refused he counselled him +not to make the attempt. And the king saw that his counsel was good, +and sent his letters to King Don Alfonso beseeching him to meet him at +Sahagun. When King Don Alfonso received the letters he marvelled to +what end this might be: howbeit he sent to say that he would meet +him. And the two kings met in Sahagun. And King Don Sancho said, +Brother, you well know that King Don Garcia our brother hath broken +the oath made unto our father, and disherited our sister Donya Urraca: +for this I will take his kingdom away from him, and I beseech you join +with me. But Don Alfonso answered that he would not go against the +will of his father, and the oath which he had sworn. Then King Don +Sancho said, that if he would let him pass through his kingdom he +would give him part of what he should gain: and King Don Alfonso +agreed to this. And upon this matter they fixed another day to meet; +and then forty knights were named, twenty for Castille and twenty for +Leon, as vouchers that this which they covenanted should be faithfully +fulfilled on both sides. + +Then King Don Sancho gathered together a great host. He sent Alvar +Fanez, the cousin of the Cid, to King Don Garcia, to bid him yield up +his kingdom, and if he refused to do this to defy him on his part. +When King Don Garcia heard this he was greatly troubled, and he said +to Alvar Fanez, Say to my brother that I beseech him not to break the +oath which he made to our father; but if he will persist to do this +thing I must defend myself as I can. He called his chief captains +together and they advised him that he should recall Don Rodrigo +Frojaz, for having him the realm would be secure, and without him it +was in danger to be lost. So two hidalgos [Footnote: A man belonging +to the lower nobility, a gentleman by birth] were sent after him, and +they found him in Navarre, on the eve of passing into France. But when +he saw the king's letters, and knew the peril in which he then stood, +setting aside the remembrance of his own wrongs, like a good and true +Portuguese, he turned back, and went to the king. In good time did he +arrive, for the captains of King Don Sancho had now gained many lands +in Galicia and in the province of Beira, finding none to resist them. +When Don Rodrigo heard this and knew that the Castillians were +approaching he promised the king either to maintain his cause, or die +for it. He ordered the trumpets to be sounded, and the Portugueze +sallied, and a little below the city the two squadrons met. The +Portugueze fought so well, and especially Don Rodrigo, and his +brothers, that at length they discomfited the Castillians, killing of +them five hundred and forty, of whom three hundred were knights, and +winning their pennons and banners. Howbeit this victory was not +obtained without great loss to themselves; for two hundred and twenty +of their people were left upon the field, and many were sorely +wounded, among whom, even to the great peril of his life, was Don +Rodrigo Frojaz, being wounded with many and grievous wounds. + + + + +DON GARCIA TAKES DON SANCHO PRISONER + +By Robert Southey + + +A sorrowful defeat was that for King Don Sancho, and he put himself at +the head of his army and hastened through Portugal to besiege his +brother in Santarem. + +The Portugueze and Galegos took counsel together what they should do. +Don Rodrigo Frojaz said unto the king that it behoved him above all +things to put his kingdom upon the hazard of a battle; for his brother +being a greater lord of lands than he, and richer in money and more +powerful in vassals, could maintain the war longer than he could, who +peradventure would find it difficult another year to gather together +so good an army as he had now ready. For this cause he advised him to +put his trust in God first, and then in the hidalgos who were with +him, and without fear give battle to the king his brother, over whom +God and his good cause would give him glorious victory. Now when the +two hosts were ready to join battle, Alvar Fanez came to King Don +Sancho and said to him, Sir, I have played away my horse and arms; I +beseech you give me others for this battle, and I will be a right good +one for you this day; if I do not for you the service of six knights, +hold me for a traitor. And the king ordered that horse and arms should +be given him. So the armies joined battle bravely on both sides, and +it was a sharp onset; many were the heavy blows which were given on +both sides, and many were the horses that were slain at that +encounter, and many the men. Now my Cid had not yet come up into the +field. + +Now Don Rodrigo Frojaz and his brethren and the knights who were with +them had resolved to make straight for the banner of the King of +Castille. And they broke through the ranks of the Castillians, and +made their way into the middle of the enemy's host, doing marvellous +feats of arms. Then was the fight at the hottest, for they did their +best to win the banner, and the others to defend it; the remembrance +of what they had formerly done, and the hope of gaining more honours, +heartened them; and with the Castillians there was their king, giving +them brave example as well as brave words. The press of the battle was +here, and the banner of King Don Sancho was beaten down, and the king +himself also, and Don Rodrigo made way through the press and laid +hands on him and took him. But in the struggle he lost much blood, and +perceiving that his strength was failing, he sent to call the King Don +Garcia with all speed. And as the king came, the Count Don Pedro +Frojaz met him and said, An honourable gift, sir, hath my brother Don +Rodrigo to give you, but you lose him in gaining it. And tears fell +from the eyes of the king, and he made answer and said, It may indeed +be that Don Rodrigo may lose his life in serving me, but the good name +which he hath gained, and the honour which he leaveth to his +descendants, death cannot take away. Saying this, he came to the place +where Don Rodrigo was, and Don Rodrigo gave into his hands the King +Don Sancho his brother, and asked him three times if he was discharged +of his prisoner; and when the king had answered Yes, Don Rodrigo said, +For me, sir, the joy which I have in your victory is enough; give the +rewards to these good Portugueze, who with so good a will have put +their lives upon the hazard to serve you, and in all things follow +their counsel, and you will not err therein. Having said this he +kissed the king's hand, and lying upon his shield, for he felt his +breath fail him, with his helmet for a pillow, he kissed the cross of +his sword in remembrance of that on which the Son of God had died for +him, and rendered up his soul into the hands of his Creator. This was +the death of one of the worthy knights of the world, Don Rodrigo +Frojaz. In all the conquests which King Don Ferrando had made from the +Moors of Portugal, great part had he borne, insomuch that that king +was wont to say that other princes might have more dominions than he, +but two such knights as his two Rodrigos, meaning my Cid and this good +knight, there was none but himself who had for vassals. + +King Don Garcia being desirous to be in the pursuit himself, delivered +his brother into the hands of six knights that they should guard him, +which he ought not to have done. And when he was gone King Don Sancho +said unto the knights, Let me go and I will depart out of your country +and never enter it again; and I will reward ye well as long as ye +live; but they answered him, that for no reward would they commit such +disloyalty, but would guard him well, not offering him any injury, +till they had delivered him to his brother the King Don Garcia. While +they were parleying Alvar Fanez came up, he to whom the king had given +horse and arms before the battle; and he seeing the king held +prisoner, cried out with a loud voice, Let loose my lord the king: and +he spurred his horse and made at them; and before his lance was broken +he overthrew two of them, and so bestirred himself that he put the +others to flight; and he took the horses of the two whom he had smote +down, and gave one to the king, and mounted upon the other himself, +for his own was hurt in the rescue; and they went together to a little +rising ground where there was yet a small body of the knights of their +party, and Alvar Fanez cried out to them aloud, Ye see here the king +our lord, who is free; now then remember the good name of the +Castillians, and let us not lose it this day. And about four hundred +knights gathered about him. And while they stood there they saw the +Cid Ruydiez coming up with three hundred knights, for he had not been +in the battle, and they knew his green pennon. And when King Don +Sancho beheld it his heart rejoiced, and he said, Now let us descend +into the plain, for he of good fortune cometh: and he said, Be of good +heart, for it is the will of God that I should recover my kingdom, for +I have escaped from captivity, and seen the death of Don Rodrigo +Frojaz who took me, and Ruydiez the fortunate one cometh. And the king +went down to him and welcomed him right joyfully, saying, In happy +time are you come, my fortunate Cid; never vassal succoured his lord +in such season as you now succour me, for the king my brother had +overcome me. And the Cid answered, Sir, be sure that you shall recover +the day, or I will die; for wheresoever you go, either you shall be +victorious or I will meet my death. + +By this time King Don Garcia returned from the pursuit, singing as he +came full joyfully, for he thought that the king his brother was a +prisoner, and his great power overthrown. But there came one and told +him that Don Sancho was rescued and in the field again, ready to give +him battle a second time. Bravely was that second battle fought on +both sides; and if it had not been for the great prowess of the Cid, +the end would not have been as it was: in the end the Galegos and +Portugueze were discomfited, and the King Don Garcia taken in his +turn. And the King Don Sancho put his brother in better ward than his +brother three hours before had put him, for he put him in chains and +sent him to the strong castle of Luna. + +When King Don Sancho had done this he took unto himself the kingdom of +Galicia and of Portugal, and without delay sent to his brother King +Don Alfonso, commanding him to yield up to him the kingdom of Leon, +for it was his by right. At this was the King of Leon troubled at +heart; howbeit he answered that he would not yield up his kingdom, but +do his utmost to defend it. Then King Don Sancho entered Leon, slaying +and laying waste before him, as an army of infidels would have done; +and King Don Alfonso sent to him to bid him cease from this, for it +was inhuman work to kill and plunder the innocent: and he defied him +to a pitched battle, saying that to whichsoever God should give the +victory, to him also would he give the kingdom of Leon: and the King +of Castille accepted the defiance, and a day was fixed for the battle. +Both kings were in the field that day, and full hardily was the battle +contested, and great was the mortality on either side, for the hatred +which used to be between Moors and Christians was then between +brethren. + +Nevertheless the power of King Don Alfonso was not yet destroyed, and +he would not yield up his kingdom: and he sent to his brother a second +time to bid him battle, saying that whosoever conquered should then +certainly remain King of Leon. The two armies met and joined battle, +and they of Leon had the victory, for my Cid was not in the field. And +King Don Alfonso had pity upon the Castillians because they were +Christians, and gave orders not to slay them; and his brother King Don +Sancho fled. Now as he was flying, my Cid came up with his green +pennon; and when he saw that the king his lord had been conquered it +grieved him sorely: howbeit he encouraged him saying, This is nothing, +sir! to fail or to prosper is as God pleases. But do you gather +together your people who are discomfited, and bid them take heart. The +Leonese and Galegos are with the king your brother, secure as they +think themselves in their lodging, and taking no thought of you; for +it is their custom to extol themselves when their fortune is fair, and +to mock at others, and in this boastfulness will they spend the night, +so that we shall find them sleeping at break of day, and will fall +upon them. And it came to pass as he had said. The Leonese lodged +themselves in Vulpegera, taking no thought of their enemies, and +setting no watch; and Ruydiez arose betimes in the morning and fell +upon them, and subdued them before they could take their arms. King +Don Alfonso fled to the town of Carrion, which was three leagues +distant, and would have fortified himself there in the Church of St. +Mary, but he was surrounded and constrained to yield. + +Now the knights of Leon gathered together in their flight, and when +they could not find their king they were greatly ashamed, and they +turned back and smote the Castillians; and as it befell, they +encountered King Don Sancho alone and took him prisoner, for his +people considered the victory as their own, and all was in confusion. +And thirteen knights took him in their ward and were leading him +away,--but my Cid beheld them and galloped after them: he was alone, +and had no lance, having broken his in the battle. And he came up to +them and said, Knights, give me my lord and I will give unto you +yours. They knew him by his arms, and they made answer, Ruydiez, +return in peace and seek not to contend with us, otherwise we will +carry you away prisoner with him. And he waxed wroth and said, Give me +but a lance and I will, single as I am, rescue my lord from all of ye: +by God's help I will do it. And they held him as nothing because he +was but one, and gave him a lance. But he attacked them therewith so +bravely that he slew eleven of the thirteen, leaving two only alive, +on whom he had mercy; and thus did he rescue the king. And the +Castillians rejoiced greatly at the king's deliverance: and King Don +Sancho went to Burgos, and took with him his brother prisoner. + +Great was the love which the Infanta Donya Urraca bore to her brother +King Don Alfonso, and when she heard that he was made prisoner, she +feared lest he should be put to death: and she took with her the Count +Don Peransures, and went to Burgos. And they spake with the Cid, and +besought him that he would join with them and intercede with the king +that he should release his brother from prison, and let him become a +monk. Full willing was the Cid to serve in any thing the Infanta Donya +Urraca, and he went with her before the king. And she knelt down +before the king her brother, and besought him that he would let their +brother Don Alfonso take the habit of St. Benedict, in the royal +Monastery of Sahagun. And the king took my Cid aside, and asked +counsel of him what he should do; and the Cid said, that if Don +Alfonso were willing to become a monk, he would do well to set him +free upon that condition, and he besought him so to do. Then King Don +Sancho, at my Cid's request, granted to Donya Urraca what she had +asked. And Don Alfonso became a monk in the Monastery at Sahagun, more +by force than of free will. And being in the monastery he spake with +Don Peransures, and took counsel with him, and fled away by night from +the monks, and went among the Moors to King Alimaymon of Toledo. And +the Moorish king welcomed him with a good will, and did great honour +to him, and gave him great possessions and many gifts. + +But when King Don Sancho heard how his brother had fled from the +monastery, he drew out his host and went against the city of Leon. The +Leonese would fain have maintained the city against him, but they +could not, and he took the city of Leon, and all the towns and castles +which had been under the dominion of his brother King Don Alfonso. And +then he put the crown upon his head, and called himself king of the +three kingdoms. He was a fair knight and of marvellous courage, so +that both Moors and Christians were dismayed at what they saw him do, +for they saw that nothing which he willed to take by force could stand +against him. And he went forth with his army, and took from the +Infanta Donya Elvira the half of the Infantazgo [Footnote: Inherited +land] which she possessed, and also from Donya Urraca the other half. +And he went against Toro, the city of Donya Elvira, and took it, and +then he went to Zamora to Donya Urraca, bidding her yield him up the +city, and saying that he would give her lands as much as she required +in the plain country. But she returned for answer, that she would in +no manner yield unto him that which the king her father had given her; +and she besought him that he would suffer her to continue to dwell +peaceably therein, saying that no disservice should ever be done +against him on her part. + +Then King Don Sancho went to Burgos, because it was the season for +besieging a town, being winter. And he sent his letters through all +the land, calling upon his vassals to assemble together upon the first +day of March in Sahagun, upon pain of forfeiting his favour. And they +assembled together in Sahagun on the day appointed; and when the king +heard in what readiness they were, it gladdened him, and he lifted up +his hands to God and said, Blessed be thy name, O Lord, because thou +hast given me all the kingdoms of my father. And when he had said this +he ordered proclamation to be made through the streets of Burgos, that +all should go forth to protect the host and the body of the king their +lord. They made such speed that in five days they arrived before +Zamora, and pitched their tents upon the banks of the Douro. And he +mounted on horseback with his bidalgos and rode round the town, and +beheld how strongly it was situated upon a rock, with strong walls, +and many and strong towers, and the river Douro running at the foot +thereof; and he said unto his knights, Ye see how strong it is, +neither Moor nor Christian can prevail against it; if I could have it +from my sister either for money or exchange, I should be Lord of +Spain. + +Then the king returned to his tents, and sent for the Cid, and said +unto him, Cid, you well know how manifoldly you are bound unto me. I +have ever shown favour unto you, and you have ever served me as the +loyalest vassal that ever did service to his lord. Now therefore I +beseech you as my friend and true vassal, that you go to Zamora to my +sister Donya Urraca, and say unto her again, that I beseech her to +give me the town either for a price, or in exchange, and I will give +to her Medina de Rioseco, with the whole Infantazgo, from Villalpando +to Valladolid, and Tiedra also, which is a good Castle; and I will +swear unto her, with twelve knights of my vassals, never to break this +covenant between us; but if she refuseth to do this I will take away +the town from her by force. And my Cid kissed the hand of the king and +said unto him, This bidding, sir, should be for other messenger, for +it is a heavy thing for me to deliver it; for I was brought up in +Zamora by your father's command, with Donya Urraca and with his sons, +and it is not fitting that I should be the bearer of such bidding. And +the king persisted in requiring of him that he should go, insomuch +that he was constrained to obey his will. And he took with him fifteen +of his knights and rode towards Zamora, and when he drew nigh he +called unto those who kept guard in the towers not to shoot their +arrows at him, for he was Ruydiez of Bivar, who came to Donya Urraca +with the bidding of her brother King Don Sancho. With that there came +down a knight who had the keeping of the gate, and he bade the Cid +enter. It pleased the Infanta well that he should be the messenger, +and she bade him come before her that she might know what was his +bidding. When the Cid entered the palace Donya Urraca advanced to meet +him, and greeted him full well, and they seated themselves both upon +the Estrado. And Donya Urraca said unto him, Cid, you well know that +you were brought up with me here in Zamora, and when my father was at +the point of death he charged you that you should always counsel his +sons the best you could. Now tell me I beseech you what is it which my +brother goes about to do, now that he has called up all Spain in arms, +and to what lands he thinks to go, whether against Moors or +Christians. Then the Cid answered and said, Lady, give me safe +assurance and I will tell unto you that which the king your brother +hath sent me to say. And she said she would do as Don Arias Gonzalo +should advise her. And Don Arias answered that it was well to hear +what the king her brother had sent to say. Donya Urraca then said to +the Cid, that he might speak his bidding safely. Then said my Cid, The +king your brother sends to greet you, and beseeches you to give him +this town of Zamora, either for a price or in exchange; and he will +give to you Medina de Rio-seco, with the whole Infantazgo, from +Villalpando to Valladolid, and the good castle of Tiedra, and he will +swear unto you, with twelve knights his vassals, never to do you hurt +or harm; but if you will not give him the town, he will take it +against your will. + +When Donya Urraca heard this she lamented aloud, saying, Wretch that I +am, many are the evil messages which I have heard since my father's +death! He hath disherited my brother King Don Garcia of his kingdom, +and taken him, and now holds him in irons as if he were a thief or a +Moor: and he hath taken his lands from my brother King Don Alfonso, +and forced him to go among the Moors, and live there exiled as if he +had been a traitor; and he hath taken her lands from my sister Donya +Elvira against her will, and now would he take Zamora from me also! +Now then let the earth open and swallow me, that I may not see so many +troubles! I am a woman, and well know that I cannot strive with him in +battle; but I will have him slain either secretly or openly. Then Don +Arias Gonzalo stood up and said, Lady, give order that all the men of +Zamora assemble in St. Salvador's and know of them whether they will +hold with you, seeing that your father gave them to you to be your +vassals. If they will hold with you, then give not up the town, +neither for a price, nor in exchange; but if they will not, let us +then go to Toledo among the Moors, where your brother King Don Alfonso +abideth. + +And she did as her foster-father had advised, and it was proclaimed +through the streets that the men of Zamora should meet in council at +St. Salvador's. When they were all assembled, Donya Urraca arose and +said, Don Sancho bids me give him Zamora, either for a price or in +exchange. Now concerning this I would know whereunto ye advise +me. Then by command of the Council there rose up a knight who was +called Don Nuno, a man of worth, aged, and of fair speech; and he +said, We beseech you give not up Zamora, neither for price nor for +exchange, for he who besieges you upon the rock would soon drive you +from the plain. The Council of Zamora will do your bidding, and will +not desert you. Sooner, lady, will we expend all our possessions, and +eat our mules and horses, than give up Zamora, unless by your command. +And they all with one accord confirmed what Don Nuno had said. When +the Infanta Donya Urraca heard this she was well pleased, and praised +them greatly; and she turned to the Cid and said unto him, I beseech +you help me now against my brother, and intreat him that he will not +seek to disherit me; but if he will go on with what he hath begun, say +to him that I will rather die with the men of Zamora and they with me, +than give him up the town, either for price or exchange. And with this +answer did the Cid return unto the king. + + + + +THE SIEGE OF ZAMORA + +By Robert Southey + + +When King Don Sancho heard what the Cid said, his anger kindled +against him, and he said, You have given this counsel to my sister +because you were bred with her. And my Cid answered and said, +Faithfully have I discharged your bidding, and as a true vassal. +Howbeit, O king, I will not bear arms against the Infanta your sister, +nor against Zamora, because of the days which are passed;--and I +beseech you do not persist in doing this wrong. But then King Don +Sancho was more greatly incensed, and he said unto him, If it were not +that my father left you commended to me, I would order you this +instant to be hanged. But for this which you have said I command you +to quit my kingdom within nine days. The Cid went to his tent in +anger, and called for his kinsmen and his friends, and bade them make +ready on the instant to depart with him. He set forth with all the +knights and esquires of his table, and with all their retainers horse +and foot, twelve hundred persons, all men of approved worth, a goodly +company;--and they took the road to Toledo, meaning to join King Don +Alfonso among the Moors. That night they slept at Castro Nuno. But +when the counts and Ricos-omes, and the other good men of the host saw +this, they understood the great evil, which might arise to the king +from the departure of the Cid. They went to the king and said unto +him, Sir, wherefore would you lose so good a vassal, who has done you +such great service? If he should go unto your brother Don Alfonso +among the Moors, he would not let you besiege this city thus in peace. +And the king perceived that they spake rightly, and he called for Don +Diego Ordonez and bade him follow the Cid, and beseech him in his name +to return; and whatever covenant he should make it should be confirmed +unto him; and of this he ordered his letters of credence to be made +out. And Don Diego Ordonez rode after the Cid, and delivered the +king's bidding, and said that the king besought him not to bear in +mind the words which he had spoken unto him in anger. Then the Cid +called together his kinsmen and friends, and they counselled him that +he should return to the king, for it was better to remain in his land +and serve God, than to go among the Moors. He held their counsel good, +and called for Don Diego, and said that he would do the will of the +king. And when the Cid drew nigh unto the host, the king went out with +five hundred knights to meet him, and received him gladly, and did him +great honour. And the Cid kissed his hand and asked him if he +confirmed what Don Diego had said; and the king confirmed it before +all the knights who were there present, promising to give him great +possessions. And when they came to the army great was the joy because +of the Cid's return, and great were the rejoicings which were made: +but as great was the sorrow in Zamora, for they who were in the town +held that the siege was broken up by his departure. Nevertheless my +Cid would not bear arms against the Infanta, nor against the town of +Zamora, because of the days which were past. + +The king ordered proclamation to be made throughout the host that the +people should make ready to attack the town. They fought against it +three days and three nights so bravely that all the ditches were +filled up, and the barbicans thrown down, and they who were within +fought sword in hand with those without, and the waters of the Douro, +as they past below the town, were all discoloured with blood. And when +Count Don Garcia de Cabra saw the great loss which they were +suffering, it grieved him; and he went unto the king and told him that +many men were slain, and advised him to call off the host that they +should no longer fight against the town, but hold it besieged, for by +famine it might soon be taken. Then the king ordered them to draw +back, and he sent to each camp to know how many men had died in the +attack, and the number was found to be a thousand and thirty. And when +the king knew this he was greatly troubled for the great loss which he +had received, and he ordered the town to be beleaguered round about, +that none could enter into it, neither go out therefrom; and there was +a great famine within the town. And when Don Arias Gonzalo saw the +misery, and the hunger, and the mortality which were there, he said to +the Infanta Donya Urraca, You see, lady, the great wretchedness which +the people of Zamora have suffered, and do every day suffer to +maintain their loyalty; now then call together the Council, and thank +them truly for what they have done for you, and bid them give up the +town within nine days to the king your brother. And we, lady, will go +to Toledo to your brother King Don Alfonso, for we cannot defend +Zamora; King Don Sancho is of so great heart and so resolute, that he +will never break up the siege, and I do not hold it good that you +should abide here longer. And Donya Urraca gave orders that the good +men of Zamora should meet together in council; and she said unto them, +Friends, ye well see the resoluteness of King Don Sancho my brother. +Ye have done enough, and I do not hold it good that ye should perish, +I command ye therefore give up the town to him within nine days, and I +will go to Toledo to my brother King Don Alfonso. The men of Zamora +when they heard this had great sorrow, because they had endured the +siege so long, and must now give up the town at last; and they +determined all to go with the Infanta, and not remain in the town. + +When Vellido Dolfos heard this, he went to Donya Urraca and said, +Lady, I came here to Zamora to do you service with thirty knights, all +well accoutred, as you know; and I have served you long time, and +never have I had from you guerdon for my service, though I have +demanded it: but now if you will grant my demand I will relieve +Zamora, and make King Don Sancho break up the siege. Then said Donya +Urraca, Vellido, I do not bid thee commit any evil thing, if such thou +hast in thy thought; but I say unto you, that there is not a man in +the world to whom if he should relieve Zamora, and make the king my +brother raise the siege, I would not grant whatsoever he might +require. And when Vellido heard this he kissed her hand, and went to a +porter who kept one of the gates of the town, saying, that he should +open the gate unto him when he saw him flying toward it, and he gave +him his cloak. Then he armed himself, and mounted his horse, and rode +to the house of Don Arias Gonzalo, and cried with a loud voice, We all +know the reason, Don Arias Gonzalo, why you will not let Donya Urraca +exchange Zamora with her brother; it is because you deal with her like +an old traitor. When Arias Gonzalo heard this, it grieved him to the +heart. Then his sons arose and armed themselves hastily, and went +after Vellido, who fled before them toward the gate of the town. The +porter when he saw him coming opened the gate, and he rode out and +galloped into the camp of the King Don Sancho, and the others followed +him till they were nigh the camp, but farther they did not venture. +And Vellido went to the king and kissed his hand, and said unto him +these false words with a lying tongue: Sir, because I said to the +Council of Zamora that they should yield the town unto you, the sons +of Arias Gonzalo would have slain me, even as you have seen. And +therefore come I to you, sir, and will be your vassal, if I may find +favour at your hands. And I will show you how in a few days you may +have Zamora, if God pleases; and if I do not as I have said, then let +me be slain. And the king believed all that he said, and received him +for his vassal, and did him great honour. And all that night they +talked together of his secrets, and he made the king believe that he +knew a postern by means of which he would put Zamora into his hands. + +On the morrow in the morning, one of the knights who were in the town +went upon the wall, and cried out with a loud voice, King Don Sancho, +give ear to what I say; I am a knight, and they from whom I spring +were true men and delighted in their loyalty, and I also will live and +die in my truth. I say unto you, that from this town of Zamora there +is gone forth a traitor to kill you; his name is Vellido Dolfos. Look +to yourself therefore and take heed of him. I say this to you, that if +evil should befall you by this traitor, it may not be said in Spain +that you were not warned against him. And the men of Zamora sent also +to the king to bid him beware of Vellido; nevertheless he gave no heed +to the warning. And Vellido, when he heard this went to the king, and +said, Sir, the old Arias Gonzalo is full crafty, and hath sent to say +this unto you, because he knows that by my means you would have won +the town. And he called for his horse, feigning that he would depart +because of what had been said. But the king took him by the hand and +said, Friend and vassal, take no thought for this; I say unto you, +that if I may have Zamora, I will make you chief therein, even as +Arias Gonzalo is now. Then Vellido kissed his hand and said, God +grant you life, sir, for many and happy years, and let you fulfil what +you desire. But the traitor had other thoughts in his heart. + +After this Vellido took the king apart and said to him, If it please +you, sir, let us ride out together alone; we will go round Zamora, and +see the trenches which you have ordered to be made; and I will show +unto you the postern which is called the queen's, by which we may +enter the town, for it is never closed. When it is night you shall +give me a hundred knights who are hidalgos, well armed, and we will go +on foot, and the Zamorans because they are weak with famine and +misery, will let us conquer them, and we will enter and open the gate, +and keep it open till all your host shall have entered in. The king +believed what he said, and they took horse and went riding round the +town, and the king looked at the trenches, and that traitor showed him +the postern. And after they had ridden round the town the king had +need to alight; now he carried in his hand a light hunting spear which +was gilded over, such as the kings from whom he was descended were +wont to bear; and he gave this to Vellido to hold it while he went +aside, to cover his feet. And Vellido Dolfos, when he saw him in that +guise, took the hunting spear and thrust it between his shoulders, so +that it went through him and came out at his breast. And when he had +stricken him he turned the reins and rode as fast as he could toward +the postern. Now it chanced that the Cid saw him riding thus, and +asked him wherefore he fled, and he would not answer; and then the Cid +understood that he had done some treason, and his heart misgave him +and he called in haste for his horse, but while they were bringing it, +Vellido had ridden far away; and the Cid being eager to follow him, +took only his lance and did not wait to have his spurs buckled on. And +he followed him to the postern and had well nigh overtaken him, but +Vellido got in; and then the Cid said in his anger, Cursed be the +knight who ever gets on horseback without his spurs. Now in all the +feats of the Cid never was fault found in him save only in this, +that he did not enter after Vellido into the town; but he did not +fail to do this for cowardice, neither for fear of death, or of +imprisonment; but because he thought that this was a device between +him and the king, and that he fled by the king's command; for certes, +if he had known that the king was slain, there was nothing which would +have prevented him from entering the town, and slaying the traitor in +the streets, thereright. + +Now the history saith, that when Vellido Dolfos had got within the +postern, he was in such fear both of those who were in the town and of +those who were without, that he went and placed himself under the +mantle of the Infanta Donya Urraca. And when Don Arias Gonzalo knew +this, he went unto the Infanta and said, Lady, I beseech you that you +give up this traitor to the Castillians, otherwise the Castillians +will impeach all who are in Zamora, and that will be greater dishonour +for you and for us. And Donya Urraca made answer, Counsel me then so +that he may not die for this which he hath done. Don Arias Gonzalo +then answered, Give him unto me, and I will keep him in custody for +three days, and if the Castillians impeach us we will deliver him into +their hands; and if they do not impeach us within that time, we will +thrust him out of the town so that he shall not be seen among us. And +Don Arias Gonzalo took him from thence, and secured him with double +fetters, and guarded him well. + +Meantime the Castillians went to seek their king, and they found him +by the side of the Douro, where he lay sorely wounded, even unto +death; but he had not yet lost his speech, and the hunting spear was +in his body, through and through, and they did not dare to take it out +lest he should die immediately. And a master of Burgos came up who was +well skilled in these things, and he sawed off the ends of the spear, +that he might not lose his speech, and said that he should be +confessed, for he had death within him. Then Count Don Garcia de Cabra +said unto him, Sir, think of your soul, for you have a desperate +wound. And the king made answer, The traitor Vellido has killed me, +and I well know that this was for my sins, because I broke the oath +which I made unto the king my father. As the king was saying this the +Cid came up and knelt before him and said, I, sir, remain more +desolate than any other of your vassals, for for your sake have I made +your brethren mine enemies, and all in the world who were against you, +and against whom it pleased you to go. The king your father commended +me to them as well as to you, when he divided his kingdoms, and I have +lost their love for your sake, having done them great evil. And now +neither can I go before King Don Alfonso, your brother, nor remain +among the Christians before Donya Urraca your sister, because they +hold that whatsoever you have done against them was by my counsel. Now +then, sir, remember me before you depart. And the king said, I beseech +all ye who are here present, that if my brother King Don Alfonso +should come from the land of the Moors, ye beseech him to show favour +unto you, my Cid, and that he always be bountiful unto you, and +receive you to be his vassal. Then the Cid arose and kissed his hand, +and all the chief persons who were there present did the like. And the +king said unto them, I beseech ye intreat my brother King Don Alfonso +to forgive me whatever wrong I have done him, and to pray to God to +have mercy upon my soul. And when he had said this he asked for the +candle, and presently his soul departed. And all who were there +present made great lamentation for the king. + +Now when the king was dead, the townsmen who were in the camp forsook +their tents and fled, but the noble Castillians would not depart from +Zamora, nor break up the siege thereof, but remained bravely before +it, though they had lost their lord. And they took counsel together +how they should proceed against the men of Zamora for this great +treason which had been committed. Then Count Don Garcia de Cabra arose +and said, Friends, if there be one here who will impeach them for this +thing, we will do whatever may be needful that he may come off with +honour, and the impeachment be carried through. Then Don Diego Ordonez +arose, and he said unto them, If ye will all assent to this which ye +have heard, I will impeach the men of Zamora for the death of the king +our lord: and they all assented. Now my Cid did not make this +impeachment against the people of Zamora, because of the oath which he +had sworn. + +Then Don Diego Ordonez went to his lodging and armed himself well and +rode toward Zamora. And when he drew nigh unto the town he began to +cry aloud, asking if Don Arias Gonzalo were there, for he would speak +with him. And Don Arias Gonzalo went with his sons upon the wall to +see who called for him, and he spake to the knight, saying, Friend, +what wouldest thou? And Don Diego Ordonez answered, The Castillians +have lost their lord; the traitor Vellido slew him, being his vassal, +and ye of Zamora have received Vellido and harboured him within your +walls. Now therefore I say that he is a traitor who hath a traitor +with him, if he knoweth and consenteth unto the treason. And for this +I impeach the people of Zamora, the great as well as the little, the +living and the dead. If there be any one in Zamora to gainsay what I +have said, I will do battle with him, and with God's pleasure conquer +him, so that the infamy shall remain upon you. Don Arias Gonzalo +replied, If I were what thou sayest I am, it had been better for me +never to have been born; but in what thou sayest thou liest, and I +will do battle with thee upon this quarrel, or give thee one in my +stead. But know that you have been ill advised in making this +impeachment, for the manner is, that whosoever impeacheth a council +must do battle with five, one after another, and if he conquer the +five he shall be held a true man, but if either of the five conquer +him, the council is held acquitted and he a liar. When Don Diego heard +this it troubled him; howbeit he dissembled this right well, and said +unto Don Arias Gonzalo, I will bring twelve Castillians, and do you +bring twelve men of Zamora, and they shall swear upon the Holy Gospel +to judge justly between us, and if they find that I am bound to do +battle with five, I will perform it. And Don Arias made answer that he +said well, and it should be so. And truce was made for three times +nine days, till this should have been determined and the combat +fought. + +Then when the truce was made they chose out twelve alcades on the one +part, and twelve on the other, who should decide in what manner he was +bound to perform combat who impeached a council. Two of them who were +held the most learned in these things arose, the one being a +Castillian and the other of Zamora, and said that they had found the +law as it was written to be this: That whosoever impeacheth the +council of a town which was a bishop's seat, must do battle with five +in the field, one after another; and that after every combat there +should be given unto him fresh arms and horse, and three sops of +bread, and a draught either of wine or of water, as he chose. And in +this sentence which the twain pronounced, the other twenty and two +accorded. + +On the morrow the four and twenty alcades marked out the lists upon +the sand beside the river, and in the middle of the lists they placed +a bar, and ordained that he who won the battle should lay hand on the +bar, and say that he had conquered: and then they appointed a term of +nine days for the combatants to come to those lists which had been +assigned. And when all was appointed the Infanta Donya Urraca ordered +a meeting to be called, at which all the men of the town assembled. +And when they were gathered together, Don Arias Gonzalo said unto +them, Friends, I beseech ye, if there be any here among ye who took +counsel for the death of King Don Sancho, or were privy thereunto, +that ye now tell me, and deny it not; for rather would I go with my +sons to the land of the Moors, than be overcome in the field, and held +for a traitor. Then they all replied, that there was none there who +knew of the treason, nor had consented unto it. At this was Don Arias +Gonzalo well pleased, and he went to his house with his sons, and +chose out four of them to do combat, and said that he would be the +fifth himself. + + + + +HOW DON DIEGO FOUGHT THE THREE BROTHERS + +By Robert Southey + + +When the day appointed was come, Don Arias Gonzalo early in the +morning armed his sons, and they armed him. As they rode through the +gates of their house, Donya Urraca with a company of dames met them, +and said to Don Arias, weeping, Remember now how my father, King Don +Ferrando, left me to your care, and you swore between his hands that +you would never forsake me; and lo! now you are forsaking me. I +beseech you remain with me. And she took hold on him, and would not +let him go, and made him be disarmed. Then came many knights around +him, to demand arms of him, and request that they might do battle in +his stead; nevertheless he would give them to none. And he called for +his son Pedro Arias, who was a right brave knight, though but of green +years, and Don Arias armed him completely with his own hands, and +instructed him how to demean himself, and gave him his blessing with +his right hand. Then went they into the field, where Don Diego Ordonez +was awaiting them, and Pedro Arias entered the lists, and the judges +placed them each in his place, and divided the sun between them, and +went out, leaving them in the lists. + +Then they turned their horses one against the other, and ran at each +other full bravely, like good knights. Five times they encountered, +and at the sixth encounter their spears brake, and they laid hand upon +their swords, and dealt each other such heavy blows that the helmets +failed; and in this manner the combat between them continued till +noon. And when Don Diego Ordonez saw that it lasted so long, and he +could not yet conquer him, he called to mind that he was there +fighting to revenge his lord, who had been slain by a foul treason, +and he collected together all his strength. And he lifted up his sword +and smote Pedro Arias upon the helmet, so that he cut through it, and +through the hood of the mail also, and made a wound in the head. And +Pedro Arias with the agony of death bowed down to the neck of the +horse; yet with all this he neither lost his stirrups, nor let go his +sword. And Don Diego Ordonez seeing him thus, thought that he was +dead, and would not strike him again; and he called aloud, saying, Don +Arias, send me another son, for this one will never fulfil your +bidding. When Pedro Arias heard this, grievously wounded as he was, he +went fiercely against him: and he took the sword in both hands, and +thought to give it him upon his head; but the blow missed, and fell +upon the horse, and the horse immediately ran away because of the +great wound which he had received. And Don Diego had no reins +wherewith to stop him, and perceiving that he should else be carried +out of the lists, he threw himself off. And while he did this, Pedro +Arias fell down dead, just without the mark. And Don Diego Ordonez +laid hand on the bar, and said, Praised be the name of God, one is +conquered. And incontinently the judges came and took him by the hand, +and led him to a tent and disarmed him, and gave him three sops, and +he drank of the wine and rested awhile. And afterwards they gave him +other arms, and a horse that was a right good one, and went with him +to the lists. + +Then Don Arias Gonzalo called for another son, whose name was Diego +Arias, gave him his blessing and went with him to the lists. And the +judges took the reins of the two champions and led them each to his +place, and went out and left them in the lists. And they ran against +each other with such force that both shields failed, and in another +career they brake their lances. Then laid they hand on their good +swords, and delivered such blows that their helmets were cut away, and +the sleeves of the mail. And at length Diego Arias received such a +blow near the heart that he fell dead. And Don Diego Ordonez went to +the bar and laid hold on it, and cried out to Don Arias Gonzalo, Send +me another son, for I have conquered two, thanks be to God. Then the +judges came and said that the dead knight was not yet out of the +lists, and that he must alight and cast him out. Don Diego Ordonez did +as they had directed him, and then went and laid hand upon the bar +again. And then the judges came to him, and led him to the tent, and +disarmed him, and gave him the three sops and the wine, as they had +done before. + +Then Don Arias Gonzalo, in great rage called for his son Rodrigo +Arias, who was a good knight, right hardy and valiant, the elder of +all the brethren. And Don Arias said unto him, Son, go now and do +battle with Diego Ordonez, to save Donya Urraca your lady, and +yourself, and the Council of Zamora; and if you do this, in happy hour +were you born. Then Rodrigo Arias kissed his hand and answered, +Father, I thank you much for what you have said, and be sure that I +will save them, or take my death. And he took his arms and mounted, +and his father gave him his blessing, and went with him to the lists; +and the judges took his reins and led him in. And when the judges were +gone out, they twain ran at each other, and Don Diego missed his blow, +but Rodrigo Arias, did not miss, for he gave him so great a stroke +with the lance that it pierced through the shield, and broke the +saddle-bow behind, and made him lose his stirrups, and he embraced the +neck of his horse. But albeit that Don Diego was sorely bested with +that stroke, he took heart presently, and went bravely against him, +and dealt him so great a blow that he broke the lance in him; for it +went through the shield and all his other arms, and great part of the +lance remained in his flesh. After this they laid hand to sword, and +gave each to the other great blows, and great wounds with them. And +Rodrigo Arias gave so great a wound to Diego Ordonez, that he cut his +left arm through to the bone. And Don Diego Ordonez, when he felt +himself so sorely wounded, went against Rodrigo Arias and delivered +him a blow upon the head which cut through the helmet and the hood of +the mail, and entered into his head. When Rodrigo Arias felt himself +wounded to death, he let go the reins and took his sword in both +hands, and gave so great a blow to the horse of Don Diego that the +horse ran out of the lists, and carried Don Diego out also, and there +died. And Rodrigo Arias fell dead as he was following him. Then Don +Diego Ordonez would have returned into the field to do battle with the +other two, but the judges would not permit this, neither did they +think good to decide whether they of Zamora were overcome in this +third duel or not. And in this manner the thing was left undecided. +Nevertheless, though no sentence was given, there remained no infamy +upon the people of Zamora. Better had it been for Don Arias Gonzalo if +he had given up Vellido to the Castillians, that he might have died +the death of a traitor; he would not then have lost these three sons, +who died like good men, in their duty. Now what was the end of Vellido +the history sayeth not, but it is to be believed, that because the +impeachment was not made within three days, Don Arias Gonzalo thrust +him out of the town as Donya Urraca had requested, and that he fled +into other lands, peradventure among the Moors. + +In the meantime the Infanta Donya Urraca wrote letters secretly and +sent messengers with them to Toledo to King Don Alfonso, telling him +that King Don Sancho his brother was dead, and had left no heir, and +that he should come as speedily as he could to receive the kingdoms. + +As soon as King Don Alfonso arrived at Zamora, he took counsel with +his sister. And the Infanta Donya Urraca, who was a right prudent lady +and a wise, sent letters throughout the land, that a cortes should +assemble and receive him for their lord. And when the Leonese and the +Gallegos knew that their lord King Don Alfonso was come, they were +full joyful, and they came to Zamora and received him for their lord +and king. And afterwards the Castillians arrived, and they of +Navarre, and they also received him for their lord and king, but upon +this condition, that he should swear that he had not taken counsel for +the death of his brother King Don Sancho. Howbeit they did not come +forward to receive the oath, and they kissed his hands in homage, all, +save only Ruydiez, my Cid. And when King Don Alfonso saw that the Cid +did not do homage and kiss his hand, he said, Since now ye have all +received me for your lord, and given me authority over ye, I would +know of the Cid Ruydiez why he will not kiss my hand and acknowledge +me. And the Cid arose and said, Sir, all whom you see here present, +suspect that by your counsel the King Don Sancho your brother came to +his death; and therefore, I say unto you that, unless you clear +yourself of this, as by right you should do, I will never kiss your +hand, nor receive you for my lord. Then said the king, Cid, what you +say pleases me well; and here I swear to God and to St. Mary, that I +never slew him, nor took counsel for his death, neither did it please +me, though he had taken my kingdom from me. And I beseech ye therefore +all, as friends and true vassals, that ye tell me how I may clear +myself. And the chiefs who were present said, that he and twelve of +the knights who came with him from Toledo, should make this oath in +the church at St. Gadea at Burgos, and that so he should be cleared. + +So the king and all his company took horse and went to Burgos. And +when the day appointed for the oath was come, the king went to hear +mass in the church of Gadea. And the king came forward upon a high +stage that all the people might see him, and my Cid came to him to +receive the oath; and my Cid took the book of the Gospels and opened +it, and laid it upon the altar, and the king laid his hands upon it, +and the Cid said unto him, King Don Alfonso, you come here to swear +concerning the death of King Don Sancho your brother, that you neither +slew him nor took counsel for his death; say now you and these +hidalgos, if ye swear this. And the king and the hidalgos answered and +said, Yea, we swear it. And the Cid said, If ye knew of this thing, or +gave command that it should be done, may you die even such a death as +your brother the King Don Sancho, by the hand of a villain whom you +trust; one who is not a hidalgo, from another land, not a Castillian; +and the king and the knights who were with him said Amen. And the +king's colour changed; and the Cid repeated the oath unto him a second +time, and the king and the twelve knights said Amen to it in like +manner, and in like manner the countenance of the king was changed +again. And my Cid repeated the oath unto him a third time, and the +king and the knights said Amen; but the wrath of the king was +exceeding great, and he said to the Cid, Ruydiez, why dost thou thus +press me, man? To-day thou swearest me, and to-morrow thou wilt kiss +my hand. And from that day forward there was no love towards my Cid in +the heart of the king. + +After this was King Don Alfonso crowned King of Castille, and Leon, +and Galicia, and Portugal; and he called himself King and Emperor of +all Spain, even as his father had done before him. + + + + +TALES OF ROBIN HOOD + + +Robin Hood is said to have been born at Locksley in the County of +Nottingham, in the reign of Henry II, about 1160. Some claim that he +came of good family, and was in reality the Earl of Huntingdon. + +Public performances of plays based on the tales became so common by +1550 that they had to be forbidden, "but the people would not be +forbidden," said John Knox, the preacher. Bishop Latimer complained +bitterly how, when he was one day ready to preach in a country church, +he was told it was Robin Hood's day, a busy day with them, and they +could not hear him. + +You will find a lot about Robin Hood in Scott's Ivanhoe, some of which +is in the volume "The Stories that never Grow Old." + + + + +ROBIN HOOD AND THE KNIGHT + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +In the days of Richard I there lived a famous outlaw who was known by +the name of Robin Hood. He was born at Locksley in the county of +Nottingham, and was of noble origin, for he is often spoken of as +"Earl of Huntingdon." Robin was very wild and daring, and having +placed his life in danger by some reckless act, or possibly through +some political offence, he fled for refuge to the greenwood. His chief +haunts were Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, and Barnsdale in +Yorkshire. Round him soon flocked a band of trusty followers. An old +chronicler states that Robin Hood "entertained an hundred tall men and +good archers." They robbed none but the rich, and killed no man except +in self-defence. Robin "suffered no woman to be oppressed or otherwise +molested; poor men's goods he spared, abundantly relieving them" with +spoils got from abbeys or the houses of rich people. + +Robin Hood's exploits were widely known, and although the poorer +classes were all on his side, those in authority were naturally +incensed against him. Many attempts were made to seize him, and large +rewards were offered for his capture. He was often in danger of his +life, and had many narrow escapes, but so daring was his courage, and +so quick and clever his wit and resource that he always contrived to +get clear away. + +An old tradition says that the father of Robin was a forester, a +renowned archer. On one occasion he shot for a wager against the three +gallant yeomen of the north country--Adam Bell, Clym-of-the-Clough, +and William of Cloudesly, and the forester beat all three of them. + +The mother of Robin Hood was a niece of the famous Guy, Earl of +Warwick, who slew the blue boar; her brother was Gamwel of Great +Gamwel Hall, a squire of famous degree, and the owner of one of the +finest houses in Nottinghamshire. + +When the other outlaws flocked to Robin Hood they begged him to tell +them what sort of life they were to lead, and where they were to go, +what they were to take and what to leave, what sort of people they +were to rob, and whom they were to beat and to bind--in short, how +they were to act in every circumstance. + +"Have no fear, we shall do very well," answered Robin. "But look you +do no harm to any husbandman that tilleth with his plough, nor to any +good yeoman that walketh in the greenwood, nor to any knight or squire +who is a good fellow. And harm no folk in whose company is any woman. + +"But fat rascals, and all who have got rich by pilfering, canting, and +cheating, those you may beat and bind, and hold captive for ransom. +And chiefly the Sheriff of Nottingham--look you, bear him well in +mind." + +And his followers promised to pay heed to his words, and carry them +out carefully. + +Chief among the band of outlaws known as "Robin Hood's merry men" was +"Little John," so called because his name was John Little, and he was +seven feet high. Robin Hood was about twenty years old when he first +came to know Little John, and they got acquainted in this way. Robin +was walking one day in the forest when coming near a brook he chanced +to spy a stranger, a strong lusty lad like himself. The two met in the +middle of a long narrow bridge, and neither would give way. They +quarrelled as to which should be the master, and finally agreed to +fight with stout staves on the bridge, and whichever fell into the +water the other was to be declared to have won. The encounter was a +stiff one, but finally the stranger knocked down Robin Hood, and +tumbled him into the brook. Robin bore no malice, but owned at once +the other had got the best of it, and seeing what a stout nimble +fellow he was, persuaded him to join his band of archers, and go and +live with them in the greenwood. + +Next to Little John the chief man was Will Scarlet, who in reality was +Robin's own cousin or nephew, young Gamwel of Gamwel Hall. Having +slain his father's steward either by accident or in some brawl, young +Will fled to his kinsman, Robin Hood, in Sherwood Forest, where, as in +the case of Little John, he first made his acquaintance by fighting +with him. As young Will on this occasion happened to be dressed very +smartly in silken doublet and scarlet stockings Robin Hood dubbed him +"Will Scarlet," by which name he was always afterwards known. + +Besides these two famous outlaws there were many others of lesser note +who from time to time joined the band. Among them may be mentioned +"Gilbert of the white hand" who was almost as good an archer as Robin +himself; Allen-a-Dale, whose bride Robin Hood helped him to secure; +Much, the son of a miller; George-a-Green; Friar Tuck; Will Stutely, +who was taken prisoner by the Sheriff of Nottingham and nearly hanged, +but was rescued from the gallows by the gallant yeomen; +Arthur-a-Bland, the sturdy tanner of Nottingham, who beat Robin when +they fought with staves; the jolly tinker of Banbury who went out to +arrest Robin, but ended by joining his band, and the chief ranger of +Sherwood Forest, who did the same. + +Lastly, there was the bonny maid of noble degree, who was known in the +north country as Maid Marian. She had loved Robin Hood when they were +young together, in the days when he was still the Earl of Huntingdon, +but spiteful fortune forced them to part. Robin had to fly for refuge +to the greenwood, and Maid Marian, unable to live without him, dressed +herself like a page, with quiver and bow, sword and buckler, and went +in search of him. Long and wearily she ranged the forest, and when the +lovers met they did not know each other, for Robin, too, had been +obliged to disguise himself. They fought as foes, and so sore was the +fray that both were wounded, but Robin so much admired the valour of +the stranger lad that he bade him stay his hand, and asked him to join +his company. When Marian knew the voice of her lover she quickly made +herself known to him, and great was the rejoicing. A stately banquet +was quickly prepared, which was served in a shady bower, and they +feasted merrily, while all the tall and comely yeomen drank to the +health of Robin Hood's bride. So for many years they dwelt together +with great content in the greenwood. + +It happened one day as Robin Hood stood under a tree in Barnsdale that +Little John went up to him, and said: + +"Master, if you would dine soon, would it not be well?" + +"I do not care to dine," answered Robin, "until I have some bold baron +or stranger guest to eat with us, or else some rich rascal who will +pay for the feast, or else some knight or squire who dwells in these +parts." + +"It is already far on in the day; now heaven send us a guest soon, so +that we may get to dinner," said Little John. + +"Take thy good bow in thy hand," said Robin, "and let Will Scarlet and +Much go with thee, and walk up to the Sayles and so to Watling Street. +There wait for some strange guest whom it may very well chance you +will meet. Be it earl or baron, or abbot or knight, bring him here to +lodge; his dinner shall be ready for him." + +So these three good yeomen, Little John, Will Scarlet, and Much went +off to the great high-road which is known as Watling Street, and there +they looked east and they looked west, but not a man could they see. +But as they looked in Barnsdale, by a little private path there came a +knight riding, whom they soon met. Very dreary and woebegone seemed +this traveller; one foot was in the stirrup, the other dangled +outside; his hood hung down over his eyes; his attire was poor and +shabby; no sorrier man than he ever rode on a summer's day. + +Little John bent low in courtesy before him. + +"Welcome, sir knight! Welcome to greenwood! I am right glad to see +you. My master hath awaited you fasting these three hours." + +"Who is your master?" asked the knight. + +"Robin Hood, sir," answered Little John. + +"He is a brave yeoman; I have heard much good of him," said the +knight. "I will go in company with you, my comrades. My purpose was to +have dined to-day at Blyth or Doncaster." + +So the knight went with the yeomen, but his face was still sad and +careworn, and tears often fell from his eyes. Little John and Will +Scarlet brought him to the door of the lodge in Barnsdale, where the +outlaws were staying at that time, and as soon as Robin saw him he +lifted his hood courteously, and bent low in token of respect. + +"Welcome, sir knight, welcome. I am right glad to see you. I have +awaited you fasting, sir, for the last three hours." + +"God save thee, good Robin, and all thy fair company," returned the +knight pleasantly. + +Robin brought clear water from the well for the guest to wash himself +from the dust of travel, and then they sat down to dinner. The meal +was spread under the trees in the greenwood, and rarely had the +stranger seen a repast so amply furnished. Bread and wine they had in +plenty, and dainty portions of deer, swans and pheasants, plump and +tender, and all kinds of water-fowl from the river, and every sort of +woodland bird that was good for eating. + +Robin heaped his guest's plate with choice morsels, and bade him fall +to merrily. + +"Eat well, sir knight, eat well," he urged him. + +"Thanks, thanks," said the knight. "I have not had such a dinner as +this for three weeks. If I come again into this country, Robin, I will +make as good a dinner for you as you have made for me." + +"Thanks for my dinner, good knight, when I have it," returned the +outlaw. "I was never so greedy as to crave for dinner. But before you +go, would it not be seemly for you to pay for what you have eaten? It +was never the custom for a yeoman to pay for a knight." + +"I have nothing in my coffers that I can proffer, for shame," said the +knight. + +"Go, Little John, and look," said Robin. "Now swear to me that you are +telling the truth," he added to his guest. + +"I swear to you, by heaven, I have no more than ten shillings," said +the knight. + +"If you have no more than that I will not take one penny," said +Robin. "And if you have need of any more I will lend it you. Go now, +Little John, and tell me the truth. If there be no more than ten +shillings, not one penny of that will I touch." + +Little John spread out his mantle on the ground ready to hold any +treasure he might find, but when lie looked in the knight's coifer he +saw nothing but one piece of money of the value of half a pound. He +left it lying where it was, and went to tell his master. + +"What tidings, John?" asked Robin. + +"Sir, the knight is true enough." + +"Fill a cup with the best wine, and hand it first to the knight," said +Robin. "Sir, I much wonder that your clothing is so thin. Tell me one +thing, I pray. I trow you must have been made a knight by force, or +else you have squandered your means by reckless or riotous living? +Perhaps you have been foolish and thriftless, or else have lost all +your money in brawling and strife? Or possibly you have been a usurer +or a drunkard, or wasted your life in wickedness and wrong-doing?" + +"I am none of those things, by heaven that made me," declared the +knight. "For a hundred years my ancestors have been knights. It has +often befallen, Robin, that a man may be disgraced, but God who waits +in heaven above can amend his state. Within two or three years, my +neighbours knew it well, I could spend with ease four hundred pounds +of good money. Now I have no goods left but my wife and my +children. God has ordained this until He see fit to better my +condition." + +"In what manner did you lose your riches?" asked Robin. + +"By my great folly and kindness," was the answer. "I had a son, who +should have been my heir. At twenty years old he could joust right +well in the field. Unhappily the luckless boy slew a knight of +Lancashire, and to pay the heavy penalty exacted from him to save his +rights I was forced to sell all my goods. Besides this, Robin, my +lands are pledged until a certain day to a rich abbot living close by +here at St. Mary's Abbey." + +"What is the sum?" asked Robin. + +"Sir, four hundred pounds, which the abbot lent me." + +"Now, if you lose your land what will become of you?" asked Robin. + +"I will depart in haste over the salt sea to Palestine. Farewell, +friend, there is no better way." Tears filled the knight's eyes, and +he made a movement to go. "Farewell, friends, farewell! I have no more +that I can pay you." + +But Robin stopped him as he would have gone. + +"Where are your friends?" he asked. + +"Sir, there are none who will know me now. When I was rich enough at +home they were glad to come and flatter me, but now they all run from +me. They take no more heed of me than if they had never seen me." + +The knight's sorrowful story so touched the hearts of Little John and +Will Scarlet that they wept for pity. + +"Come, fill of the best wine," cried Robin. "Come, sir, courage! +Never be downcast! Have you any friends from whom you can borrow?" + +"None," replied the knight. + +"Come forth, Little John, and go to my treasury," said Robin. "Bring +me four hundred pounds, and look that you count it out carefully." + +Then forth went Little John, and with him went Will Scarlet, and he +counted out four hundred pounds. But Much, the miller's son, did not +look very well pleased to see all this money going into the hands of a +stranger. + +"Is this wisely done?" he muttered. + +"What grieves you?" said Little John. "It is alms to help a noble +knight who has fallen into poverty. Master," he went on to Robin Hood, +"his clothing is full thin; you must give the knight a suit of raiment +to wrap himself in. For you have scarlet and green cloth, master, and +plenty of rich apparel. I dare well say there is no merchant in +England who has a finer store." + +"Give him three yards of cloth of every colour," said Robin Hood, "and +see that it be well meted out." + +Little John took no other measure than his bow, and every handful he +measured he leapt over three feet. + +"What devilkin's draper do you think you are?" asked little Much in +half-angry astonishment. + +Will Scarlet stood still and laughed. + +"John may well give him good measure," he said. "It cost _him_ but +light." + +Little John paid no heed to their scoffing, but quietly went on with +his task. + +"Master," he said to Robin Hood, when he had put aside a bountiful +store for their guest, "you must give the knight a horse to carry home +all these goods." + +"Give him a grey courser, and put a new saddle on it," said Robin. + +"And a good palfrey as befits his rank," added little Much. + +"And a pair of boots, for he is a noble knight," said Will Scarlet. + +"And what will you give him, Little John?" asked Robin. + +"Sir, a pair of shining gilt spurs to pray for all this company. God +bring him safely out of all his trouble." + +The poor knight scarcely knew how to thank them for all their +goodness. + +"When shall the day be for me to pay back the money you have lent me?" +he said. "What is your will?" + +"This day twelve-month under this greenwood tree," said Robin. "It +were a great shame," he added, "for a knight to ride alone without +squire, yeomen, or page to walk by his side. I will lend you my man, +Little John, to be your lad. He may stand you in yeoman stead if ever +you are in need." + +As the knight went on his way he thought how well matters had happened +for him, and when he looked on Barnsdale be blessed Robin Hood. And +when he thought of Will Scarlet, Much, and Little John he blessed them +for the best company he had ever been in. + +"To-morrow I must go to York town to St. Mary's Abbey," he said to +Little John, "and to the abbot of that place I have to pay four +hundred pounds. If I am not there by to-morrow night my lands will be +lost for ever." + +The next day he strode out of the abbot's hall, all his care gone; he +flung off his worn raiment, put on his good clothing, and left the +other lying where it fell. He went forth singing merrily, back to his +own home at Wierysdale, and his lady met him at the gate. + +"Welcome, my lord," said his wife. "Sir, are all your possessions +lost?" + +"Be merry, dame," said the knight, "and pray for Robin Hood that his +soul may always dwell in bliss. He helped me out of my distress; had +it not been for his kindness we should have been beggars. The abbot +and I are in accord; he is served with his money; the good yeoman lent +it me as I came by the way." + +* * * * * * + +The good knight, whose name was Sir Richard Lee, dwelt in prosperity +at home till he had four hundred pounds all ready to pay back Robin +Hood. He provided himself with a hundred bows made with the best +string, and a hundred sheaves of good arrows with brightly burnished +heads. Every arrow was an ell long, well dressed with peacock's +feathers, and they were all inlaid with silver so that it was a goodly +sight to see. The knight provided himself also with a hundred men, +well armed, and clothed in white and red, and in the same fashion he +attired himself. He bore a lance in his hand, and a man led the horse +which carried his change of apparel. And thus he rode with a light +heart to Barnsdale. + +As he drew near a bridge he was forced to tarry awhile, for there was +a great wrestling, and all the best yeomen of the West Country had +flocked to it. A good game had been arranged, and valuable prizes +were offered. A white bull had been put up, and a great courser, with +saddle and bridle all burnished with gold, a pair of gloves, a red +gold ring, and a pipe of wine in prime condition. The man who bore +himself the best would carry off the prize. + +Now there was a certain worthy yeoman there who ought by rights to +have been awarded the prize, but because he was a stranger the other +wrestlers were jealous, and all set on him unfairly. As he was far +from home and had no friends there, he would certainly have been slain +if it had not been for the knight who, from the place where he stood, +saw what was going on. He took pity on the yeoman, and swore no harm +should be done to him, for the love he bore to Robin Hood. He pressed +forward into the place, and his hundred archers followed him, with +bows bent and sharp arrows to attack the crowd. They shouldered every +one aside, and made room for Sir Richard Lee to make known what he had +to say. + +Then the knight took the yeoman by the hand, and declared he had +fairly won the prize. He bought the wine from him for five marks, and +bade that it should be broached at once, and that every one who wished +should have a draught. Thus good humour and jollity were restored, and +the rest of the sports went on merrily. + +The knight tarried till the games were done, and in the meanwhile it +came to be three hours after noon. And all this time Robin had waited +fasting for the coming of the knight to whom twelve months before he +had lent the four hundred pounds. + + + + +LITTLE JOHN AND THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +It will be remembered that when the poor knight left Robin Hood in the +forest Little John went with him to act as his yeoman. He stayed for +some time in Sir Richard's service, and a light and pleasant post he +found it, for he was free to do pretty much as he liked. + +It happened one fine day that the young men of Nottingham were eager +to go shooting, so Little John fetched his bow, and said he would meet +them in a trial of skill. While the match was going on, the Sheriff of +Nottingham chanced to pass, and he stood for a while near the marks to +watch the sport. + +Three times Little John shot, and each time he cleft the wand. + +"By my faith, this man is the best archer that ever I saw," cried the +sheriff. "Tell me now, my fine lad, what is your name? In what county +were you born, and where do you dwell?" + +"I was born at Holderness," said Little John, "and when I am at home +men call me Reynold Greenleaf." + +"Tell me, Reynold Greenleaf, will you come and live with me? I will +give you twenty marks a year as wages." + +"I have a master already, a noble knight," answered Little John. "It +would be better if you would get leave of him." + +The sheriff was so pleased with the prowess of Little John that he +wanted to get him into his own service, so he went to the knight, and +it was agreed the sheriff should have him for twelve months. Little +John was therefore given at once a strong horse, well equipped, and +now behold him the sheriff's man. + +But Little John had not forgotten Robin Hood's words of warning about +the sheriff; he knew him to be a false and greedy man, and a ruthless +enemy to the outlaws, and Little John was always thinking how he could +pay him out for his treachery. + +"By my loyalty and truth," said Little John to himself, "I will be the +worst servant to him that ever he had." + +Little John soon found that his new place was little to his liking. +The other servants were not well pleased to see the newcomer; they +were jealous of the favour shown to him at first by his master, and +treated him with rudeness and contempt. The sheriff himself was very +mean; he wished to secure Little John for his service, for he knew +such a comely lad and fine archer would do him credit, but once he was +sure of him he paid no heed to seeing that he was properly lodged and +fed. + +It happened one day the sheriff went out hunting, and Little John was +left at home forgotten. No meal was served to him, and he was left +fasting till noon. As he was by this time very hungry he went to the +steward, and asked civilly for something to eat. + +"Good sir steward, I pray thee give me to dine," he said. "It is too +long for Greenleaf to be so long fasting, therefore I pray thee, +steward, give me my dinner." + +"I've had no orders," said the steward rudely. "Thou shalt have +nothing to eat or to drink till my lord comes back to town." + +"Rather than that I'll crack thy head," said Little John. + +The steward started forward to the buttery, and shut fast the door, +but Little John gave him such a rap on his back it almost broke in +two--as long as he lived he would be the worse for the blow. Then +Little John put his foot to the door, and burst it open, and Little +John went in and helped himself plentifully to both ale and wine. + +"Since you will not dine, I will give you to drink," he said to the +steward; "though you live for a hundred years you shall remember +Little John." + +He ate and drank for as long as he chose, and the steward dared say +nothing, for he was still smarting from the blow. But the sheriff had +in his employ a cook, a bold, sturdy man, and he was no coward either. + +"A fine sort of fellow you are to dwell in a house and ask for dinner +thus," he cried, and he dealt Little John three good blows. + +"I vow I am very well pleased with those strokes of yours," said +Little John, "and before I leave this place you shall be tested +better." + +He drew his good sword, and the cook seized another, and they went for +each other then and there. Neither had any thought of giving in, but +both meant to resist stoutly. There they fought sorely for a whole +hour, and neither could in any way harm the other. + +"Thou art truly one of the very best swordsmen that ever I saw," said +Little John. "Couldst thou shoot as well with a bow thou shouldst go +with me to the greenwood. Thou wouldst have from Robin Hood twenty +marks a year as wages, and a change of clothing twice a year." + +"Put up thy sword, and we will be comrades," said the cook. + +He fetched at once for Little John a right good meal--dainty venison, +good bread, and excellent wine--and they both ate and drank heartily. +When they had well feasted they plighted their troth together that +they would be with Robin that self-same night. Then they ran as fast +as they could to the sheriff's treasury, and though the locks were of +good steel they broke them every one. They carried off all the silver +plate--vessels, dishes, gold pieces, cups, and spoons, nothing was +forgotten. + +They took also the money--three hundred and three pounds--and then +they went off straight to Robin Hood in the forest. + +"God save thee, my dear master," cried Little John. + +"Welcome art thou, and also that fair yeoman whom thou bringest with +thee," said Robin Hood. "What tidings from Nottingham, Little John?" + +"The proud sheriff greeteth thee well, and sendeth you here by me his +cook and his silver vessels and three hundred and three pounds," said +Little John. + +"I dare take my oath it was never by his good will these goods come to +me," laughed Robin. + +Thus they all made merry in the greenwood, and said the sheriff had +been rightly paid for the greed and tyranny with which he performed +the duties of his office, for by bribery and oppression he had got his +ill-earned wealth. + +Presently Little John bethought him of a shrewd device by which they +could still further get the better of him. He ran into the forest here +and there, and when he had gone about five miles it fell out as he +wished; he came across the sheriff himself hunting with hound and +horn. Little John was mindful of his manners, and went and knelt on +his knee before him, and saluted him courteously. + +"Why, Reynold Greenleaf, where hast thou been now?" cried the sheriff. + +"I have been in the forest," said Little John, "and there I have seen +a wondrous sight, one of the finest I ever yet saw. Yonder I saw a +right gallant hart; his colour is green. Seven score of deer in a herd +altogether are with him. His antlers are so sharp, master, I durst not +shoot, for dread lest they should slay me." + +"By heaven, I would fain see that sight," said the sheriff. + +"Turn thy steps thither, then, at once, dear master," said Little +John. "Come with me; I will show you where he lies." + +The sheriff rode off, and Little John ran beside him, for he was full +smart of foot. Through the forest they went, and by-and-by they came +to Robin Hood in the midst of his band of yeomen. + +"Lo, there is the master hart," said Little John. The sheriff stood +still in dismay, and he was a sorry man. + +"Woe worth thee, Reynold Greenleaf, thou hast betrayed me." + +"Ye are to blame, master, I swear," said Little John. "When I was at +home with you I was misserved of my dinner." + +Then the outlaws made their guest sit down to supper with them, which +he did with no good will, for he would fain have departed to his home +at Nottingham. He was served on his own silver dishes, and when he saw +his beautiful cups and vessels the sheriff for sorrow could not eat. + +"Cheer up, sheriff," urged Robin Hood. "For the sake of Little John +thy life is granted thee. What, man, eat and be merry! Here is fine +fat venison served in a goodly vessel." + +By the time they had well supped, the day was done. Robin then bade +his men strip the sheriff of his fine clothes, his hose and his shoes, +his kirtle, and the large handsome coat all trimmed with fur--and to +give him in their place a green mantle to wrap himself in. He further +bade his sturdy lads all to lie round the sheriff in a circle under +the greenwood tree, so that he might see them, and know there was no +chance of escape. + +It was a sorry night the sheriff passed, cold and shivering, in his +shirt and breeches, on the hard ground; small wonder that his bones +ached, and that he sighed piteously for his soft warm bed at home. + +"Come, come, sheriff, cheer up!" said Robin; "for this is our order, +you know, under the greenwood tree." + +"This is a harder order than any anchorite or friar!" groaned the +sheriff. "For all the gold in merry England I would not dwell here +long." + +"Thou wilt dwell here with me for the next twelve months," said +Robin. "I shall teach thee, proud sheriff, to be an outlaw." + +"Before I lie here another night, Robin, smite off my head rather, and +I'll forgive it thee," said the sheriff. "Let me go, for pity's sake!" +he begged, "and I will be the best friend that ever thou hadst." + +"Before I let thee go, thou shalt swear me here an oath," said the +outlaw. "Swear on my sword that thou wilt never seek to do me harm by +water or by land. And if thou find any of my men, by night or by day, +thou shalt swear on thy oath to help them all thou canst." + +There was no other way to get back his freedom, so the sheriff was +compelled to take the oath demanded by Robin. Then he was allowed to +depart, and he went back to Nottingham a sad and sorry man, feeling +that he had had more than enough of the greenwood to last him a very +long time. + + + + +HOW ROBIN HOOD WAS PAID HIS LOAN + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +Twelve months had come and gone since Robin Hood lent four hundred +pounds to the poor knight to redeem his land, and now the day had +arrived when he had promised to pay back the money. + +The sheriff had returned to Nottingham, and Robin Hood and his merry +men were left in the greenwood. + +"Let us go to dinner," said Little John. + +"Nay, not yet," said Robin. "Now I fear our friend the knight is +likely to prove false, for he comes not to pay back the money, +according to his word." + +"Have no doubt, master," said Little John, "for the sun has not yet +gone to rest." + +"Take thy bow," said Robin, "and let Much and Will Scarlet go with +you, and walk up into the Sayles, and to Watling Street, and wait +there for some stranger guest, for you may well chance upon one +there. Whether he be messenger or mountebank, rich man or poor man, he +shall share dinner with me." + +Forth then started Little John, half-angry and half-troubled, and +under his green mantle he girded on a good sword. + +The three yeomen went up to the Sayles; they looked east and they +looked west, and not a man could they see. + +But all the time Robin kept thinking of the knight who had promised to +return that day with the borrowed money. + +"I marvel much he does not come," he said. "I fear he does not mean to +keep faith." + +"Have no doubt, master," said Little John. "You have no need, I say." + +Sir Richard Lee, meanwhile, who had tarried to see the wrestling, came +while it was still daylight to fulfil his promise. He went straight to +Barnsdale, and there he found Robin Hood and his band under the +greenwood tree. Directly the knight saw Robin, he dismounted from his +palfrey, and saluted him courteously on one knee. + +"God save thee, good Robin Hood, and all this company." + +"Welcome, welcome, noble knight," said Robin. "I pray thee tell me +what need driveth thee to greenwood? I am right glad to see thee. Why +hast thou been so long in coming?" + +"The abbot and the high justice have been trying to get hold of my +land," said the knight. + +"Hast thou thy land again?" + +"Yea, and for that I thank God and thee. But take not offence that I +have come so late in the day. On my journey hither I passed by some +wrestling, and there I helped a poor yeoman who was being wrongly put +behind by the others." + +"Nay, by my faith, for that I thank thee," said Robin. "The man that +helpeth a good yeoman, his friend will I be." + +"Have here the four hundred pounds you lent me," said the knight, "and +here is also twenty marks for your courtesy." + +"Nay, keep it and use it well yourself," said Robin, "and thou art +right welcome under my trysting-tree. But what are all those bows for, +and those finely feathered arrows?" + +"They are a poor present to thee," said the knight. + +Then Robin Hood bade Little John go to his treasury and fetch four +hundred pounds, and he insisted on the knight's accepting this money +as a gift. + +"Buy thyself a good horse and harness, and gild thy spurs anew," he +said laughingly. "And if thou lack enough to spend come to Robin Hood, +and by my truth thou shalt never lack while I have any goods of my +own. Keep the four hundred pounds I lent thee, and I counsel thee +never leave thyself so bare another time." + +So good Robin Hood relieved the gentle knight of all his care, and +they feasted and made merry under the greenwood tree. + + + + +THE GOLDEN ARROW + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +The knight took his leave and went on his way, and Robin Hood and his +merry men lived on for many a day in Barnsdale. + +Now the Sheriff of Nottingham proclaimed a grand sport to be +held--that all the best archers of the north country should come one +day and shoot at the butts, and that a prize should be given to the +best archer. + +The butts were to be set in a glade in the forest and he who shot the +best of all should receive an arrow, the like of which had never been +seen in England, for the shaft was to be of silver, and the head and +feathers of red gold. + +Now all this was a device of the sheriff's to try to enthral the +outlaws, for he imagined that when such matches took place Robin +Hood's men without any doubt would be the bowmen there. + +Tidings of this came to Robin Hood in the forest, and he said: "Come, +make ready, my lads, we will go and see that sport. Ye shall go with +me, and I will test the sheriff's faith, and see if he be true." + +With that a brave young man, called David of Doncaster, stepped +forward. + +"Master," he said, "be ruled by me, and do not stir from the +greenwood. To tell the truth I am well informed yonder match is a +wile. The sheriff has devised it to entrap us." + +"That sounds like a coward," said Robin; "thy words do not please +me. Come what will of it, I'll try my skill at yonder brave archery." + +Then up spoke brave Little John. + +"Let us go thither, but come, listen to me, and I will tell you how we +can manage it without being known. We will leave behind us our mantles +of Lincoln green, and we will all dress differently so that they will +never notice us. One shall wear white, another red, a third one +yellow, another blue. Thus in disguise we will go to the sport, +whatever may come of it." + +When they had their bows in order and their arrows well feathered +there gathered round Robin seven score of stalwart young men. + +When they came to Nottingham they saw the butts set out fair and long, +and many were the bold archers who came to shoot. The outlaws mixed +with the rest to prevent all suspicion, for they thought it more +discreet not to keep together. + +"Only six of you shall shoot with me," said Robin to his men. "The +rest must stand on guard with bows bent so that I be not betrayed." + +The sheriff looked all round, but amidst eight hundred men he could +not see what he suspected. + +The outlaws shot in turn, and they all did so well that the people +said that if Robin Hood had been there, and all his men to boot, none +of them could have surpassed these men. + +"Ay," quoth the sheriff ruefully, rubbing his head. "I thought he +would have been here; I certainly thought he would, but though he is +bold he doesn't dare to appear." + +His speech vexed Robin Hood to the heart. "Very soon," he thought +angrily, "thou shalt well see that Robin Hood _was_ here." + +Some cried blue jacket, another cried brown, and a third cried brave +yellow, but a fourth man said: "Yonder man in red hath no match in the +place." + +Now that was Robin Hood himself, for he was clothed in red. Three +times he shot, and each time he split the wand. To him, therefore, was +delivered the golden arrow as being the most worthy. He took the gift +courteously, and would have departed back to the greenwood; but the +Sheriff of Nottingham had by this time marked him, and had no mind to +let him go so easily. The alarm was raised; they cried out on Robin +Hood, and great horns were blown to summon help to capture him. + +"Treachery! treason!" cried Robin. "Full evil art thou to know! And +woe to thee, proud sheriff, thus to entertain thy guest! It was +otherwise thou promised me yonder in the forest. But had I thee in the +greenwood again, under my trysting-tree, thou shouldst leave me a +better pledge than thy loyalty and truth." + +Then on all sides bows were bent, and arrows flew like hail; kirtles +were rent, and many a stout knave pricked in the side. The outlaws +shot so strong that no one could drive them back, and the sheriff's +men fled in haste. + +Robin saw the ambush was broken, and would fain have been back in the +greenwood, but many an arrow still rained on his company. Little John +was hurt full sorely, with an arrow in his knee, and could neither +ride nor walk. + +"Master," he cried, "if ever thou loved me, and for the meed of my +service that I have served thee, let never that proud sheriff find me +alive! But take thy sword and smite off my head, and give me deep and +deadly wounds, so that no life be left in me." + +"I would not that, John--I would not thou wert slain for all the gold +in merry England!" cried Robin. + +"God forbid that thou shouldst part our company, Little John," said +Much. + +He took Little John up on his back, and carried him a good mile, and +more. Often he laid him down on the ground, and turned to shoot those +who came after, and then he took him up and carried him on again. So +the outlaws fought their way, step by step, back to the forest. + +A little within the wood there was a fair castle, with a double moat, +and surrounded by stout walls. Here dwelt that noble knight, Sir +Richard Lee, to whom Robin Hood had lent the four hundred pounds to +redeem his land. + +He saw the little company of outlaws fighting their way along, so he +hastened to call them to come and take shelter in his castle. + +"Welcome art thou, Robin Hood! Welcome!" he cried, as he led them +in. "Much I thank thee for thy comfort and courtesy and great kindness +to me in the forest. There is no man in the world I love so much as +thee. For all the proud Sheriff of Nottingham, here thou shalt be +safe!--Shut the gates, and draw the bridge, and let no man come in!" +he shouted to his retainers. "Arm you well; make ready; guard the +walls! One thing, Robin, I promise thee: here shalt thou stay for +twelve days as my guest, to sup, and eat, and dine." + +Swiftly and readily tables were laid and cloths spread, and Robin Hood +and his merry men sat down to a good meal. + + + + +HOW THE SHERIFF TOOK SIR RICHARD PRISONER + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +The Sheriff of Nottingham was wroth when he heard that Robin Hood and +his band of outlaws had taken refuge in the knight's castle. All the +country was up in rout, and they came and besieged the castle. From +his post outside the walls the sheriff loudly proclaimed that the +knight was a traitor, and was shielding the king's enemy against the +laws and right. + +"I am ready to answer for the deeds I have done here by all the lands +I possess, as I am a true knight," was Sir Richard's answer. "Go on +your way, sirs, and leave me alone in peace until ye know our king's +will, what he will say to you." + +The sheriff, having had his answer, curt and to the point, rode forth +at once to London to carry the tale to the king. + +He told him of the knight, and of Robin Hood, and of the band of bold +archers which the latter kept up. + +"The knight boasts of what he has done to aid these outlaws," said the +sheriff. "He would be lord, and set you at nought through all the +north country." + +"I will be at Nottingham within the fortnight," said the king, "and I +will seize Robin Hood, and also that knight. Go home, sheriff, and do +as I bid thee. Get ready enough good archers from all the country +round about." + +So the sheriff took his leave, and went home to Nottingham to do as +the king commanded. + +Robin meanwhile had left the castle, and had gone back to the +greenwood, and Little John, as soon as he was whole from the +arrow-shot in his knee, went and joined him there. It caused great +vexation to the sheriff to know that Robin Hood once more walked free +in the forest, and that he had failed of his prey; but all the more he +was resolved to be revenged on Sir Richard Lee. Night and day he kept +watch for that noble knight; at last, one morning when Sir Richard +went out hawking by the riverside, the sheriff's men-at-arms seized +him, and he was led bound hand and foot to Nottingham. + +When Sir Richard's wife heard that her husband had been taken +prisoner, she lost no time in seeking help. Mounting a good palfrey, +she rode off at once to the greenwood, and there she found Robin Hood +and all his men. + +"God save thee, Robin Hood, and all thy company! For the love of +heaven, grant me a boon! Let not my wedded lord be shamefully +slain. He is taken fast bound to Nottingham, all for the love of +thee!" + +"What man hath taken him?" asked Robin. + +"The proud sheriff," said the lady. "He has not yet passed on his way +three miles." + +Up then started Robin as if he were mad. + +"Arm, lads! Arm and make ready! By heaven, he that fails me now shall +never more be man of mine!" + +Speedily good bows were bent, seven score and more, and away went the +outlaws, full speed over hedge and ditch, in chase of the sheriff's +men, When they came to Nottingham, there in the street they overtook +the sheriff. + +"Stay, thou proud sheriff--stay and speak with me!" said Robin. "I +would fain hear from thee some tidings of our king. By heaven, these +seven years have I never gone so fast on foot, and I swear it bodeth +no good for thee." + +He bent his bow, and sent an arrow with all the might he could; it hit +the sheriff so that he fell to the ground, and lay there stunned, and +before he could rise to his feet Robin drew his sword and smote off +his head. + +"Lie thou there, proud sheriff, traitor and evildoer!" said +Robin. "No man might ever trust to thee whilst thou wert still alive!" + +Now they fought hand to hand. Robin Hood's men drew their shining +swords, and laid on so heavily that they drove down the sheriff's men +one after another. + +Robin Hood ran to Sir Richard Lee, and cut his bonds in two, and, +thrusting a bow into his hand, bid him stand by him. + +"Leave thy horse behind thee, and learn to run on foot," he counselled +him. "Thou shalt go with me to the greenwood through mire and moss and +fen. Thou shalt go with me to the forest, and dwell with me there, +until I have got our pardon from Edward, our king." + + + +HOW THE KING CAME TO SHERWOOD FOREST + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +Tidings of the sheriff's death were sent to King Edward in London, and +he came to Nottingham with a great array of knights to lay hold of Sir +Richard Lee and Robin Hood, if that were possible. He asked +information from men of all the country round, and when he had heard +their tale and understood the case he seized all the lands belonging +to Sir Richard Lee. He went all through Lancashire, searching far and +wide, till he came to Plumpton Park, and everywhere he missed many of +his deer. There he had always been wont to see herds in large numbers, +but now he could scarcely find one deer that bore any good horn. + +The king was furiously wroth at this. + +"By heaven I would that I had Robin Hood here before me to see him +with my own eyes," he exclaimed. "And he that shall smite off the +knight's head and bring it here to me shall have all the lands +belonging to Sir Richard Lee. I will give them him with my charter, +and seal it with my hand for him to have and to hold, for evermore." + +Then up spoke a good old knight who was very faithful and loyal. + +"Ay, my liege lord the king, but I will say one word to you," he +said. "There is no man in this country who will have the knight's +lands as long as Robin can go or ride and carry bow in hand. If any +one try to possess them he will assuredly lose his head. Give them to +no man, my lord, to whom you wish any good." + +The king dwelt for many months in Nottingham, but no man came to claim +the knight's lands, nor could he ever hear of Robin Hood in what part +of the country he might be. But always Robin went freely here and +there, roving wherever he chose over hill and valley, slaying the +king's deer, and disposing of it at his will. + +Then a head forester, who was in close attendance on the king, spoke +up, and said: + +"If you would see good Robin you must do as I tell you. Take five of +the best knights that are in your train, and go down to yonder abbey, +and get you monks' habits. I will be your guide to show you the way, +and before you get back to Nottingham I dare wager my head that you +will meet with Robin if he be still alive. Before you come to +Nottingham you shall see him with your own eyes." + +The king hastened to follow the forester's counsel; he and his five +monks went to the abbey, and speedily disguised themselves in the garb +of monks, and then blithely returned home through the greenwood. +Their habits were grey; the king was a head taller than all the rest, +and he wore a broad hat, just as if he were an abbot, and behind him +followed his baggage-horse, and well-laden sumpters, and in this +fashion they rode back to the town. + +They had gone about a mile through the forest under the linden trees +when they met with Robin Hood standing in the path with many of his +bold archers. + +"Sir abbot, by your leave, ye must bide awhile with us," said Robin, +seizing the king's horse. "We are yeomen of this forest, we live by +the king's deer, and we have no other means. But you have both +churches and rents, and full great plenty of gold; give us some of +your store for charity's sake." + +"I brought no more than forty pounds with me to the greenwood," said +the pretended abbot. "I have been staying at Nottingham for a +fortnight with the king, and I have spent a great deal on many of the +fine lords there. I have only forty pounds left, but if I had a +hundred I would give it thee." + +Robin took the forty pounds, and divided it into two parts; half he +gave to his men, and bade them be merry with it, and the other half he +returned to the king. + +"Sir, have this for your spending," he said courteously. "We shall +meet another day." + +"Thanks," said the king. "But Edward our king greeteth you well; he +sends thee here his seal, and bids thee come to Nottingham to dine and +sup there." + +He took out the broad seal, and let him see it, and Robin at the sight +of it, knowing what was right and courteous, set him on his knee. + +"I love no man in all the world so well as I do my king," he +said. "Welcome is my lord's seal, and welcome art thou, monk, because +of thy tidings. Sir abbot, for love of my king thou shalt dine with +me to-day under my trysting-tree." + +Forth he led the king with all gentle courtesy, and many a deer was +slain and hastily dressed for the feast. Then Robin took a great horn +and blew a loud blast and seven score of stalwart young men came ready +in a row, and knelt on their knee before Robin in sign of salutation. + +"Here is a brave sight," said the king to himself. "In good faith his +men are more at his bidding than mine are at mine." + +Dinner was speedily prepared, and they went to it at once, and both +Robin and Little John served the king with all their might. Good +viands were quickly set before him--fat venison, fish out of the +river, good white bread, good red wine, and fine brown ale. The king +swore he had never feasted better in his life. + +Then Robin took a can of ale, and bade every man drink a health to the +king. The king himself drank to the king, and so the toast went round, +and two barrels of strong old ale were spent in pledging that health. + +"Make good cheer, abbot," said Robin, "and for these same tidings thou +hast brought thou art doubly welcome. Now before thou go hence thou +shalt see what life we lead here in the greenwood, so that thou mayest +inform the king when ye meet together." + +The meal was scarcely over when up started all the outlaws in haste, +and bows were smartly bent. For a moment the king was sorely aghast, +for he thought he would certainly be hurt. But no man intended ill to +him. Two rods were set up, and to them all the yeomen flocked to try +their skill at archery. The king said the marks were too far away by +fifty paces, but he had never seen shooting such as this. On each side +of the rods was a rose garland, and all the yeomen had to shoot within +this circle. Whoever failed of the rose garland had as penalty to lose +his shooting gear, and to hand it to his master, however fine it might +be, and in addition to this he had to stand a good buffet on the +head. All that came in Robin's way he smote therewith right good will. + +When his own turn came Robin shot twice, and each time cleft the wand, +so also did the good yeoman Gilbert. Little John and Will Scarlet did +not come off so well, and when they failed to hit within the garland +they each got a good buffet from Robin. + +But at his last shot, in spite of the way in which his friends had +fared, Robin, too, failed of the garland by three fingers or more. + +"Master, your tackle is lost," said Gilbert. "Stand forth and take +your pay." + +"If it be so there is no help for it," said Robin. "Sir abbot, I +deliver thee mine arrow; I pray thee, sir, serve thou me." + +"It falleth not within my order, by thy leave, Robin, to smite any +good yeoman, for fear lest I grieve him," said the king. + +"Smite on boldly; I give thee full leave," said Robin. + +The king at these words at once folded back his sleeves, and gave +Robin such a buffet that it nearly knocked him to the ground. + +"By heaven, thou art a stalwart friar," cried Robin. "There is pith in +thine arm; I trow thou canst shoot well." + +Then King Edward and Robin Hood looked each other full in the face, +and Robin Hood gazed wistfully at the king. So also did Sir Richard +Lee, and then he knelt down before him on his knee. And all the wild +outlaws, when they saw Sir Richard Lee and Robin Hood kneeling before +the king, also knelt down. + +"My lord the King of England, now I know you well," said Robin. +"Mercy, of thy goodness and thy grace, for my men and me! Yes, before +heaven, I crave mercy, my lord the king, for me and for my men." + +"Yes, I grant thee thy petition," said the king, "if thou wilt leave +the greenwood, thou and all thy company, and come home with me, sir, +to my court, and dwell with me there." + +"I will swear a solemn vow that so it shall be," said Robin. "I will +come to your court to see your service and bring with me seven score +and three of my men. But unless I like well your service, I shall soon +come back to the forest, and shoot again at the dun deer, as I am wont +to do." + + + + +HOW ROBIN HOOD WENT BACK TO THE GREENWOOD + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +"Hast thou any good cloth that thou wilt sell to me now?" said the +king. + +"Yes, three and thirty yards," said Robin. + +"Then I pray thee, Robin, sell me some of it for me and my company." + +"Yes, I will," said Robin. "I should be a fool if I did not, for I +trow another day you will clothe me against Christmas." + +So the king speedily cast off his coat, and donned a garment of green, +and so did all his knights. When they were all clad in Lincoln green +and had thrown aside their monks' grey habits, "Now we will go to +Nottingham," said the king. + +They bent their bows, and away they went, shooting in the same band, +as if they were all outlaws. The king and Robin Hood rode together, +and they shot "pluck-buffet" as they went by the way--that is to say, +whoever missed the mark at which he aimed was to receive a buffet from +the other; many a buffet the king won from Robin Hood, and good Robin +spared nothing of his pay. + +"Faith," said the king, "thy game is not easy to learn; I should not +get a shot at thee though I tried all this year." + +When they drew near Nottingham, all the people stood to behold them. +They saw nothing but mantles of green covering all the field; then +every man began saying to another: "I dread our king is slain; if +Robin Hood comes to the town, he will never leave one of us alive. +"They all hastened to make their escape, both men and lads, yeomen and +peasants; the ploughman left the plough in the fields, the smith left +his shop, and old wives who could scarcely walk hobbled along on their +staves. + +The king laughed loud and long to see the townsfolk scurry off in this +fashion, and he commanded them to come back. He soon let them +understand that he had been in the forest, and that from that day for +evermore he had pardoned Robin Hood. When they found out the tall +outlaw in the Lincoln green was really the king, they were overjoyed; +they danced and sang, and made great feasting and revelry for gladness +at his safe return. + +Then King Edward called Sir Richard Lee, and there he gave him his +lands again, and bade him be a good man. Sir Richard thanked the king, +and paid homage to him as the true and loyal knight he had always +been. + +So Robin Hood went back to London with the king, and dwelt at court. +But before many months had gone he found all his money had melted +away, and that he had nothing left. He had spent over a hundred pounds +and now had not enough to pay the fees of his followers. For +everywhere he went he had always been laying down money both for +knights and squires, in order to win renown. When he could no longer +afford to pay their fee, all the new retainers left him, and by the +end of the year he had none but two still with him, and those were his +own faithful old comrades, Little John and Will Scarlet. + +It happened one day some young men of the court went out to shoot, and +as Robin Hood stood with a sad heart to watch them, a sudden great +longing for his old life in the greenwood came over him. + +"Alas!" he sighed, "my wealth has gone! Once on a time I too was a +famous archer, sure of eye and strong of hand; I was accounted the +best archer in merry England. Oh, to be back once more in the heart of +the greenwood, where the merry does are skipping, and the wind blows +through the leaves of the linden, and little birds sit singing on +every bough! If I stay longer with the king, I shall die of sorrow!" + +So Robin Hood went and begged a boon of the king. + +"My lord the King of England, grant me what I ask! I built a little +chapel in Barnsdale, which is full seemly to see, and I would fain be +there once again. For seven nights past I have neither slept nor +closed my eyes, nor for all these seven days have I eaten or drunk. I +have a sore longing after Barnsdale; I cannot stay away. Barefoot and +doing penance will I go thither." + +"If it be so, there is nothing better to be done," said the +king. "Seven nights--no longer--I give thee leave to dwell away from +me." + +Thanking the king, Robin Hood saluted him and took his leave full +courteously, and away he went to the greenwood. + +It was a fair morning when he came to the forest. The sun shone, the +soft green turf was strewn with flowers that twinkled like stars, and +all the air rang with the song of birds. The cloud of care and sorrow +rolled away from Robin's spirit, and his heart danced as light as a +leaf on the tree. + +"It is long since I was here last," he said, as he looked around +him. "I think I should like to shoot once more at the deer." + +He fitted an arrow to his bow, and away it sped to its mark, and down +dropped a fine fat hart. Then Robin blew his horn. And as the blast +rang out, shrill and sweet and piercing, all the outlaws of the forest +knew that Robin Hood had come again. Through the woodland they +gathered together, and fast they came trooping, till in a little space +of time seven score stalwart lads stood ready in order before Robin. +They took off their caps, and fell on their knee in salutation. + +"Welcome, our master! Welcome, welcome back to the greenwood!" they +shouted. + + + + +ROBIN HOOD AND THE BUTCHER + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +It happened one day when Robin Hood was in the forest that he saw a +jolly butcher with a fine mare, who was going to market to sell his +meat. + +"Good morrow, good fellow, what food have you there?" said Robin. +"Tell me what is your trade, and where you live, for I like the look +of you." + +"No matter where I live," answered the man. "I am a butcher, and I am +going to Nottingham to sell my flesh." + +"What's the price of your flesh?" said Robin. "And tell me, too, the +price of your mare, however dear she may be, for I would fain be a +butcher." + +"Oh, I'll soon tell you the price of my flesh," replied the butcher. +"For that, with my bonny mare, and they are not at all dear, you must +give me four marks." + +Robin Hood agreed at once to the bargain. + +"I will give you four marks. Here is the money; come, count it, and +hand me over the goods at once, for I want to be a butcher." + +So the man took the money, and Robin took the mare and the cart of +meat, and went on to Nottingham to begin his new trade. He had a plan +in his mind, and in order to carry it out he went to the sheriff's +house, which was an inn, and took up his lodging there. + +When the butchers opened their shops Robin boldly opened his, but he +did not in the least know how to sell, for he had never done anything +of the kind before. In spite of this, however, or rather because of +it, while all the other butchers could sell no meat Robin had plenty +of customers, and money came in quickly. The reason of this was that +Robin gave more meat for one penny than others could do for +three. Robin therefore sold off his meat very fast, but none of the +butchers near could thrive. + +This made them notice the stranger who was taking away all their +custom, and they began to wonder who he was, and where he came from. +"This must be surely some prodigal, who has sold his father's land, +and is squandering away his money," they said to each other. They went +up to Robin to get acquainted with him. "Come, brother, we are all of +one trade," said one of them; "will you go dine with us?" + +"By all means," answered Robin, "I will go with you as fast as I can, +my brave comrades." So off they hastened to the sheriff's house, where +dinner was served at once, and Robin was chosen to sit at the head of +the table and say grace. + +"Come, fill us more wine; let us be merry while we are here," he +cried. "I'll pay the reckoning for the wine and good cheer however +dear it may be. Come, brothers, be merry. I'll pay the score, I vow, +before I go, if it costs me five pounds or more." + +"This is a mad blade," said the butchers, but they laughed and made +haste to eat and drink well at Robin's expense. + +Now the sheriff, who was of a very shrewd and grasping nature, had not +failed to remark this handsome young butcher lad who was so very +lavish of his money, and who sold his meat in the market so much +cheaper than any one else. If there were good bargains to be made he +determined to make his own profit out of them. "He is some prodigal," +he said to himself, "who has sold land, and now means to spend all the +money he has got for it." If Robin were able to sell his meat so cheap +it occurred to the sheriff that probably he possessed a great deal of +cattle, and would most likely be ready to part with them for a very +low price. "Hark'ee, good fellow, have you any horned beasts you can +sell me?" he asked in a lordly way. + +"Yes, that I have, good master sheriff, two or three hundred," +answered Robin. "And I have a hundred acres of good free land, if it +would please you to see it. I'll hand it over to you as securely as +ever my father did to me." + +The sheriff, quite pleased to think of the fine bargain he was likely +to make, saddled his palfrey, and taking three hundred pounds in gold +in his portmanteau, went off with Robin Hood to see his horned beasts. +Away they rode till they came to the forest of Sherwood, and then the +sheriff began to look about him in some alarm. + +"God preserve us this day from a man they call Robin Hood," he said +earnestly. + +When they had gone a little further Robin Hood chanced to spy a +hundred head of good fat deer, who came tripping quite close. + +"How like you my horned beasts, good master sheriff? They are fat and +fair to see, are they not?" + +"I tell you, good fellow, I would I were gone, for I like not your +company," said the sheriff, now very ill at ease. + +Robin set his horn to his mouth, and blew three blasts, and +immediately Little John and all his company came flocking up. + +"What is your will, master?" asked Little John. + +"I have brought hither the Sheriff of Nottingham to dine with thee +to-day." + +"He is welcome," said Little John; "I hope he will pay honestly. I +know he has gold enough, if it is properly reckoned, to serve us with +wine for a whole day." + +Robin took off his mantle and laid it on the ground and from the +sheriff's portmanteau he counted out three hundred pounds in gold. +Then he led him through the forest, set him on his dapple-grey +palfrey, and sent him back to his own home. + + + + +THE JOLLY TANNER + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +About this time there was living in Nottingham a jolly tanner whose +name was Arthur-a-Bland. Never a squire in Nottingham could beat +Arthur, or bid him stand if he chose to go on. With a long pike-staff +on his shoulder he could clear his way so well he made every one fly +before him. + +One summer's morning Arthur-a-Bland went forth into Sherwood Forest to +see the deer, and there he met Robin Hood. As soon as Robin saw him he +thought he would have some sport, so he called to him to stand. + +"Why, who art thou, fellow, who rangest here so boldly?" he said. "In +sooth, to be brief, thou lookst like a thief who comes to steal the +king's venison. I am a keeper in the forest; the king puts me in trust +to look after the deer. Therefore I must bid thee stand." + +"If you be a keeper in this forest, and have so great authority," +answered the tanner, "yet you must have plenty of helpers in store +before you can make me stop." + +"I have no helpers in store, nor do I need any. But I have good +weapons which I know will do the deed." + +"I don't care a straw for your sword or your bow, nor all your arrows +to boot," said Arthur-a-Bland. "If you get a knock on your pate, your +weapons will be no good." + +"Speak civilly, good fellow," said Robin, "or else I will correct thee +for thy rudeness, and make thee more mannerly." + +"Marry, see how you'll look with a knock on your head!" quoth the +tanner. "Are you such a goodly man? I care not a rush for your looking +so big. Look out for yourself, if you can." + +Then Robin Hood unbuckled his belt, and laid down his bow, and took up +a staff of oak, very stiff and strong. + +"I yield to your weapons, since you will not yield to mine," said +Robin. "I, too, have a staff, not half a foot longer than yours. But +let me measure before we begin, for I would not have mine to be longer +than yours, for that would be counted foul play." + +"The length of your staff is nothing to me," said the tanner. "Mine is +of good stout oak; it is eight feet and a half long, and it will knock +down a calf--and I hope it will knock down you." + +At these rude and mocking words, Robin could not longer forbear, but +gave the tanner such a crack on the head that the blood began to flow. +Arthur quickly recovered, and gave Robin in return such a knock that +in a few minutes blood ran trickling down the side of his face. As +soon as he felt himself so badly hurt, Robin raged like a wild boar, +while Arthur-a-Bland laid on so fast it was almost as if he were +cleaving wood. Round about they went, like wild boars at bay, striving +to maim each other in leg or arm or any place. Knock for knock they +dealt lustily, so that the wood rang at every blow, and this they kept +up for two hours or more. + +But at last Robin was forced to own that he had met his match, and he +called to the sturdy stranger to stay. + +"Hold thy hand, hold thy hand, and let our quarrel drop!" he cried. +"For we may thrash our bones all to smash here, and get no good out of +it. Hold thy hand, and hereafter thou shalt be free in the merry +forest of Sherwood." + +"Thank you for nothing!" retorted Arthur. "I have bought my own +freedom. I may thank my good staff for this, and not you." + +"What tradesman are you, good fellow, and where do you dwell?" + +"I am a tanner, and in Nottingham I have worked for many years. If you +will come there, I vow and protest I will tan your hide for nothing." + +"Heaven have mercy, good fellow, since you are so kind and obliging," +said Robin. "If you will tan my hide for nothing, I'll do as much for +you. But come, if you will forsake your tanner's trade, to live here +with me in the greenwood, my name is Robin Hood, and I swear +faithfully to give you good gold and wages." + +"If you are Robin Hood, as I think very well you are, then here's my +hand," said the tanner. "My name is Arthur-a-Bland. We two will never +part. But tell me, where is Little John? I would fain hear of him, +for we are allied, through our mother's family, and he is my dear +kinsman." + +Then Robin blew a loud, shrill blast on his bugle, and instantly +Little John came quickly tripping over the hill. + +"Oh, what is the matter? Master, I pray you tell me!" cried Little +John. "Why do you stand there with your staff in your hand? I fear all +is not well." + +"Yes, man, I do stand here, and this tanner beside me has made me +stand," said Robin. "He is a fine fellow, and master of his trade, for +he has soundly tanned my hide." + +"He is to be commended if he can do such a feat," said Little +John. "If he is so sturdy, we will have a bout together, and he shall +tan my hide too." + +"Hold your hand," said Robin; "for, as I understand he is a good +yeoman of your own blood; his name is Arthur-a-Bland." + +Then Little John flung away his staff as far as he could, and running +up to Arthur-a-Bland, threw his arms around his neck. Both were ready +and eager to be friends, and made no attempt to hide their delight at +the meeting, but wept for joy. Then Robin Hood took a hand of each, +and they danced all round the oak-tree, singing: + + "For three merry men, and three merry men, + And three merry men we be! + + "And ever hereafter, as long as we live, + We three will be as one; + The wood it shall ring, and the old wife sing, + Of Robin Hood, Arthur, and John." + + + + +HOW ROBIN HOOD DREW HIS BOW FOR THE LAST TIME + +Retold by Mary Macleod + + +But there came a day at last when Robin Hood had to bid farewell to +the greenwood where he and his merry men had spent so many happy +years. Word was sent to the king that the outlaws waxed more and more +insolent to his nobles and all those in authority, and that unless +their pride was quelled the land would be overrun. + +A council of state was therefore called, to consider what was best to +be done. Having consulted a whole summer's day, at length it was +agreed that some one should be sent to seize Robin Hood and bring him +before the king. + +A trusty and most worthy knight, called Sir William, was chosen for +this task. + +"Go you hence to that insolent outlaw, Robin Hood," said the king, +"and bid him surrender himself without more ado, or he and all his +crew shall suffer. Take a hundred valiant bowmen, all chosen men of +might, skilled in their art, and clad in glittering armour." + +"My sovereign liege, it shall be done," said the knight. "I'll venture +my blood against Robin Hood, and bring him alive or dead." + +A hundred men were straightway chosen, as proper men as were ever +seen, and on midsummer day they marched forth to conquer the bold +outlaw. + +With long yew-bows and shining spears they marched in pomp and pride, +and they never halted nor delayed till they came to the forest. + +"Tarry here, and make ready your bows, that in case of need you may +follow me," said the knight to his archers. "And look you observe my +call. I will go first, in person, with the letters of our good king, +duly signed and sealed, and if Robin Hood will surrender we need not +draw a string." + +The knight wandered about the forest, till at length he came to the +tent of Robin Hood. He greeted the outlaw, and showed him the king's +letter, whereupon Robin sprang to his feet and stood on guard. + +"They would have me surrender, then, and lie at their mercy?" quoth +Robin. "Tell them from me that shall never be while I have seven score +of good men." + +Sir William, who was a bold and hardy knight, made an attempt to seize +Robin then and there, but Robin was too quick to be caught, and bade +him forbear such tricks. Then he set his horn to his mouth, and blew a +blast or two; the knight did the same. + +Instantly from all sides archers came running, some for Robin Hood, +some for the knight. + +Sir William drew up his men with care, and placed them in battle +array. Robin Hood was no whit behind with his yeomen. The fray was +stern and bloody. The archers on both sides bent their bows, and +arrows flew in clouds. In the very first flight the gallant knight, +Sir William, was slain; but nevertheless the fight went on with fury, +and lasted from morning until almost noon. They fought till both +parties were spent, and only ceased when neither side had strength to +go on. Those of the king's archers that still remained went back to +London with right good will, and Robin Hood's men retreated to the +depths of the greenwood. + +But Robin Hood's last fight was fought, and of all the arrows that +ever he shot, there was but one yet to fly. As he left the field of +battle he was taken ill, and he felt his strength fail, and the fever +rise in his veins. + +His life was ebbing fast away, and now he was too weak to go on. + +Then he remembered his little bugle-horn, which still hung at his +side, and setting it to his mouth, he blew once, twice, and again--a +low, weak blast. + +Away in the greenwood, as he sat under a tree, Little John heard the +well-known call, but so faint and feeble was the sound it struck like +ice to his heart. + +"I fear my master is near dead, he blows so wearily!" + +Never after hart or hind ran Little John as he ran that day to answer +his master's dying call. He raced like the wind till he came to where +Robin was, and fell on his knee before him. + +"Give me my bent bow in my hand," said Robin Hood, "and I will let fly +a broad arrow, and where this arrow is taken up, there shall you dig +my grave. + + "Lay me a green sod under my head, + And another at my feet; + And lay my bent bow at my side, + Which was my music sweet; + And make my grave of gravel and green, + Which is most right and meet." + +So Robin Hood drew his bow for the last time, and there where the +arrow fell, under a clump of the greenwood trees, they dug the grave +as he had said, and buried him. + + + + +DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA + + +This masterpiece of humor was first published in 1605, and is, of +course, a work of fiction. It is unsurpassed as a picture of Spanish +life. + +Millions have laughed over the adventures of that upright, +unconquered, unafraid Don Quixote, the wisest of madmen. + +Cervantes set out to make fun of the romances of chivalry, which had +become ridiculous because of their extravagance, but while writing the +book he fell in love with Don Quixote for wanting to be a chivalrous +knight, and with Sancho Panza for wanting to be a loyal squire, and it +is this love for them that he makes us see on every page. + +The condensed version of the stories, by Judge Parry, well preserves +the flavor of the best translation, Thomas Shelton's. + + + + +AN INTRODUCTION TO THAT SPANISH GENTLEMAN + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Once upon a time there lived in a certain village in a province of +Spain called the Mancha, a gentleman named Quixada or Queseda, whose +house was full of old lances, halberds, and other weapons. He was, +besides, the owner of an ancient target or shield, a raw-boned steed, +and a swift greyhound. His food consisted daily of common meats, some +lentils on Fridays, and perhaps a roast pigeon for Sunday's +dinner. His dress was a black suit with velvet breeches, and slippers +of the same colour, which he kept for holidays, and a suit of homespun +which he wore on week-days. + +On the purchase of these few things he spent the small rents that came +to him every year. He had in his house a woman-servant about forty +years old, a niece not yet twenty, and a lad that served him both in +field and at home, and could saddle his horse or manage a +pruning-hook. + +The master himself was about fifty years old, a strong, hard-featured +man with a withered face. He was an early riser, and had once been +very fond of hunting. But now for a great portion of the year he +applied himself wholly to reading the old books of knighthood, and +this with such keen delight that he forgot all about the pleasures of +the chase, and neglected all household matters. His mania and folly +grew to such a pitch that he sold many acres of his lands to buy books +of the exploits and adventures of the knights of old. These he took +for true and correct histories, and when his friends the curate of the +village, or Mr. Nicholas the worthy barber of the town, came to see +him, he would dispute with them as to which of the knights of romance +had done the greatest deeds. + +So eagerly did he plunge into the reading of these books that he many +times spent whole days and nights poring over them; and in the end, +through little sleep and much reading, his brain became tired, and he +fairly lost his wits. His fancy was filled with those things that he +read, of enchantments, quarrels, battles, challenges, wounds, wooings, +loves, tempests, and other impossible follies, and those romantic +tales so firmly took hold of him that he believed no history to be so +truthful and sincere as they were. + +Finally he was seized with one of the strangest whims that ever madman +stumbled on in this world, for it seemed to him right and necessary +that he himself should become a knight-errant, and ride through the +world to seek adventures and practise in person all that he had read +about the knights of old. Therefore he resolved that he would make a +name for himself by revenging the injuries of others, and courting all +manner of dangers and difficulties, until in the end he should be +rewarded for his valour in arms by the crown of some mighty +empire. And first of all he caused certain old rusty arms that +belonged to his great-grandfather, and had lain for many years +neglected and forgotten in a corner of his house, to be brought out +and well scoured. He fixed them up as well as he could, and then saw +that they had something wanting, for instead of a proper helmet they +had only a morion or headpiece, like a steel bonnet without any +visor. This his industry supplied, for he made a visor for his helmet +by patching and pasting certain papers together, and this pasteboard +fitted to the morion gave it all the appearance of a real helmet. +Then, to make sure that it was strong enough, he out with his sword +and gave it a blow or two, and with the very first blow he spoiled +that which had cost him a week to make. To make things better he +placed certain iron bars within it, and feeling sure it was now sound +and strong, he did not put it to a second trial. + +He next examined his horse, who though he had nothing on him but skin +and bone, yet he seemed to him a better steed than Bucephalus, the +noble animal that carried Alexander the Great when he went to +battle. He spent four days inventing a name for his horse, saying to +himself that it was not fit that so famous a knight's horse, and so +good a beast, should want a known name. Therefore he tried to find a +name that should both give people some notion of what he had been +before he was the steed of a knight-errant, and also what he now was; +for, seeing that his lord and master was going to change his calling, +it was only right that his horse should have a new name, famous and +high-sounding, and worthy of his new position in life. And after +having chosen, made up, put aside, and thrown over any number of names +as not coming up to his idea, he finally hit upon Rozinante, a name in +his opinion sublime and well-sounding, expressing in a word what he +had been when he was a simple carriage horse, arid what was expected +of him in his new dignity. + +The name being thus given to his horse, he made up his mind to give +himself a name also, and in that thought laboured another eight +days. Finally he determined to call himself Don Quixote, and +remembering that the great knights of olden time were not satisfied +with a mere dry name, but added to it the name of their kingdom or +country, so he like a good knight added to his own that of his +province, and called himself Don Quixote of the Mancha, whereby he +declared his birthplace and did honour to his country by taking it for +his surname. + +His armour being scoured, his morion transformed into a helmet, his +horse named, and himself furnished with a new name, he considered that +now he wanted nothing but a lady on whom he might bestow his service +and affection. "For," he said to himself, remembering what he had read +in the books of knightly adventures, "if I should by good hap +encounter with some giant, as knights-errant ordinarily do, and if I +should overthrow him with one blow to the ground, or cut him with a +stroke in two halves, or finally overcome and make him yield to me, it +would be only right and proper that I should have some lady to whom I +might present him. Then would he, entering my sweet lady's presence, +say unto her with a humble and submissive voice: 'Madam, I am the +Giant Caraculiambro, lord of the island called Malindrania, whom the +never-too-much-praised knight Don Quixote of the Mancha hath overcome +in single combat. He hath commanded me to present myself to your +greatness, that it may please your highness to dispose of me according +to your liking." + +You may believe that the heart of the knight danced for joy when he +made that grand speech, and he was even more pleased when he had found +out one whom he might call his lady. For, they say, there lived in the +next village to his own a hale, buxom country girl with whom he was +sometime in love, though for the matter of that she had never known of +it or taken any notice of him whatever. She was called Aldonca +Lorenso, and her he thought fittest to honour as the Lady of his +Fancy. Then he began to search about in his mind for a name that +should not vary too much from her own, but should at the same time +show people that she was a princess or lady of quality. Thus it was +that he called her Dulcinea of Toboso, a name sufficiently strange, +romantic, and musical for the lady of so brave a knight. And now, +having taken to himself both armour, horse, and lady fair, he was +ready to go forth and seek adventures. + + + + +HE SETS FORTH ON HIS ADVENTURES + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +All his preparations being made, he could no longer resist the desire +of carrying out his plans, his head being full of the wrongs he +intended to put right, and the evil deeds he felt called upon to +punish. Without telling any living creature, and unseen of anybody, +somewhat before daybreak--it being one of the warmest days in July--he +armed himself from head to foot, mounted on Rozinante, laced on his +strange helmet, gathered up his target, seized his lance, and through +the back door of his yard sallied forth into the fields, marvellously +cheerful and content to see how easily he had started on his new +career. But scarcely was he clear of the village when he was struck by +a terrible thought, and one which did well-nigh overthrow all his +plans. For he recollected that he had never been knighted, and +therefore, according to the laws of knighthood, neither could he nor +ought he to combat with any knight. And even if he were a knight, he +remembered to have read that as a new knight he ought to wear white +armour without any device upon his shield until he should win it by +force of arms. + +He journeyed all that day, and at night both he and his horse were +tired and hungry, and looking about him on every side to see whether +he could discover any castle to which he might retire for the night, +he saw an inn near the highway, which was as welcome a sight to him as +if he had seen a guiding star. Spurring his horse he rode towards it +and arrived there about nightfall. + +There stood by chance at the inn door two jolly peasant women who were +travelling towards Seville with some carriers, who happened to take up +their lodging in that inn the same evening. And as our knight-errant +believed all that he saw or heard to take place in the same manner as +he had read in his books, he no sooner saw the inn than he fancied it +to be a castle with four turrets and pinnacles of shining silver, with +a drawbridge, a deep moat, and all such things as belong to grand +castles. Drawing slowly towards it, he checked Rozinante with the +bridle when he was close to the inn, and rested awhile to see if any +dwarf would mount on the battlements to give warning with the sound of +a trumpet how some knight did approach the castle; but seeing they +stayed so long, and Rozinante was eager to get to his stable, he went +to the inn door, and there beheld the two women, whom he supposed to +be two beautiful damsels or lovely ladies. At that moment it happened +that a certain swineherd, as he gathered together his hogs, blew the +horn which was used to call them together, and at once Don Quixote +imagined it was some dwarf who gave notice of his arrival; and he rode +up to the inn door with marvellous delight. The ladies, when they +beheld one armed in that manner with lance and target, made haste to +run into the inn; but Don Quixote, seeing their fear by their flight, +lifted up his pasteboard visor, showed his withered and dusky face, +and spoke to them thus: "Let not your ladyships fly nor fear any harm, +for it does not belong to the order of knighthood which I profess to +wrong anybody, much less such high-born damsels as your appearance +shows you to be." + +The women looked at him very earnestly, and sought with their eyes for +his face, which the ill-fashioned helmet concealed; but when they +heard themselves called high-born damsels, they could not contain +their laughter, which was so loud that Don Quixote was quite ashamed +of them and rebuked them, saying: "Modesty is a comedy ornament of the +beautiful, and too much laughter springing from trifles is great +folly; but I do not tell you this to make you the more ashamed, for my +desire is none other than to do you all the honour and service I may." + +This speech merely increased their laughter, and with it his anger, +which would have passed all bounds if the innkeeper had not come out +at this instant. Now this innkeeper was a man of exceeding fatness, +and therefore, as some think, of a very peaceable disposition; and +when he saw that strange figure, armed in such fantastic armour, he +was very nearly keeping the two women company in their merriment and +laughter. But being afraid of the owner of such a lance and target, he +resolved to behave civilly for fear of what might happen, and thus +addressed him: "Sir knight! if your worship do seek for lodging, we +have no bed at liberty, but you shall find all other things in +abundance." + +To which Don Quixote, noting the humility of the constable of the +castle--for such he took him to be--replied: "Anything, sir constable, +may serve me, for my arms are my dress, and the battlefield is my +bed." + +While he was speaking, the innkeeper laid hand on Don Quixote's +stirrup and helped him to alight. This he did with great difficulty +and pain, for he had not eaten a crumb all that day. He then bade the +innkeeper have special care of his horse, saying he was one of the +best animals that ever ate bread. + +The innkeeper looked at Rozinante again and again, but he did not seem +to him half so good as Don Quixote valued him. However, he led him +civilly to the stable, and returned to find his guest in the hands of +the high-born damsels, who were helping him off with his armour. They +had taken off his back and breast plates, but they could in no way get +his head and neck out of the strange, ill-fashioned helmet which he +had fastened on with green ribands. + +Now these knots were so impossible to untie that the women would have +cut them, but this Don Quixote would not agree to. Therefore he +remained all the night with his helmet on, and looked the drollest and +strangest figure you could imagine. And he was now so pleased with +the women, whom he still took to be ladies and dames of the castle, +that he said to them: "Never was knight so well attended on and served +by ladies as was Don Quixote. When he departed from his village, +damsels attended on him and princesses on his horse. O ladies! +Rozinante is the name of my steed, and I am called Don Quixote, and +the time shall come when your ladyships may command me and I obey, and +then the valour of mine arm shall discover the desire I have to do you +service." + +The women could make nothing of his talk, but asked him if he would +eat, and Don Quixote replying that such was his desire, there was +straightway laid a table at the inn door. The host brought out a +portion of badly boiled haddocks, and a black, greasy loaf, which was +all the inn could supply. But the manner of Don Quixote's eating was +the best sport in the world, for with his helmet on he could put +nothing into his mouth himself if others did not help him to find his +way, and therefore one of the women served his turn at that, and +helped to feed him. But they could not give him drink after that +manner, and he would have remained dry for ever if the innkeeper had +not bored a cane, and putting one end in his mouth, poured the wine +down the other. And all this he suffered rather than cut the ribands +of his helmet. + +And as he sat at supper the swineherd again sounded his horn, and Don +Quixote was still firm in the belief that he was in some famous +castle, where he was served with music, and that the stale haddock was +fresh trout, the bread of the finest flour, the two women high-born +damsels, and the innkeeper the constable of the castle. Thus he +thought his career of knight-errant was well begun, but he was still +greatly troubled by the thought that he was not yet dubbed knight, and +could not therefore rightly follow his adventures until he received +the honour of knighthood. + + + + +THE KNIGHTING OF DON QUIXOTE + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +When he had finished his sorry supper, he took his host with him to +the stable, and shutting the door threw himself down upon his knees +before him, saying: "I will never rise from this place where I am. sir +constable, until your courtesy shall grant unto me a boon that I mean +to demand of you, something which will add to your renown and to the +profit of all the human race." + +The innkeeper, seeing his guest at his feet, and hearing him speak +these words, stood confounded at the sight, not knowing what he would +say or do next, and tried to make him arise. But all was in vain until +he had promised him that he would grant him any gift that he sought at +his hands. + +"Signor," said Don Quixote, rising from his knees, "I did never expect +less from your great magnificence, and now I will tell you that the +boon which I demanded of you, and which you have so generously +granted, is that to-morrow in the morning you will dub me knight. This +night I will watch mine armour in the chapel of your castle, and in +the morning, as I have said, the rest of my desires shall be +fulfilled, that I may set out in a proper manner throughout the four +parts of the world to seek adventures to the benefit of the poor and: +needy, as is the duty of knighthood and of knights-errant." + +The innkeeper, who was a bit of a jester, and had before thought that +the wits of his guest were none of the best, was sure that his +suspicions were true when he heard him speak in this manner. And in +order to enjoy a joke at his expense, he resolved to fall in with his +humour, and told him that there was great reason in what he desired, +which was only natural and proper in a knight of such worth as he +seemed to be. He added further that there was no chapel in his castle +where he might watch his arms, for he had broken it down to build it +up anew. But, nevertheless, he knew well that in a case of necessity +they might be watched in any other place, and therefore he might watch +them that night in the lower court of the castle, where in the morning +he, the innkeeper, would perform all the proper ceremonies, so that he +should be made not only a dubbed knight, but such a one as should not +have an equal in the whole universe. + +The innkeeper now gave orders that Don Quixote should watch his armour +in a great yard near one side of the inn, so he gathered together all +his arms, laid them on a cistern near a well, and buckling on his +target he laid hold of his lance and walked up and down before the +cistern very demurely, until night came down upon the scene. + +In the meantime the roguish innkeeper told all the rest that lodged in +the inn of the folly of his guest, the watching of his arms, and the +knighthood which he expected to receive. They all wondered very much +at so strange a kind of folly, and going out to behold him from a +distance, they saw that sometimes he marched to and fro with a quiet +gesture, other times leaning upon his lance he looked upon his armour +for a good space of time without beholding any other thing save his +arms. + +Although it was now night, yet was the moon so clear that everything +which the knight did was easily seen by all beholders. And now one of +the carriers that lodged in the inn resolved to give his mules some +water, and for that purpose it was necessary to move Don Quixote's +armour that lay on the cistern. + +Seeing the carrier approach, Don Quixote called to him in a loud +voice: "O thou, whosoever thou art, bold knight, who dares to touch +the armour of the bravest adventurer that ever girded sword, look well +what thou doest, and touch them not if thou meanest not to leave thy +life in payment for thy meddling!" + +The carrier took no notice of these words, though it were better for +him if he had, but laying hold of the armour threw it piece by piece +into the middle of the yard. + +When Don Quixote saw this, he lifted up his eyes towards heaven, and +addressing his thoughts, as it seemed, to his Lady Dulcinea, he said: +"Assist me, dear lady, in this insult offered to thy vassal, and let +not thy favour and protection fail me in this my first adventure!" + +Uttering these and other such words, he let slip his target or shield, +and lifting up his lance with both hands he gave the carrier so round +a knock on his head that it threw him to the ground, and if he had +caught him a second he would not have needed any surgeon to cure +him. This done, he gathered up his armour again, and laying the pieces +where they had been before, he began walking up and down near them +with as much quietness as he did at first. + +Soon afterwards another carrier, without knowing what had happened +(for his companion still lay on the ground), came also to give his +mules water, and started to take away the armour to get at the +cistern, Don Quixote let slip again his target, and lifting his lance +brought it down on the carrier's head, which he broke in several +places. + +All the people in the inn, and amongst them the innkeeper, came +running out when they heard the noise, and Don Quixote seeing them +seized his target, and, drawing his sword, cried aloud: "O lady of all +beauty, now, if ever, is the time for thee to turn the eyes of thy +greatness on thy captive knight who is on the eve of so marvellous +great an adventure." + +Saying this seemed to fill him with so great a courage, that if he had +been assaulted by all the carriers in the universe he would not have +retreated one step. + +The companions of the wounded men, seeing their fellows in so evil a +plight, began to rain stones on Don Quixote from a distance, who +defended himself as well as he might with his target, and durst not +leave the cistern lest he should appear to abandon his arms. + +The innkeeper cried to them to let him alone, for he had already told +them that he was mad. But Don Quixote cried out louder than the +innkeeper, calling them all disloyal men and traitors, and that the +lord of the castle was a treacherous and bad knight to allow them to +use a knight-errant so basely; and if he had only received the order +of knighthood he would have punished him soundly for his treason. Then +calling to the carriers he said: "As for you, base and rascally +ruffians, you are beneath my notice. Throw at me, approach, draw near +and do me all the hurt you may, for you shall ere long receive the +reward of your insolence." + +These words, which he spoke with great spirit and boldness, struck a +terrible fear into all those who assaulted him, and, partly moved by +his threats and partly persuaded by the innkeeper, they left off +throwing stones at him, and he allowed them to carry away the wounded +men, while he returned to his watch with great quietness and gravity. + +The innkeeper did not very much like Don Quixote's pranks, and +therefore determined to shorten the ceremony and give him the order of +knighthood at once before any one else was injured. Approaching him, +therefore, he made apologies for the insolence of the base fellows who +had thrown stones at him, and explained that it was not with his +consent, and that he thought them well punished for their +impudence. He added that it was not necessary for Don Quixote to watch +his armour any more, because the chief point of being knighted was to +receive the stroke of the sword on the neck and shoulder, and that +ceremony he was ready to perform at once. + +All this Don Quixote readily believed, and answered that he was most +eager to obey him, and requested him to finish everything as speedily +as possible. For, he said, as soon as he was knighted, if he was +assaulted again, he intended not to leave one person alive in all the +castle, except those which the constable should command, whom he would +spare for his sake. + +The innkeeper, alarmed at what he said, and fearing lest he should +carry out his threat, set about the ceremony without delay. He brought +out his day-book, in which he wrote down the accounts of the hay and +straw which he sold to carriers who came to the inn, and attended by a +small boy holding the end of a candle and walking before him, and +followed by the two women who were staying at the inn, he approached +Don Quixote, He solemnly commanded him to kneel upon his knees, while +he mumbled something which he pretended to read out of the book that +he held in his hand. Then he gave him a good blow on the neck, and +after that another sound thwack over the shoulders with his own sword, +always as he did so continuing to mumble and murmur as though he were +reading something out of his book. This being done, he commanded one +of the damsels to gird on his sword, which she did with much grace and +cleverness. And it was with difficulty that they all kept from +laughing during this absurd ceremony, but what they had already seen +of Don Quixote's fury made them careful not to annoy him even by a +smile. + +When she had girded on his sword, the damsel said: "May you be a +fortunate knight, and meet with good success in all your adventures." + +Don Quixote asked her how she was called, that he might know to whom +he was obliged for the favours he had received. She answered with +great humility that she was named Tolosa, and was a butcher's daughter +of Toledo. Don Quixote replied requesting her to call herself from +henceforth the Lady Tolosa, which she promised to perform. The other +damsel buckled on his spurs, and when Don Quixote asked her name she +told him it was Molinera, and that she was daughter of an honest +miller of Antequera. Don Quixote entreated her also to call herself +Lady Molinera, and offered her new services and favours. + +These strange and never-before-seen ceremonies being ended, Don +Quixote could not rest until he was mounted on horseback that he might +go to seek adventures. He therefore caused Rozinante to be instantly +saddled, leaped on his back, and embracing the innkeeper, thanked him +in a thousand wild and ridiculous ways for the great favour he had +done him in dubbing him knight. The innkeeper, who was only eager to +be rid of him without delay, answered him in the same fashion, and let +him march off without demanding from him a single farthing for his +food or lodging. + + + + +THE GREADFUL ADVENTURE OF THE WINDMILLS + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Don Quixote persuaded a certain labourer, his neighbour, an honest +man, but one of very shallow wit, to go away with him and serve him as +squire. In the end he gave him so many fair words and promises that +the poor fellow determined to go with him. Don Quixote, among other +things, told him that he ought to be very pleased to depart with him, +for at some time or other an adventure might befall which should in +the twinkling of an eye win him an island and leave him governor +thereof. On the faith of these and other like promises, Sancho Panza +(for so he was called) forsook his wife and children and took service +as squire to his neighbour. + +Whilst they were journeying along, Sancho Panza said to his master: "I +pray you have good care, sir knight, that you forget not that +government of the island which you have promised me, for I shall be +able to govern it be it never so great." + +And Don Quixote replied: "Thou must understand, friend Sancho, that it +was a custom very much used by the ancient knights-errant, to make +their squires governors of the islands and kingdoms they conquered, +and I am resolved that so good a custom shall be kept up by me. And if +thou livest and I live it may well be that I might conquer a kingdom +within six days, and crown thee king of it." + +"By the same token," said Sancho Panza, "if I were a king, then should +Joan my wife become a queen and my children princes?" + +"Who doubts of that?" said Don Quixote. + +"That do I," replied Sancho Panza, "for I am fully persuaded that +though it rained kingdoms down upon the earth, none of them would sit +well on my wife Joan. She is not worth a farthing for a queen. She +might scrape through as a countess, but I have my doubts of that." + +As they were talking, they caught sight of some thirty or forty +windmills on a plain. As soon as Don Quixote saw them he said to his +squire: "Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we could +desire. For behold, friend Sancho, how there appear thirty or forty +monstrous giants with whom I mean to do battle, and take all their +lives. With their spoils we will begin to be rich, for this is fair +war, and it is doing great service to clear away these evil fellows +from off the face of the earth." + +"What giants?" said Sancho amazed. + +"Those thou seest there," replied his master, "with the long arms." + +"Take care, sir," cried Sancho, "for those we see yonder are not +giants but windmills, and those things which seem to be arms are their +sails, which being whirled round by the wind make the mill go." + +"It is clear," answered Don Quixote, "that thou art not yet +experienced in the matter of adventures. They are giants, and if thou +art afraid, get thee away home, whilst I enter into cruel and unequal +battle with them." + +So saying, he clapped spurs to Rozinante, without heeding the cries by +which Sancho Panza warned him that he was going to encounter not +giants but windmills. For he would neither listen to Sancho's +outcries, nor mark what he said, but shouted to the windmills in a +loud voice: "Fly not, cowards and vile creatures, for it is only one +knight that assaults you!" + +A slight breeze having sprung up at this moment, the great sail-arms +began to move, on seeing which Don Quixote shouted out again: +"Although you should wield more arms than had the giant Briareus, I +shall make you pay for your insolence!" + +Saying this, and commending himself most devoutly to his Lady +Dulcinea, whom he desired to aid him in this peril, covering himself +with his buckler, and setting his lance in rest, he charged at +Rozinante's best gallop, and attacked the first mill before +him. Thrusting his lance through the sail, the wind turned it with +such violence that it broke his weapon into shivers, carrying him and +his horse after it, and having whirled them round, finally tumbled the +knight a good way off, and rolled him over the plain, sorely damaged. + +Sancho Panza hastened to help him as fast as his ass could go, and +when he came up he found the knight unable to stir, such a shock had +Rozinante given him in the fall. + +"Bless me," said Sancho, "did I not tell you that you should look well +what you did, for they were windmills, nor could any think otherwise +unless he had windmills in his brains!" + +"Peace, friend Sancho," said Don Quixote, "for the things of war are +constantly changing, and I think this must be the work of the same +sage Freston who robbed me of my library and books, and he hath +changed these giants into windmills to take from me the glory of the +victory. But in the end his evil arts shall avail but little against +the goodness of my sword." + +"May it prove so," said Sancho, as he helped his master to rise and +remount Rozinante, who, poor steed, was himself much bruised by the +fall. + +The next day they journeyed along towards the Pass of Lapice, a +romantic spot, at which they arrived about three o'clock in the +afternoon. + +"Here," said Don Quixote to his squire, "we may hope to dip our hands +up to the elbows in what are called adventures. But take note of this, +that although thou seest me in the greatest dangers of the world, thou +art not to set hand to thy sword in my defence, unless those who +assault me be base or vulgar people. If they be knights thou mayest +not help me." + +"I do assure you, sir," said Sancho, "that herein you shall be most +punctually obeyed, because I am by nature a quiet and peaceful man, +and have a strong dislike to thrusting myself into quarrels." + +Whilst they spoke thus, two friars of the order of St. Benedict, +mounted on large mules--big enough to be dromedaries--appeared coming +along the road. They wore travelling masks to keep the dust out of +their eyes and carried large sun umbrellas. After them came a coach +with four or five a-horseback travelling with it, and two lackeys ran +hard by it. In the coach was a Biscayan lady who was going to +Seville. The friars were not of her company, though all were going the +same way. + +Scarcely had Don Quixote espied them than he exclaimed to his squire: +"Either I much mistake, or this should be the most famous adventure +that hath ever been seen; for those dark forms that loom yonder are +doubtless enchanters who are carrying off in that coach some princess +they have stolen. Therefore I must with all my power undo this +wrong." + +"This will be worse than the adventure of the windmills," said +Sancho. "Do you not see that they are Benedictine friars, and the +coach will belong to some people travelling?" + +"I have told thee already, Sancho," answered Don Quixote, "that thou +art very ignorant in the matter of adventures. What I say is true, as +thou shalt see." + +So saying he spurred on his horse, and posted himself in the middle of +the road along which the friars were coming, and when they were near +enough to hear him he exclaimed in a loud voice: "Monstrous and +horrible crew! Surrender this instant those exalted princesses, whom +you are carrying away in that coach, or prepare to receive instant +death as a just punishment of your wicked deeds." + +The friars drew rein, and stood amazed at the figure and words of Don +Quixote, to whom they replied: "Sir knight, we are neither monstrous +nor wicked, but two religious men, Benedictines, travelling about our +business, and we know nothing about this coach or about any +princesses." + +"No soft words for me," cried Don Quixote, "for I know you well, +treacherous knaves." + +And without waiting for their reply he set spurs to Rozinante; and +laying his lance on his thigh, charged at the first friar with such +fury and rage, that if he had not leaped from his mule he would have +been slain, or at least, badly wounded. + +The second friar, seeing the way his companion was treated, made no +words but fled across the country swifter than the wind itself. + +Sancho Panza, on seeing the friar overthrown, dismounted very speedily +off his ass and ran over to him, and would have stripped him of his +clothes, But two of the friars' servants came up and asked him why he +was thus despoiling their master. Sancho replied that it was his due +by the law of arms, as lawful spoils gained in battle by his lord and +master, Don Quixote. + +The lackeys, who knew nothing of battles or spoils, seeing that Don +Quixote was now out of the way, speaking with those that were in the +coach, set both at once upon Sancho and threw him down, plucked every +hair out of his beard and kicked and mauled him without mercy, leaving +him at last stretched on the ground senseless and breathless. + +As for the friar, he mounted again, trembling and terror-stricken, all +the colour having fled from his face, and spurring his mule, he joined +his companion, who was waiting for him hard by. + +While this was happening, Don Quixote was talking to the lady in the +coach, to whom he said: "Dear lady, you may now dispose of yourself as +you best please. For the pride of your robbers is laid in the dust by +this my invincible arm. And that you may not pine to learn the name of +your deliverer, know that I am called Don Quixote of the Mancha, +knight-errant, adventurer, and captive of the peerless and beauteous +Lady Dulcinea of Toboso. And in reward for the benefits you have +received at my hands, I demand nothing else but that you return to +Toboso, there to present yourself in my name before my lady, and tell +her what I have done to obtain your liberty." + +All this was listened to by a Biscayan squire who accompanied the +coach. He hearing that the coach was not to pass on but was to return +to Toboso, went up to Don Quixote, and, laying hold of his lance, said +to him: "Get away with thee, sir knight, for if thou leave not the +coach I will kill thee as sure as I am a Biscayan." + +"If," replied Don Quixote haughtily, "thou wert a gentleman, as thou +art not, I would ere this have punished thy folly and insolence, +caitiff creature." + +"I no gentleman?" cried the enraged Biscayan. "Throw down thy lance +and draw thy sword, and thou shalt soon see that thou liest." + +"That shall be seen presently," replied Don Quixote; and flinging his +lance to the ground he drew his sword, grasped his buckler tight, and +rushed at the Biscayan. + +The Biscayan, seeing him come on In this manner, had nothing else to +do but to draw his sword. Luckily for him he was near the coach, +whence he snatched a cushion to serve him as a shield, and then they +fell on one another as if they had been mortal enemies. + +Those that were present tried to stop them, but the Biscayan shouted +out that if he were hindered from ending the battle he would put his +lady and all who touched him to the sword. + +The lady, amazed and terrified, made the coachman draw aside a little, +and sat watching the deadly combat from afar. + +The Biscayan, to begin with, dealt Don Quixote a mighty blow over the +target, which, if it had not been for his armour, would have cleft him +to the waist. Don Quixote, feeling the weight of this tremendous blow +which had destroyed his visor and carried away part of his ear, cried +out aloud: "O Dulcinea, lady of my soul, flower of all beauty, help +thy knight, who finds himself in this great danger!" To say this, to +raise his sword, to cover himself with his buckler, and to rush upon +the Biscayan was the work of a moment. With his head full of rage he +now raised himself in his stirrups, and, gripping his sword more +firmly in his two hands, struck at the Biscayan with such violence +that he caught him a terrible blow on the cushion, knocking this +shield against his head with tremendous violence. It was as though a +mountain had fallen on the Biscayan and crushed him, and the blood +spouted from his nose and mouth and ears. He would have fallen +straightway from his mule if he had not clasped her round the neck; +but he lost his stirrups, then let go his arms, and the mule, +frightened at the blow, began to gallop across the fields, so that +after two or three plunges it threw him to the ground. + +Don Quixote leaped off his horse, ran towards him, and setting the +point of his sword between his eyes, bade him yield, or he would cut +off his head. + +The lady of the coach now came forward in great grief and begged the +favour of her squire's life. + +Don Quixote replied with great stateliness: "Truly, fair lady, I will +grant thy request, but it must be on one condition, that this squire +shall go to Toboso and present himself in my name to the peerless Lady +Dulcinea, that she may deal with him as she thinks well." + +The lady, who was in great distress, without considering what Don +Quixote required, or asking who Dulcinea might be, promised that he +should certainly perform this command. + +"Then," said Don Quixote, "on the faith of that pledge I will do him +no more harm." + +Seeing the contest was now over, and his master about to remount +Rozinante, Sancho ran to hold his stirrups, and before he mounted, +taking him by his hand he kissed it and said: "I desire that it will +please you, good my lord Don Quixote, to bestow on me the government +of that island which in this terrible battle you have won." + +To which Don Quixote replied: "Brother Sancho, these are not the +adventures of islands, but of cross roads, wherein nothing is gained +but a broken pate or the loss of an ear. Have patience awhile, for the +adventures will come whereby I can make thee not only a governor, but +something higher." + +Sancho thanked him heartily, and kissed his hand again and the hem of +his mailed shirt. Then he helped him to get on Rozinante, and leaped +upon his ass to follow him. + +And Don Quixote, without another word to the people of the coach, rode +away at a swift pace and turned into a wood that was hard by, leaving +Sancho to follow him as fast as his beast could trot. + + + + +DON QUIXOTE AND THE GOATHERDS + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +As they rode along, Don Quixote turned to his squire and said to him: +"Tell me now in very good earnest, didst thou ever see a more valorous +knight than I am throughout the face of the earth? Didst thou ever +read in histories of any other that hath or ever had more courage in +fighting, more dexterity in wounding, or more skill in overthrowing?" + +"The truth is," replied Sancho, "that I have never read any history +whatever, for I can neither read nor write. But what I dare wager is, +that I never in my life served a bolder master than you are, and I +only trust that all this boldness does not land us within the four +walls of the gaol." + +"Peace, friend Sancho," said Don Quixote, "when didst thou read of a +knight-errant that was brought before the judge though he killed ever +so many people?" + +"I have read nothing, as you know, good master; but a truce to all +this, let me attend to your wound, for you are losing a good deal of +blood in that ear, and I have got some lint and a little white +ointment in my wallet." + +"That," said Don Quixote, "would have been unnecessary if I had +remembered to make a bottleful of the balsam of Fierabras, for with +only one drop of it both time and medicines are saved." + +"What balsam is that, then?" asked Sancho Panza. + +"It is a balsam, the receipt of which I have in my memory, and whoever +possesses it need not fear death nor think to perish by any +wound. Therefore after I have made it and given it unto thee, thou +hast nothing else to do but when thou shalt see that in any battle I +be cloven in twain, than deftly to take up the portion of the body +which is fallen to the ground and put it up again on the half which +remains in the saddle, taking great care to fix it exactly in the +right place. Then thou shalt give me two draughts of the balsam I have +mentioned, and I shall become as sound as an apple." + +"If that be true," said Sancho, "I renounce from now the government of +the promised island, and will demand nothing else in payment of my +services but only the receipt of this precious liquor. But tell me, is +it costly in making?" + +"With less than three _reals_" said Don Quixote, "a man may make +three gallons of it. But I mean to teach thee greater secrets than +this, and do thee greater favours also. And now let me dress my wound, +for this ear pains me more than I would wish." + +Sancho took out of his wallet his lint and ointment to cure his +master. But before he could use them Don Quixote saw that the visor of +his helmet was broken, and he had like to have lost his senses. +Setting his hand to his sword, he cried: "I swear an oath to lead the +life which was led by the great Marquis of Mantua when he swore to +revenge the death of his nephew Baldwin, which was not to eat off a +tablecloth, nor to comb his hair, nor to change his clothes, nor to +quit his armour, and other things which, though I cannot now remember, +I take as said, until I have had complete revenge on him that hath +done this outrage." + +"Look, your worship, Sir Don Quixote." said Sancho, when he heard +these strange words, "you must note that if the Biscayan has done what +you told him, and presented himself before my Lady Dulcinea of Toboso, +then he has fully satisfied his debt, and deserves no other penalty +unless he commits a new fault." + +"Thou hast spoken well and hit the mark truly," answered Don Quixote; +"and, therefore, in respect of that, I set the oath aside. But I make +it and confirm it again, that I will lead the life I have said, until +I take by force another helmet as good as this from some other +knight." + +"Such oaths are but mischief," said Sancho discontentedly, "for tell +me now, if by chance we do not come across a man armed with a helmet, +what are we to do? Do but consider that armed men travel not these +roads, but only carriers and waggoners, who not only wear no helmets, +but never heard them named all the days of their life." + +"Thou art mistaken in this," said Don Quixote, "for we shall not have +been here two hours before we shall see more knights than went up +against Albraca to win Angelica the Fair." + +"So be it," said Sancho, "and may all turn out well for us, that the +time may come for the winning of that island which is costing me so +dear." + +"Have no fear for thine island, Sancho Panza," said Don Quixote; "and +now look if thou hast aught to eat in thy wallet, for soon we should +go in search of some castle where we may lodge the night and make the +balsam of which I have spoken, for in truth this ear of mine pains me +greatly." + +"I have got here an onion and a bit of cheese and a few crusts of +bread, but such coarse food is not fit for so valiant a knight as your +worship." + +"How little dost thou understand the matter," replied Don Quixote, +"for it is an honour to knights-errant not to eat more than once a +month, and if by chance they should eat, to eat only of that which is +next at hand! And all this thou mightest have known hadst thou read as +many books as I have done. For though I studied many, yet did I never +find that knights-errant did ever eat but by mere chance, or at some +costly banquets that were made for them. And the remainder of their +days they lived on herbs and roots. Therefore, friend Sancho, let not +that trouble thee which is my pleasure, for to a knight-errant that +which comes is good." + +"Pardon me, sir," said Sancho, "for since I can neither read nor +write, as I have already told you, I have not fallen in rightly with +the laws of knighthood. But from henceforth my wallet shall be +furnished with all sorts of dried fruits for your worship, because you +are a knight, and for myself, seeing I am none, I will provide fowls +and other things, which are better eating." + +So saying he pulled out what he had, and the two fell to dinner in +good peace and company. + +But being desirous to look out for a lodging for that night, they cut +short their meagre and sorry meal, mounted at once a-horseback, and +made haste to find out some dwellings before night did fall. + +But the sun and their hopes did fail them at the same time, they being +then near the cabins of some goatherds. Therefore they determined to +pass the night there. And though Sancho's grief was great to lie out +of a village, yet Don Quixote was more joyful than ever, for he +thought that as often as he slept under the open heaven, so often did +he perform an act worthy of a true knight-errant. + +They were welcomed by the goatherds very cordially, and Sancho, having +put up Rozinante and his ass the best way he could, made his way +towards the smell given out by certain pieces of goat's flesh which +were boiling in a pot on the fire. And though he longed that very +instant to see if they were ready, he did not do so, for he saw the +goatherds were themselves taking them off the fire and spreading some +sheep-skins on the ground, and were laying their rustic table as +quickly as might be. Then with many expressions of good will they +invited the two to share in what they had. Those who belonged to the +fold, being six in number, sat round on the skins, having first with +rough compliments asked Don Quixote to seat himself upon a trough +which they placed for him turned upside down. + +Don Quixote sat down, but Sancho remained on foot to serve him with +the cup which was made of horn. Seeing him standing, his master said: +"That thou mayest see, Sancho, the good which is in knight-errantry, +and how fair a chance they have who exercise it to arrive at honour +and position in the world, I desire that here by my side, and in +company of these good people, thou dost seat thyself, and be one and +the same with me that am thy master and natural lord. That thou dost +eat in my dish and drink in the same cup wherein I drink. For the +same may be said of knight-errantry as is said of love, that it makes +all things equal." + +"Thanks for your favour," replied Sancho, "but I may tell your worship +that provided I have plenty to eat I can eat it as well and better +standing and by myself, than if I were seated on a level with an +emperor. And, indeed, if I speak the truth, what I eat in my corner +without ceremony, though it be but a bread and onion, smacks much +better than turkeycocks at other tables, where I must chaw my meat +leisurely, drink but little, wipe my hands often, nor do other things +that solitude and liberty allow." + +"For all that," said Don Quixote, "here shalt thou sit, for the humble +shall be exalted," and taking him by the arm, he forced his squire to +sit down near himself. + +The goatherds did not understand the gibberish of squires and +knights-errant, and did nothing but eat, hold their peace, and stare +at their guests, who with great relish were gorging themselves with +pieces as big as their fists. The course of flesh being over, the +goatherds spread on the skins a great number of parched acorns and +half a cheese, harder than if it had been made of mortar. The horn in +the meantime was not idle, but came full from the wineskins and +returned empty, as though it had been a bucket sent to the well. + +After Don Quixote had satisfied his appetite, he took up a fistful of +acorns, and beholding them earnestly, began in this manner: "Happy +time and fortunate ages were those which our ancestors called Golden: +not because gold--so much prized in this our Iron Age--was gotten in +that happy time without any labours, but because those who lived in +that time knew not these two words, _Thine_ and _Mine_. In +that holy age all things were in common. No man needed to do aught but +lift up his hand and take his food from the strong oak, which did +liberally invite them to gather his sweet and savoury fruit. The clear +fountains and running rivers did offer them transparent water in +magnificent abundance, and in the hollow trees did careful bees erect +their commonwealth, offering to every hand without interest the +fertile crop of their sweet labours." Thus did the eloquent knight +describe the Golden Age, when all was peace, friendship, and concord, +and then he showed the astonished goatherds how an evil world had +taken its place, and made it necessary for knights-errant like himself +to come forward for the protection of widows and orphans, and the +defence of distressed damsels. All this he did because the acorns that +were given him called to his mind the Golden Age. The goatherds sat +and listened with grave attention, and Sancho made frequent visits to +the second wine-skin during his discourse. At length it was ended, and +they sat round the fire, drinking their wine and listening to one of +the goat herds singing, and towards night, Don Quixote's ear becoming +very painful, one of his hosts made a dressing of rosemary leaves and +salt, and bound up his wound. By this means being eased of his pain, +he was able to lie down in one of the huts and sleep soundly after his +day's adventures. + +Don Quixote spent several days among the goatherds, and at length, +when his wound was better, he thanked them for their hospitality, and +rode away in search of new adventures, followed by the faithful +Sancho. + +They came to a halt in a pleasant meadow rich with beautiful grass, by +the side of a delightful and refreshing stream, which seemed to invite +them to stop and spend there the sultry hours of noon, which were +already becoming oppressive. + +Don Quixote and Sancho dismounted, and leaving Rozinante and Dapple +loose, to feed on the grass that was there in plenty, they ransacked +the wallet, and without any ceremony fell to eating what they found in +it. + +Sancho had neglected to tie up Rozinante, and, as luck would have it, +a troop of Galician ponies belonging to some Yanguesian carriers, +whose custom it is to rest at noon with their teams in spots and +places where grass and water abound, were feeding in the same valley. + +It must be believed that Rozinante supposed that the grass the ponies +were feeding on was better than his own; but be that as it may, he +started off at a little swift trot to feed among them. They resented +his appearance, and, as he sought to enter their ranks and feed among +them, they received him with their heels and teeth, with such vigour +that in a trice he had burst his girth, and his saddle was stripped +from his back. But the worst of all was that the carriers, taking part +with their own ponies, ran up with stakes and so belaboured him that +they brought him to the ground in a sore plight. + +Upon this Don Quixote and Sancho, who witnessed the basting of +Rozinante, came running up all out of breath, and Don Quixote said to +Sancho: "From what I see, friend Sancho, these be no knights, but +base, rascally fellows of low breeding. I say this, that thou mayest +freely aid me in taking vengeance for the wrong which they have done +to Rozinante before our eyes." + +"What vengeance can we take," replied Sancho, "when there are more +than twenty, and we are but two--nay, perhaps but one and a half?" + +"I count for a hundred," said Don Quixote, and without further parley +he drew his sword and flew upon the Yanguesians, boldly followed by +Sancho Panza. + +With his first blow Don Quixote pierced a buff coat that one of them +wore, wounding him grievously in the shoulder. Then the Yanguesians, +finding themselves so rudely handled by two men only, they being so +many, betook themselves to their stakes, and hemming in their +adversaries in the midst of them, they laid on with great fury. In +fact the second thwack brought Sancho to the ground, and the same fate +soon befell Don Quixote, whose dexterity and courage availed him +nothing, for he fell at the feet of his unfortunate steed, who had not +yet been able to arise. + +Then, seeing the mischief they had done, the Yanguesians loaded their +team with as much haste as possible, and went their way, leaving the +adventurers in a doleful plight and a worse humour. + + + + +HOW DON QUIXOTE ARRIVED AT AN INN WHICH HE IMAGINED TO BE A CASTLE + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +For some time after the Yanguesian carriers had gone on their way Don +Quixote and Sancho Panza lay on the ground groaning and saying +nothing. + +The first that came to himself was Sancho Panza, who cried in a weak +and pitiful voice: "Sir Don Quixote! O Sir Don Quixote!" + +"What wouldst thou, brother Sancho?" answered Don Quixote in the same +faint and grievous tone as Sancho. + +"I would, if it were possible," said Sancho Panza, "that your worship +should give me a couple of mouthfuls of that balsam of Fierabras, if +so be that your worship has it at hand. Perhaps it will be as good for +broken bones as for wounds." + +"If I had it here," sighed Don Quixote, "we should lack nothing. But I +swear to thee, Sancho Panza, on the faith of a knight-errant, that +before two days pass, unless fortune forbids, I will have it in my +possession." + +"I pray you," asked Sancho, "in how many days do you think we shall be +able to move our feet?" + +"I cannot say," said the battered knight; "but I take on myself the +blame of all, for I should not have drawn my sword against men that +are not knights. Therefore, brother Sancho, take heed of what I tell +thee, for it mightily concerns the welfare of us both; and it is this, +that when thou seest such rabble offer us any wrong, wait not for me +to draw sword upon them, for I will not do it in any wise, but put +thou thy hand to thy sword and chastise them at thy pleasure." + +But Sancho Panza did not much relish his master's advice, and replied: +"Sir, I am a peaceable, sober, and quiet man, and can let pass any +injury whatever, for I have a wife and children to take care +of. Therefore, let me also say a word to your worship, that by no +manner of means shall I put hand to sword either against clown or +against knight. And from this time forth I forgive whatever insults +are paid to me, whether they are or shall be paid by persons high or +low, rich or poor, gentle or simple." + +On hearing this his master said: "Would that I had breath enough to be +able to speak easily, and that the pain I feel in this rib were less, +that I, might make thee understand, Sancho, the mistake thou art +making! How can I appoint thee governor of an island when thou wouldst +make an end of all by having neither valour nor will to defend thy +lands or revenge thine injuries?" + +"Alas!" groaned Sancho. "I would that I had the courage and +understanding of which your worship speaks, but in truth at this +moment I am more fit for plasters than preachments. See if your +worship can rise, and we will help Rozinante, although he deserves it +not, for he was the chief cause of all this mauling." + +"Fortune always leaves one door open in disasters, and your Dapple +will now be able to supply the want of Rozinante and carry me hence to +some castle where I may be healed of my wounds. Nor shall I esteem +such riding a dishonour, for I remember to have read that old Silenus, +tutor and guide of the merry god of Laughter, when he entered the city +of a hundred gates, rode very pleasantly, mounted on a handsome ass." + +"That may be," replied Sancho, "but there is a difference between +riding a-horseback and being laid athwart like a sack of rubbish." + +"Have done with your replies," exclaimed Don Quixote, "and rise as +well as thou art able and sit me on top of thine ass, and let us +depart hence before the night comes and overtakes us in this +wilderness." + +Then Sancho, with thirty groans and sixty sighs and a hundred and +twenty curses, lifted up Rozinante--who if he had had a tongue would +have complained louder than Sancho himself--and after much trouble set +Don Quixote on the ass. Then tying Rozinante to his tail, he led the +ass by the halter, and proceeded as best he could to where the +highroad seemed to lie. + +And Fortune, which had guided their affairs from good to better, led +him on to a road on which, he spied an inn, which to his annoyance and +Don Quixote's joy must needs be a castle. Sancho protested that it was +an inn, and his master that it was a castle; and their dispute lasted +so long that they had time to arrive there before it was finished; and +into this inn or castle Sancho entered without more parley with all +his team. + +The innkeeper, seeing Don Quixote laid athwart of the ass, asked +Sancho what ailed him. Sancho answered that it was nothing, only that +he had fallen down from a rock, and had bruised his ribs somewhat. The +innkeeper's wife was by nature charitable, and she felt for the +sufferings of others, so she hastened at once to attend to Don +Quixote, and made her daughter, a comely young maiden, help her in +taking care of her guest. There was also serving in the inn an +Asturian woman, broad-cheeked, flat-pated, with a snub nose, blind of +one eye and the other not very sound. This young woman, who was called +Maritornes, assisted the daughter, and the two made up a bed for Don +Quixote in a garret which had served for many years as a +straw-loft. The bed on which they placed him was made of four roughly +planed boards on two unequal trestles; a mattress which, in thinness, +might have been a quilt, so full of pellets that if they had not +through the holes shown themselves to be wool, they would to the touch +seem to be pebbles. There was a pair of sheets made of target leather; +and as for the coverlet, if any one had chosen to count the threads of +it he could not have missed one in the reckoning. + +On this miserable bed did Don Quixote lie, and presently the hostess +and her daughter plastered him over from head to foot, Maritornes +holding the candle for them. + +While she was plastering him, the hostess, seeing that he was in +places black and blue, said that it looked more like blows than a +fall. Sancho, however, declared they were not blows, but that the rock +had many sharp points, and each one had left a mark; and he added: +"Pray, good mistress, spare some of that tow, as my back pains are not +a little." + +"In that case," said the hostess, "you must have fallen, too." + +"I did not fall," said Sancho Panza, "but with the sudden fright I +took on seeing my master fall, my body aches as if they had given me a +thousand blows, and I now find myself with only a few bruises less +than my master, Don Quixote." + +"What is this gentleman's name?" asked Maritornes. + +"Don Quixote of the Mancha," answered Sancho Panza; "and he is a +knight-errant, and one of the best and strongest that have been seen +in the world these many ages." + +"What is a knight-errant?" asked the young woman. + +"Art thou so young in the world that thou knowest it not?" answered +Sancho Panza. "Know then, sister mine, that a knight-errant is a thing +which in two words is found cudgelled and an emperor. To-day he is +the most miserable creature in the world, and the most needy; +to-morrow he will have two or three crowns of kingdoms to give to his +squire." + +"How is it, then," said the hostess, "that thou hast not gotten at +least an earldom, seeing thou art squire to this good knight?" + +"It is early yet," replied Sancho, "for it is but a month since we set +out on our adventures. But believe me, if my master, Don Quixote, gets +well of his wounds--or his fall, I should say--I would not sell my +hopes for the best title in Spain." + +To all this Don Quixote listened very attentively, and sitting up in +his bed as well as he could, he took the hostess's hand and said: +"Believe me, beautiful lady, that you may count yourself fortunate in +having entertained me in this your castle. My squire will inform you +who I am, for self-praise is no recommendation; only this I say, that +I will keep eternally written in memory the service you have done to +me, and I will be grateful to you as long as my life shall endure." + +The hostess, her daughter, and the good Maritomes remained confounded +on hearing the words of the knight-errant, which they understood as +well as if he had spoken in Greek, but yet they believed they were +words of compliment, and so they thanked him for his courtesy and +departed, leaving Sancho and his master for the night. + +There happened to be lodging in the inn that night one of the officers +of the Holy Brotherhood of Toledo, whose duty it was to travel the +roads and inquire into cases of highway robbery. He hearing some time +later that a man was lying in the house sorely wounded must needs go +and make an examination of the matter. He therefore lighted his lamp +and made his way to Don Quixote's garret. + +As soon as Sancho Panza saw him enter arrayed in a shirt and a +nightcap with the lamp in his hand, which showed him to be a very ugly +man, he asked his master: "Will this by chance be some wizard Moor +come to torment us?" + +"A wizard it cannot be," said Don Quixote, "for those under +enchantment never let themselves be seen." + +The officer could make nothing of their talk, and came up to Don +Quixote, who lay face upwards encased in his plasters. "Well," said +the officer roughly, "how goes it, my good fellow?" + +"I would speak more politely if I were you," answered Don Quixote. "Is +it the custom in this country, lout, to speak in that way to a +knight-errant?" + +The officer, finding himself thus rudely addressed, could not endure +it, and, lifting up the lamp, oil and all, gave Don Quixote such a +blow on the head with it that he broke his lamp in one or two places, +and, leaving all in darkness, left the room. + +"Ah!" groaned Sancho, "this is indeed the wizard Moor, and he must be +keeping his treasures for others, and for us nothing but blows." + +"It is ever so," replied Don Quixote; "and we must take no notice of +these things of enchantment, nor must we be angry or vexed with them, +for since they are invisible, there is no one on whom to take +vengeance. Rise, Sancho, if thou canst, and call the constable of this +fortress, and try to get him to give me a little wine, oil, salt, and +rosemary to prepare the health-giving balsam, of which I have grievous +need, for there comes much blood from the wound which the phantom hath +given me." + +Sancho arose, not without aching bones, and crept in the dark to where +the innkeeper was, and said to him: "My lord constable, do us the +favour and courtesy to give me a little rosemary, oil, wine, and salt +to cure one of the best knights-errant in the world, who lies yonder +in bed sorely wounded at the hands of a Moorish enchanter." When the +innkeeper heard this he took Sancho Panza for a man out of his wits, +but nevertheless gave him what he wanted, and Sancho carried it to Don +Quixote. His master was lying with his hands to his head, groaning +with pain from the blows of the lamp, which, however, had only raised +two big lumps; what he thought was blood being only the perspiration +running down his face. + +He now took the things Sancho had brought, of which he made a +compound, mixing them together and boiling them a good while until +they came to perfection. + +Then he asked for a bottle into which to pour this precious liquor, +but as there was not one to be had in the inn, he decided to pour it +into a tin oil-vessel which the innkeeper had given him. + +This being done, he at once made an experiment on himself of the +virtue of this precious balsam, as he imagined it to be, and drank off +a whole quart of what was left in the boiling-pot. + +The only result of this was that it made him very sick indeed, as well +it might, and, what with the sickness and the bruising and the +weariness of body, he fell fast asleep for several hours, and at the +end of his sleep awoke so refreshed and so much the better of his +bruises that he took himself to be cured and verily believed he had +hit upon the balsam of Fierabras. + +Sancho Panza, to whom his master's recovery seemed little short of a +miracle, begged that he might have what was left in the boiling-pot, +which was no small quantity. Don Quixote consenting, he took the pot +in both hands, and tossed it down, swallowing very little less than +his master had done. + +It happened, however, that Sancho's stomach was not so delicate as his +master's and he suffered such terrible pains and misery before he was +sick that he thought his last hour was come, and cursed the balsam and +the thief who had given it to him. + +Don Quixote, seeing him in this bad way, said: "I believe, Sancho, +that all this evil befalleth thee because thou art not dubbed knight, +for I am persuaded that this balsam may not benefit any one that is +not." + +"If your worship knew that," replied poor Sancho "bad luck to me and +mine, why did you let me taste it?" + +Before Don Quixote could reply to this, Sancho became so terribly sick +that he could only lie groaning and moaning for two hours, at the end +of which he felt so shaken and shattered that he could scarcely stand, +and sadly wished that he had never become squire to a knight-errant. + + + + +HOW SANCHO PAID THE RECKONING AT THE INN + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Now whilst Sancho Panza lay groaning in his bed, Don Quixote, who, as +we have said, felt somewhat eased and cured, made up his mind to set +off in search of new adventures. And full of this desire he himself +saddled Rozinante and put the pack-saddle on his squire's beast, and +helped Sancho to dress and to mount his ass. Then getting a-horseback +he rode over to the corner of the inn and seized hold of a pike which +stood there, to make it serve him instead of a lance. + +All the people that were staying at the inn, some twenty in number, +stood staring at him, and among these was the innkeeper's +daughter. Don Quixote kept turning his eyes towards her and sighing +dolefully, which every one, or at least all who had seen him the night +before, thought must be caused by the pain he was in from his bruises. + +When they were both mounted and standing by the inn gate, he called to +the innkeeper and said in a grave voice: "Many and great are the +favours, sir constable, which I have received in this your castle, +arid I shall remain deeply grateful for them all the days of my +life. If I am able to repay you by avenging you on some proud +miscreant that hath done you any wrong, know that it is my office to +help the weak, to revenge the wronged, and to punish traitors. Ransack +your memory, and if you find anything of this sort for me to do, you +have but to utter it, and I promise you, by the Order of Knighthood +which I have received, to procure you satisfaction to your heart's +content," + +"Sir knight," replied the innkeeper with equal gravity, "I have no +need that your worship should avenge me any wrong, for I know how to +take what revenge I think good when an injury is done. All I want is +that your worship should pay me the score you have run up this night +in mine inn, both for the straw and barley of your two beasts, and +your suppers and your beds." + +"This then is an inn?" exclaimed Don Quixote. + +"Ay, that it is, and a very respectable one, too," replied the +innkeeper. + +"All this time then I have been deceived," said Don Quixote, "for in +truth I thought it was a castle and no mean one. But since it is +indeed an inn and no castle, all that can be done now is to ask you to +forgive me any payment, for I cannot break the laws of knights-errant, +of whom I know for certain that they never paid for lodging or +anything else in the inns where they stayed. For the good +entertainment that is given them is their due reward for the +sufferings they endure, seeking adventures both day and night, winter +and summer, a-foot and a-horseback, in thirst and hunger, in heat and +cold, being exposed to all the storms of heaven and the hardships of +earth." + +"All that is no business of mine," retorted the innkeeper. "Pay me +what you owe me, and keep your tales of knights-errant for those who +want them. My business is to earn my living." + +"You are a fool and a saucy fellow," said Don Quixote angrily, and, +spurring Rozinante and brandishing his lance, he swept out of the inn +yard before any one could stop him, and rode on a good distance +without waiting to see if his squire was following. + +The innkeeper, when he saw him go without paying, ran up to get his +due from Sancho Panza, who also refused to pay, and said to him: "Sir, +seeing I am squire to a knight-errant, the same rule and reason for +not paying at inns and taverns hold as good for me as for my master." + +The innkeeper grew angry at these words, and threatened that if he did +not pay speedily he would get it from him in a way he would not like. + +Sancho replied that by the Order of Knighthood which his lord and +master had received, he would not pay a penny though it cost him his +life. + +But his bad fortune so managed it, that there happened to be at the +inn at this time four woolcombers of Segovia, and three needlemakers +of Cordova, and two neighbours from Seville, all merry fellows, very +mischievous and playsome. And as if they were all moved with one +idea, they came up to Sancho, and pulling him down off his ass, one of +them ran in for the innkeeper's blanket, and they flung him into +it. But looking up and seeing that the ceiling was somewhat lower than +they needed for their business, they determined to go out into the +yard, which had no roof but the sky, and there placing Sancho in the +middle of the blanket, they began to toss him aloft and to make sport +with him by throwing him up and down. The outcries of the miserable +be-tossed squire were so many and so loud that they reached the ears +of his master, who, standing awhile to listen what it was, believed +that some new adventure was at hand, until he clearly recognised the +shrieks to come from poor Sancho. Immediately turning his horse, he +rode back at a gallop to the inn gate, and finding it closed, rode +round the wall to see if he could find any place at which he might +enter. But he scarcely got to the wall of the inn yard, which was not +very high, when he beheld the wicked sport they were making with his +squire. He saw him go up and down with such grace and agility, that, +had his anger allowed him, I make no doubt he would have burst with +laughter. He tried to climb the wall from his horse, but he was so +bruised and broken that he could by no means alight from his saddle, +and therefore from on top of his horse he used such terrible threats +against those that were tossing Sancho that one could not set them +down in writing. + +But in spite of his reproaches they did not cease from their laughter +or labour, nor did the flying Sancho stop his lamentations, mingled +now with threats and now with prayers. Thus they carried on their +merry game, until at last from sheer weariness they stopped and let +him be. And then they brought him his ass, and, helping him to mount +it, wrapped him in his coat, and the kind-hearted Maritornes, seeing +him so exhausted, gave him a pitcher of water, which, that it might be +the cooler, she fetched from the well. + +Just as he was going to drink he heard his master's voice calling to +him, saying: "Son Sancho, drink not water, drink it not, my son, for +it will kill thee. Behold, here I have that most holy balsam,"--and he +showed him the can of liquor,--"two drops of which if thou drinkest +thou wilt undoubtedly be cured." + +At these words Sancho shuddered, and replied to his master: "You +forget surely that I am no knight, or else you do not remember the +pains I suffered last evening. Keep your liquor to yourself, and let +me be in peace." + +At the conclusion of this speech he began to drink, but finding it was +only water he would not taste it, and called for wine, which +Maritornes very kindly fetched for him, and likewise paid for it out +of her own purse. + +As soon as Sancho had finished drinking, he stuck his heels into his +ass, and the inn gate being thrown wide open he rode out, highly +pleased at having paid for nothing, even at the price of a tossing. +The innkeeper, however, had kept his wallet, but Sancho was so +distracted when he departed that he never missed it. + +When Sancho reached his master, he was almost too jaded and faint to +ride his beast. Don Quixote, seeing him in this plight, said to him: +"Now I am certain that yon castle or inn is without doubt enchanted, +for those who made sport with thee so cruelly, what else could they +be but phantoms, and beings of another world? And I am the more sure +of this, because when I was by the wall of the inn yard I was not able +to mount it, or to alight from Rozinante, and therefore I must have +been enchanted. For if I could have moved, I would have avenged thee +in a way to make those scoundrels remember the jest for ever, even +although to do it I should have had to disobey the rules of +knighthood." + +"So would I also have avenged myself," said Sancho, "knight or no +knight, but I could not. And yet I believe that those who amused +themselves with me were no phantoms or enchanted beings, but men of +flesh and bones as we are, for one was called Pedro, and another +Tenorio, and the innkeeper called a third Juan. But what I make out of +all this, is that those adventures which we go in search of, will +bring us at last so many misadventures that we shall not know our +right foot from our left. And the best thing for us to do, in my +humble opinion, is to return us again to our village and look after +our own affairs, and not go jumping, as the saying is, 'out of the +frying-pan into the fire.'" + +"How little dost thou know of knighthood, friend Sancho," replied Don +Quixote. "Peace, and have patience, for a day will come when thou +shalt see with thine own eyes how fine a thing it is to follow this +calling. What pleasure can equal that of winning a battle or +triumphing over an enemy?" + +"I cannot tell," answered Sancho; "but this I know, that since we are +knights-errant, we have never won any battle, unless it was that with +the Biscayan, and even then your worship lost half an ear. And ever +after that time it has been nothing but cudgels and more cudgels, +blows and more blows,--I getting the tossing in the blanket to boot. +And all this happens to me from enchanted people on whom I cannot take +vengeance." + +"That grieves me," replied Don Quixote; "but who knows what may +happen? Fortune may bring me a sword like that of Amadis, which did +not only cut like a razor, but there was no armour however strong or +enchanted which could stand before it." + +"It will be like my luck," said Sancho, "that when your worship finds +such a sword it will, like the balsam, be of use only to those who are +knights, whilst poor squires will still have to sup sorrow." + +"Fear not that, Sancho," replied his master; and he rode ahead, his +mind full of adventures, followed at a little distance by his unhappy +squire. + + + + +THE ADVENTURE OF THE TWO ARMIES + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Whilst they were riding on their way, Don Quixote saw a large, dense +cloud of dust rolling towards them, and turning to Sancho said: "This +is the day on which shall be shown the might of my arm and on which I +am to do deeds which shall be written in the books of fame. Dost thou +see the dust which arises there? Know then that it is caused by a +mighty army composed of various and numberless nations that are +marching this way." "If that be so," replied Sancho, "then must there +be two armies, for on this other side there is as great a dust." + +Don Quixote turned round to behold it, and seeing that it was so, he +was marvellous glad, for he imagined that there were indeed two armies +coming to fight each other in the midst of that spacious plain. For at +every hour and moment his fancy was full of battles, enchantments, and +adventures, such as are related in the books of knighthood, and all +his thoughts and wishes were turned towards such things. + +As for the clouds he had seen, they were raised by two large flocks of +sheep which were being driven along the same road from two opposite +sides, and these by reason of the dust could not be seen until they +came near. + +Don Quixote was so much in earnest when he called them armies that +Sancho at once believed it, asking: "What then shall we do, good +master?" + +"What!" cried Don Quixote. "Why, favour and help those who are in +distress and need. Thou must know, Sancho, that this which comes on +our front is led by the mighty Emperor Alifamfaron, lord of the great +island of Trapobana. This other which is marching at our back is the +army of his foe, the King of the Garamantes, Pentapolin of the Naked +Arm, for he always goes into battle with his right arm bare." + +"But why do these two princes hate each other so much?" asked Sancho. + +"They are enemies," replied Don Quixote, "because Alifamfaron is a +furious pagan and is deeply in love with Pentapolin's daughter, who is +a beautiful and gracious princess and a Christian. Her father refuses +to give her to the pagan king until he abandons Mahomet's false +religion and becomes a convert to his own." + +"By my beard," said Sancho, "Pentapolin does right well, and I will +help him all I can." + +"Then thou wilt but do thy duty," said Don Quixote, "for it is not +necessary to be a dubbed knight to engage in battles such as these." + +"Right!" replied Sancho, "but where shall we stow this ass that we may +be sure of finding him after the fight is over, for I think it is not +the custom to enter into battle mounted on such a beast." + +"That is true," said Don Quixote; "but thou mayest safely leave it to +chance whether he be lost or found, for after this battle we shall +have so many horses that even Rozinante runs a risk of being changed +for another. And now let us withdraw to that hillock yonder that we +may get a better view of both those great armies." + +They did so, and standing on the top of a hill gazed at the two great +clouds of dust which the imagination of Don Quixote had turned into +armies. And then Don Quixote, with all the eloquence he could muster, +described to Sancho the names of the different knights in the two +armies, with their colours and devices and mottoes, and the numbers of +their squadrons, and the countries and provinces from which they came. + +But though Sancho stood and listened in wonder he could see nothing as +yet of knights or armies, and at last he cried out: "Where are all +these grand knights, good my master? For myself, I can see none of +them. But perhaps it is all enchantment, as so many things have been." + +"How! Sayest them so?" said Don Quixote. "Dost thou not hear the +horses neigh and the trumpets sound and the noise of the drums?" + +"I hear nothing else," said Sancho, "but the great bleating of sheep." + +And so it was, indeed, for by this time the two flocks were +approaching very near to them. + +"The fear thou art in," said Don Quixote, "permits thee neither to see +nor hear aright, for one of the effects of fear is to disturb the +senses and make things seem different from what they are. If thou art +afraid, stand to one side and leave me to myself, for I alone can give +the victory to the side which I assist." + +So saying he clapped spurs to Rozinante, and, setting his lance in +rest, rode down the hillside like a thunderbolt. + +Sancho shouted after him as loud as he could: "Return, good Sir Don +Quixote! Return! For verily all those you go to charge are but sheep +and muttons. Return, I say! Alas that ever I was born! What madness is +this? Look, there are neither knights, nor arms, nor shields, nor +soldiers, nor emperors, but only sheep. What is it you do, Wretch that +I am?" + +For all this Don Quixote did not turn back, but rode on, shouting in a +loud voice: "So ho! knights! Ye that serve and fight under the banner +of Pentapolin of the Naked Arm, follow me, all of you. Ye shall see +how easily I will revenge him on his enemy Alifamfaron of Trapobana!" + +With these words he dashed into the midst of the flock of sheep, and +began to spear them with as much courage and fury as if he were +fighting his mortal enemies. + +The shepherds that came with the flock cried to him to leave off, but +seeing their words had no effect, they unloosed their slings and began +to salute his head with stones as big as one's fist. + +But Don Quixote made no account of their stones, and galloping to and +fro everywhere cried out: "Where art thou, proud Alifamfaron? Where +art thou? Come to me, for I am but one knight alone, who desires to +prove my strength with thee, man to man, and make thee yield thy life +for the wrong thou hast done to the valorous Pentapolin." + +At that instant a stone gave him such a blow that it buried two of his +ribs in his body. Finding himself so ill-treated he thought for +certain that he was killed or sorely wounded, and recollecting his +balsam, he drew out his oil pot and set it to his mouth to drink. But +before he could take as much as he wanted, another stone struck him +full on the hand, broke the oil pot into pieces, and carried away with +it three or four teeth out of his mouth, and sorely crushed two +fingers of his hand. So badly was he wounded by these two blows that +he now fell off his horse on to the ground. + +The shepherds ran up, and believing that they had killed him, they +collected their flocks in great haste, and carrying away their dead +muttons, of which there were seven, they went away without caring to +inquire into things any further. + +Sancho was all this time standing on the hill looking at the mad +pranks his master was performing, and tearing his beard and cursing +the hour when they had first met. Seeing, however, that he was fallen +on the ground, and the shepherds had gone away, he came down the hill +and went up to his master, and found him in a very bad way, although +not quite insensible. + +"Did I not tell you, Sir Don Quixote," said Sancho mournfully, "did I +not tell you to come back, for those you went to attack were not +armies but sheep?" + +"That thief of an enchanter, my enemy, can alter things and make men +vanish away as he pleases. Know, Sancho, that it is very easy for +those kind of men to make us seem what they please, and this malicious +being who persecutes me, envious of the glory that I was to reap from +this battle, hath changed the squadrons of the foe into flocks of +sheep. If thou dost not believe me, Sancho, get on thine ass and +follow them fair and softly, and thou shalt see that when they have +gone a little way off they will return to their original shapes, and, +ceasing to be sheep, become men as right and straight as I painted +them to you at first." + +At this moment the balsam that Don Quixote had swallowed began to make +him very sick, and Sancho Panza ran off to search in his wallet for +something that might cure him. But when he found that his wallet was +not upon his ass, and remembered for the first time that it was left +at the inn, he was on the point of losing his wits. He cursed himself +anew, and resolved in his heart to leave his master and return to his +house, even though he should lose his wages and the government of the +promised island. + +Don Quixote had now risen, and with his left hand to his mouth that +the rest of his teeth might not fall out, with the other he took +Rozinante by the bridle, and went up to where his squire stood leaning +against his ass with his head in his hand, looking the picture of +misery. + +Don Quixote, seeing him look so miserable, said to him: "Learn, +Sancho, not to be so easily downcast, for these storms that befall us +are signs that the weather will soon be fair. Therefore thou shouldst +not vex thyself about my misfortunes, for sure thou dost not share in +them." + +"How not?" replied Sancho; "mayhap he they tossed in a blanket +yesterday was not my father's son? And the wallet which is missing +to-day with all my chattels, is not that my misfortune?" + +"What, is the wallet missing, Sancho?" said Don Quixote, + +"Yes, it is missing," answered Sancho. + +"In that case we have nothing to eat to-day," said Don Quixote. + +"It would be so," said Sancho, "should the herbs of the field fail us, +which your worship says you know of, and with which you have told me +knights-errant must supply their wants." + +"Nevertheless," answered Don Quixote, "I would rather just now have a +hunch of bread, or a cottage loaf and a couple of pilchards' heads, +than all the herbs that Dioscorides has described. But before thou +mountest thine ass, lend me here thy hand and see how many teeth are +lacking on this right side of my upper jaw, for there I feel the +pain." + +Sancho put his fingers in, and, feeling about, asked: "How many teeth +did your worship have before, on this side?" + +"Four," replied Don Quixote, "besides the wisdom tooth, all whole and +sound." + +"Mind well what you say, sir," answered Sancho. + +"Four, say I, if not five," said Don Quixote, "for in all my life I +never had tooth drawn from my mouth, nor has any fallen out or been +destroyed by decay." + +"Well, then, in this lower part," said Sancho, "your worship has but +two teeth and a half, and in the upper, neither a half nor any, for +all is as smooth as the palm of my hand." + +"Unfortunate I!" exclaimed Don Quixote, "for I would rather they had +deprived me of my arm, as long as it were not my sword arm. Know, +Sancho, that a mouth without teeth is like a mill without a +grindstone, and a tooth is more to be prized than a millstone. But all +this must we suffer who profess the stern rule of knights-errant. +Mount, friend, and lead the way, for I will follow thee what pace thou +pleasest." + + + + +DON QUIXOTE DOES PENANCE AS DID THE KNIGHTS OF OLD + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Don Quixote mounted once again on Rozinante, and commanded Sancho to +follow him. Dapple, the ass, had been stolen from them one night while +they slept, and Sancho was now obliged to walk. They travelled slowly +through the thickest and roughest part of the mountains. "What is it +that your worship intends to do in this out of the way spot?" asked +Sancho. + +"I will keep you no longer in the dark," replied Don Quixote. "You +must know that Amadis of Gaul was the most perfect of all +knights-errant. And as he was the morning star and the sun of all +valiant knights, so am I wise in imitating all he did. And I remember +that when his lady Oriana disdained his love, he showed his wisdom, +virtue, and manhood by changing his name to Beltenebros and retiring +to a wild country, there to perform a penance. And as I may more +easily imitate him in this than in staying giants, beheading serpents, +killing monsters, destroying armies, and putting navies to flight, and +because this mountain seems fit for the purpose, I intend myself to do +penance here." + +By this time they had arrived at the foot of a lofty mountain, which +stood like a huge rock apart from all the rest. Close by glided a +smooth river, hemmed in on every side by a green and fertile +meadow. Around were many fine trees and plants and flowers, which made +the spot a most delightful one. + +"Here!" cried Don Quixote in a loud voice, "I elect to do my +penance. Here shall the tears from my eyes swell the limpid streams, +and here shall the sighs of my heart stir the leaves of every mountain +tree. O Dulcinea of Toboso, day of my night and star of my fortunes, +consider the pass to which I am come, and return a favourable answer +to my wishes!" + +With this he alighted from Rozinante, and, taking off his saddle and +bridle, gave him a slap on his haunches, and said: "He gives thee +liberty that wants it himself, O steed, famous for thy swiftness and +the great works thou hast done!" + +When Sancho heard all this he could not help saying: "I wish Dapple +were here, for he deserves at least as long a speech in his praise; +but truly, sir knight, if my journey with your letter, and your +penance here are really to take place, it would be better to saddle +Rozinante again, that he may supply the want of mine ass that was +stolen from me." + +"As thou likest about that," said Don Quixote; "but thou must not +depart for three days as yet, during which time thou shalt see what I +will say and do for my lady's sake, that thou mayest tell her all +about it." + +"But what more can I see," asked Sancho, "than what I have already +seen?" + +"Thou art well up in the matter, certainly," replied his master, "for +as yet I have done nothing, and if I am to be a despairing lover, I +must tear my clothes, and throw away mine armour, and beat my head +against these rocks, with many other things that shall make thee +marvel." + +"For goodness' sake," cried Sancho, "take care how you go knocking +your head against rocks, for you might happen to come up against so +ungracious a rock that it would put an end to the penance +altogether. If the knocks on the head are necessary, I should content +yourself, seeing that this madness is all make-believe, with striking +your head on some softer thing, and leave the rest to me, for I will +tell your lady that I saw you strike your head on the point of a rock +that was harder than a diamond." + +"I thank thee, Sancho, for thy good will," replied the knight, "but +the rules of knighthood forbid me to act or to speak a lie, and +therefore the knocks of the head must be real solid knocks, and it +will be necessary for thee to leave me some lint to cure them, seeing +that fortune has deprived us of that precious balsam." + +"It was worse to lose the ass," said Sancho, "seeing that with him we +lost lint and everything; but pray, your worship, never mention that +horrible balsam again, for the very name of it nearly turns me inside +out. And now write your letter, and let me saddle Rozinante and +begone, for I warrant when I once get to Toboso I will tell the Lady +Dulcinea such strange things of your follies and madness, that I shall +make her as soft as a glove even though I find her harder than a +cork-tree. And with her sweet and honied answer I will return as +speedily as a witch on a broom-stick, and release you from your +penance." + +"But how shall we write a letter here?" said Don Quixote. + +"And how can you write the order for the handing over to me of the +ass-colts?" asked Sancho. + +"Seeing there is no paper," said the knight, "we might, like the +ancients, write on waxen tablets, but that wax is as hard to find as +paper. But now that I come to think of it, there is Cardenio's +pocket-book. I will write on that, and thou shalt have the matter of +it written out in a good round hand at the first village wherein thou +shalt find a schoolmaster." + +"But what is to be done about the signature?" asked Sancho. + +"The letters of Amadis were never signed," replied Don Quixote. + +"That is all very well," said Sancho, "but the paper for the three +asses must be signed, for if it be copied out they shall say it is +false, and then I shall not get the ass-colts." + +"Well, then, the order for the ass-colts shall be signed in the book," +said Don Quixote; "and as for the love-letter, thou shalt put this +ending to it, 'Yours till death, the Knight of the Rueful +Countenance.' And it will be no great matter that it goes in a +strange hand, for as well as I remember Dulcinea can neither read nor +write, nor has she ever seen my handwriting. For indeed, during the +twelve years I have been loving her more dearly than the light of my +eyes, I have only seen her four times, and I doubt if she hath ever +noticed me at all, so closely have her father Lorenzo Corchuelo, and +her mother Aldonza brought her up." + +"Ha! ha!" cried Sancho, "then the Lady Dulcinea of Toboso is the +daughter of Lorenzo Corchuelo, and is called Aldonza Corchuelo?" + +"That is she," said Don Quixote, "and a lady worthy to be the empress +of this wide universe." + +"I know her very well," replied Sancho, "and can tell you that she can +throw an iron bar with the strongest lad in our village. She is a girl +of mettle, tall and stout, and a sturdy lass that can hold her own +with any knight-errant in the world. Out upon her, what an arm she +hath! Why, I saw her one day stand on top of the church belfry, to +call her father's servants from the fields, and, though they were half +a league off, they heard her as though she were in the next field; and +the best of her is there is nothing coy about her, but she jokes with +all and makes game and jest of everybody. To be frank with you, Sir +Don Quixote, I have been living under a great mistake, for, really and +truly, I thought all this while that the lady Dulcinea was some great +princess with whom your worship was in love." + +"I have told thee, Sancho, many times before now," said Don Quixote, +"that thou art a very great babbler. Understand, then, that my lady +Dulcinea is to me as good and beautiful as any princess in the world, +and that is enough." + +With these words; he took out the pocket-book, and, going aside, began +to write with great gravity. When he had ended, he called Sancho to +him and read him the following letter:-- + + +"SOVEREIGN LADY, + +"The sere wounded one, O sweetest Dulcinea of Toboso, sends thee the +health which he wants himself. If thy beauty disdain me, I cannot +live. My good Squire Sancho will give thee ample account, O ungrateful +fair one, of the penance I do for love of thee. Should it be thy +pleasure to favour me, I am thine. If not, by ending my life I shall +satisfy both thy cruelty and my desires. + +"Thine until death, + +"KNIGHT OF THE RUEFUL COUNTENANCE." + + +"By my father's life," said Sancho, "it is the noblest thing that ever +I heard in my life; and now will your worship write the order for the +three ass-colts?" + +"With pleasure," answered Don Quixote, and he did as he was desired. + +"And now," said Sancho, "let me saddle Rozinante and be off. For I +intend to start without waiting to see those mad pranks your worship +is going to play. There is one thing I am afraid of, though, and that +is, that on my return I shall not be able to find the place where I +leave you, it is so wild and difficult." + +"Take the marks well, and when thou shouldst return I will mount to +the tops of the highest rocks. Also it will be well to cut down some +boughs and strew them after you as you go, that they may serve as +marks to find your way back." + +Sancho did this, and, not heeding his master's request to stay and see +him go through some mad tricks in order that he might describe them to +Dulcinea, he mounted Rozinante and rode away. + +He had not got more than a hundred paces when he returned and said: +"Sir, what you said was true, and it would be better for my conscience +if I saw the follies you are about to do before I describe them to +your lady." + +"Did I not tell thee so?" said Don Quixote; "wait but a minute." + +Then stripping himself in all haste of most of his clothes, Don +Quixote began cutting capers and turning somersaults in his shirt +tails, until even Sancho was satisfied that he might truthfully tell +the Lady Dulcinea that her lover was mad, and so, turning away, he +started in good earnest upon his journey. + + + + +SANCHO'S JOURNEY TO THE LADY DULCINEA + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Don Quixote, left to himself, climbed to the top of a high mountain, +and spent his days making poems about the beautiful Dulcinea, which he +recited to the rocks and trees around him. In this, and in calling +upon the nymphs of the streams, and the satyrs of the woods, to hear +his cries, did he pass his time while Sancho was away. + +As for his squire, turning out on the highway, he took the road which +led to Toboso, and arrived the next day at the inn where he had been +tossed in a blanket. He no sooner saw it than he imagined that he was +once again flying through the air, and he half made up his mind that +he would not enter the inn, although it was now dinner-hour and he +felt a marvellous longing to taste some cooked meat again, as he had +eaten nothing but cold fare for a good many days. + +This longing made him draw near to the inn, remaining still in some +doubt as to whether he should enter it or not. + +As he stood musing, there came out of the inn two persons who +recognised him at once, and the one said to the other: "Tell me, sir +curate, is not that horseman riding there Sancho Panza, who departed +with Don Quixote to be his squire?" + +"It is," said the curate, "and that is Don Quixote's horse." + +They knew him well enough, for they were Don Quixote's friends, the +curate and the barber, who not so long ago had helped to burn his +books and wall up his library; so, wanting to learn news of Don +Quixote, they went up to him and said: "Friend Sancho Panza, where +have you left your master?" + +Sancho Panza knew them instantly, but wanted to conceal the place and +manner in which the knight remained, and answered that his master was +kept in a certain place by affairs of the greatest importance of which +he must say nothing. + +"That will not do, friend Sancho," said the barber. "If thou dost not +tell us where he is, we shall believe that thou hast robbed and slain +him, seeing that thou art riding his horse. Verily thou must find us +the owner of the steed, or it will be the worse for thee." + +"Your threats do not trouble me, for I am not one who would rob or +murder anybody, and, for my master, he is enjoying himself doing +penance in the Brown Mountains, where I have just left him." + +Then Sancho told them from beginning to end how his master was +carrying out his penance, and of the mad pranks he intended to +perform, and how he, Sancho, was bearing a letter to the Lady Dulcinea +of Toboso, who was none other than the daughter of Lorenzo Corchuelo, +with whom the knight was head and ears in love. + +Both of them were amazed at what they heard, although they knew +something of Don Quixote's madness already. They asked Sancho to show, +them the letter he was carrying to the Lady Dulcinea. Sancho told +them it was written in the pocket-book, and that he was ordered to get +it copied out at the first village he came to. + +The curate told him that if he would show it to them, he would make a +fair copy of it for him. Then Sancho thrust his hand into his bosom +to search for the little book, but he could not find it, nor would he +have found it if he had hunted until Doomsday, for he had left it with +Don Quixote, who had quite forgotten to give it to him, nor had he +remembered to ask for it when he came away. When Sancho discovered +that the book was lost, his face grew as pale as death, and feeling +all over his body he saw clearly that it was not to be found. Without +more ado he laid hold of his beard, and with both his fists plucked +out half his hair and gave himself half a dozen blows about his face +and nose, so that he was soon bathed in his own blood. + +Seeing this, the curate and the barber asked him what was the matter, +that he should treat himself so ill. + +"What is the matter?" cried poor Sancho. "Why, I have let slip +through my fingers three of the finest ass-colts you ever saw." + +"How so?" asked the barber. + +"Why, I have lost the pocket-book," replied Sancho, "which had in it +not only the letter for Dulcinea, but also a note of hand signed by my +master addressed to his niece, ordering her to give me three ass-colts +of the four or five that were left at his house." So saying, he told +them the story of his lost Dapple. + +The curate comforted him by telling him that as soon as they had found +his master they would get him to write out the paper again in proper +form. With this Sancho took courage, and said if that could be done +all would be right, for he cared not much for the loss of Dulcinea's +letter, as he knew it by heart. + +"Say it then, Sancho," said the barber, "and we will write it out." + +Then Sancho stood still and began to scratch his head and try to call +the letter to memory. He stood first on one leg and then on the other, +and looked first to heaven and then to earth, while he gnawed off half +his nails, and at the end of a long pause said: "I doubt if I can +remember all, but it began, 'High and unsavoury lady.'" + +"I warrant you," interrupted the barber, "it was not 'unsavoury' but +'sovereign lady.'" + +"So it was," cried Sancho; "and then there was something about the +wounded one sending health and sickness and what not to the ungrateful +fair, and so it scrambled along until it ended in 'Yours till death, +the Knight of the Rueful Countenance.'" + +They were both much amused at Sancho's good memory, and praised it +highly, asking him to repeat the letter once or twice more to them, so +that they might be able to write it down when they got a chance. Three +times did Sancho repeat it, and each time he made as many new +mistakes. Then he told them other things about his master, but never a +word about being tossed in a blanket, although he refused, without +giving any reason, to enter the inn, though he begged them to bring +him something nice and hot to eat, and some barley for Rozinante, when +they had finished their own repast. + +With that they went into the inn, and after a while the curate brought +him some meat, which Sancho was very glad to see. + +Now whilst the curate and the barber were in the inn they discussed +together the best means of bringing Don Quixote back to his home, and +the curate hit upon a plan which fitted in well with Don Quixote's +humour, and seemed likely to be successful. This plan was, as he told +the barber, to dress himself like a wandering damsel, while the barber +took the part of her squire, and in this disguise they were to go to +where Don Quixote was undergoing his penance, and the curate, +pretending that he was an afflicted and sorely distressed damsel, was +to demand of him a boon, which as a valiant knight errant he could not +refuse. + +The service which the damsel was to ask was that Don Quixote would +follow her where she should lead him, to right a wrong which some +wicked knight had done her. Besides this, she was to pray him not to +command her to unveil herself or inquire as to her condition, until he +had done her right against the wicked knight. And thus they hoped to +lead Don Quixote back to his own village, and afterwards to cure him +of his mad ideas. + +The curate's notion pleased the barber well, and they resolved to +carry it out. They borrowed of the innkeeper's wife a gown and a +head-dress, leaving with her in exchange the curate's new cassock. The +barber made for himself a great beard of a red ox's tail in which the +innkeeper used to hang his horse-comb. + +The innkeeper's wife asked them what they wanted these things for, and +the curate told her shortly all about Don Quixote's madness, and how +this disguise was necessary to bring him away from the mountains where +he had taken up his abode. + +The innkeeper and his wife then remembered all about their strange +guest, and told the barber and the curate all about him and his +balsam, and how Sancho had fared with the blanket. Then the +innkeeper's wife dressed up the curate so cleverly that it could not +have been better done. She attired him in a stuff gown with bands of +black velvet several inches broad, and a bodice and sleeves of green +velvet trimmed with white satin, both of which might have been made in +the days of the Flood. The curate would not consent to wear a +headdress like a woman's, but put on a white quilted linen nightcap, +which he carried to sleep in. Then with two strips of black stuff he +made himself a mask and fixed it on, and this covered his face and +beard very neatly. He then put on his large hat, and, wrapping himself +in his cloak, seated himself like a woman sideways on his mule, whilst +the barber mounted his, with a beard reaching down to his girdle, +made, as was said, from a red ox's tail. + +They now took their leave, and all at the inn wished them a good +success; but they had not gone very far when the curate began to dread +that he was not doing right in dressing up as a woman and gadding +about in such a costume, even on so good an errand. He therefore +proposed to the barber that he should be the distressed damsel, and +he, the curate, would take the part of the squire and teach him what +to say and how to behave. Sancho now came up to them, and, seeing them +in their strange dresses, could not contain his laughter. + +The curate soon threw off his disguise, and the barber did the same, +and both resolved not to dress up any more until they should come +nearer to Don Quixote, when the barber should be the distressed damsel +and the curate should be the squire. + +Then they pursued their journey towards the Brown Mountains, guided by +Sancho, to whom they explained that it was necessary that his master +should be led away from his penance, if he was ever to become an +emperor and be in a position to give Sancho his desired island. + + + + +THE STORY OF CARDENIO + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +The next day they arrived at the place where Sancho had left the +boughs strewn along his path, and there he told them they were near to +Don Quixote, and that they had better get dressed. For they had told +Sancho part of their plan to take away his master from this wretched +penance he was performing, and warned him not to tell the knight who +they were. They also said that if Don Quixote asked, as they were sure +he would, whether he had delivered his letter to Dulcinea, he was to +say that he had done so; but as his lady could not read, she had sent +a message that he was to return to her. Sancho listened to all this +talk, and said he would remember everything, for he was anxious that +his master should give up penances and go forth again in search of +islands. He also suggested that it were best he should go on in +advance, as perhaps the message from Dulcinea would of itself be +enough to bring Don Quixote away from the mountains. + +With that, Sancho went off into the mountain gorges, leaving the other +two behind by a stream overhung with pleasant trees and rocks. + +It was one of the hottest days of August, when in those parts the heat +is very great, and it was about three in the afternoon when Sancho +left them. The two were resting in the shade at their ease when they +heard the sound of a voice, not accompanied by any instrument, but +singing very sweetly and melodiously. The song surprised them not a +little, for this did not seem the place in which to find so good a +singer. + +The singer finished his song, and the barber and curate, in wonder and +delight, listened for more. But as silence continued, they agreed to +go in search of this strange musician. As they were moving away he +again burst into song, and at the end of this, uttered a deep sigh, +and the music was changed into sobs and heartrending moans. + +They had not gone far in their search when, in turning the corner of a +rock, they saw a man with a black and matted beard, his hair long and +untangled, his feet unshod and his legs bare. The curate at once went +up to him and the man returned his greeting in a hoarse tone but with +great courtesy. + +"Whoever you may be, good sirs, I see clearly that, unworthy as I am, +there are yet human beings who would show me kindness. My name is +Cardenio; the place of my birth one of the best cities in Andalusia; +my lineage noble, my parents rich, and my misfortunes so great that I +think no one was ever to be pitied as I am. A terrible madness masters +me to live in these mountains and many blame my outrageous conduct +rather than pity my misery. But if you will listen to my story, you +will know why I have been driven here, what has made me mad, and will +understand how far I ought to be blamed and how much I may be pitied." + +The curate and the barber, who wanted nothing better than to learn the +cause of his woe from his own lips, asked him to tell his story. + +Upon this Cardenio began in the middle of his story and progressed +rapidly in spite of repeated questioning until he came to the book +that his beloved Lucinda had borrowed about Amadis Gaul. + +There was no interruption from any one on this occasion, so Cardenio +went on to tell them how, when Lucinda returned the book he found in +it a letter full of tender wishes beautifully expressed. + +"It was this letter," continued Cardenio, "that moved me to again ask +Lucinda for wife; it was this letter also which made Don Fernando +determine to ruin me before my happiness could be complete. I told +Don Fernando how matters stood with me, and how her father expected +mine to ask for Lucinda, and how I dared not speak to my father about +it for fear he should refuse his consent; not because he was ignorant +of the beauty and worth of Lucinda, but because he did not wish me to +marry so soon, or at least not until he had seen what the Duke Ricardo +would do for me. I told Don Fernando that I could not venture to speak +to my father about it, and he offered to speak on my behalf, and +persuade my father to ask for Lucinda's hand. + +"How could I imagine that with a gentleman like Fernando, my own +friend, such a thing as treachery was possible? But so it was! And my +friend, as I thought him, knowing that my presence was a +stumbling-block to his plans, asked me to go to his elder brother's to +borrow some money from him to pay for six horses which Fernando had +bought in the city. It never entered my thoughts to imagine his +villainy, and I went with a right good will to do his errand. That +night I spoke with Lucinda, and told her what had been arranged +between me and Fernando, telling her to hope that all would turn out +well. As I left her, tears filled her eyes, and we both seemed full of +misery and alarm, tokens, as I now think, of the dark fate that +awaited me. I reached the town to which I was sent, and delivered my +letters to Don Fernando's brother. I was well received, but there +seemed no haste to send me back again, and I was put off with many +excuses about the difficulty of raising the money that Don Fernando +needed. In this way I rested several days, much to my disgust, and it +seemed to me impossible to live apart from Lucinda for so long a time. + +"But on the fourth day after I had arrived, there came a man in search +of me with a letter, which, by the handwriting, I knew to be +Lucinda's. I opened it, not without fear, knowing that it must be some +serious matter which would lead her to write to me, seeing she did it +so rarely. I asked the bearer, before I read the letter, who had given +it to him, and how long it had been on the way. He answered that, +passing by chance at midday through a street in my native city, a very +beautiful lady had called to him from a window. Poor thing, said he, +her eyes were all bedewed with tears, and she spoke hurriedly, saying: +'Brother, if thou art a good man, as thou seemest to be, I pray thee +take this letter to the person named in the address, and in so doing +thou shalt do me a great service. And that thou mayest not want money +to do it, take what thou shalt find wrapped in that handkerchief.' + +"'So saying she threw out of the window a handkerchief in which was +wrapped a hundred _reals_, this ring of gold which I carry here, +and this letter which I have given you. I made signs to her that I +would do what she bade, and as I knew you very well I made up my mind +not to trust any other messenger, but to come myself, and so I have +travelled this journey, which you know is some eighteen leagues, in +but sixteen hours.' + +"Whilst the kind messenger was telling his story, I remained trembling +with the letter in my hand, until at last I took courage and opened +it, when these words caught my eyes:-- + +"'The promise Don Fernando made to you to persuade your father to +speak to mine, he has kept after his own fashion. Know, then, that he +has himself asked me for wife, and my father, carried away by his rank +and position, has agreed to his wishes, so that in two days we are to +be privately married. Imagine how I feel, and consider if you should +not come at once. Let me hope that this reaches your hand ere mine be +joined to his who keeps his promised faith so ill.' + +"Such were the words of her letter, and they caused me at once to set +out on my journey without waiting for the despatch of Don Fernando's +business, for now I knew that it was not a matter of buying horses, +but the pursuit of his own wretched pleasure, that had led to my being +sent to his brother. The rage which I felt for Don Fernando, joined to +the fear I had of losing the jewel I had won by so many years of +patient love, seemed to lend me wings, and I arrived at my native city +as swiftly as though I had flown, just in time to see and speak with +Lucinda. I entered the city secretly, and left my mule at the house of +the honest man who had brought my letter, and went straight to the +little iron gate where I had so often met Lucinda. + +"There I found her, and as soon as she saw me she said in deep +distress: 'Cardenio, I am attired in wedding garments, and in the hall +there waits for me the traitor, Don Fernando, and my covetous father, +with other witnesses, who shall see my death rather than my wedding. +Be not troubled, dear friend, for if I cannot persuade them to give me +my freedom, I can at least end my life with this dagger.' + +"I answered her in great distress, saying: 'Sweet lady, if thou +carriest a dagger, I also carry a sword to defend thy life, or to kill +myself, should fortune be against us.' + +"I believe she did not hear all I said, for she was hastily called +away, and I aroused myself from my grief, as best I could, and went +into the house, for I knew well all the entrances and exits. Then, +without being seen, I managed to place myself in a hollow formed by +the window of the great hall, which was covered by two pieces of +tapestry drawn together, whence I could see all that went on in the +hall without any one seeing me. + +"The bridegroom entered the hall, wearing his ordinary dress. His +groomsman was a first cousin of Lucinda's, and no one else was in the +room but the servants of the house. In a little while Lucinda came out +of her dressing-room with her mother and two of her maids. My anxiety +gave me no time to note what she wore. I was only able to mark the +colours, which were crimson and white; and I remember the glimmer with +which the jewels and precious stones shone in her head-dress. But all +this was as nothing to the singular beauty of her fair golden hair. + +"When they were all stood in the hall, the priest of the parish +entered, and, taking each by the hand, asked: 'Will you, Lady Lucinda, +take the Lord Don Fernando for your lawful husband?' I thrust my head +and neck out of the tapestry to hear what Lucinda answered. The priest +stood waiting for a long time before she gave it, and then, when I +expected, nay, almost hoped, that she would take out the dagger to +stab herself, or unloose her tongue to speak the truth, or make some +confession of her love for me, I heard her say in a faint and +languishing voice, 'I will.' + +"Then Don Fernando said the same, and, giving her the ring, the knot +was tied. But when the bridegroom approached to embrace her, she put +her hand to her heart and fell fainting in her mother's arms. + +"It remains only for me to tell in what a state I was, when in that +'Yes!' I saw all my hopes at an end. I burned with rage and jealousy. +All the house was in a tumult when Lucinda fainted, and, her mother +unclasping her dress to give her air, found in her bosom a paper, +which Fernando seized and went aside to read by the light of a torch. +Whilst he read it he fell into a chair and covered his face with his +hands in melancholy discontent. + +"Seeing every one was in confusion I ventured forth, not caring where +I went, not having even a desire to take vengeance on my enemies. I +left the house, and came to where I had left my mule, which I caused +to be saddled. Then without a word of farewell to any one I rode out +of the city, and never turned my head to look back at it again. + +"All night I travelled, and about dawn I came to one of the entrances +to these mountains, through which I wandered three days at random. I +then left my mule, and such things as I had, and took to living in +these wilds. My most ordinary dwelling is in the hollow of a +cork-tree, which is large enough to shelter this wretched body. The +goatherds who live among these mountains give me food out of charity. +They tell me, when they meet me in my wits, that at other times I rush +out at them and seize with violence the food they would offer me in +kindness. + +"I know that I do a thousand mad things, but without Lucinda I shall +never recover my reason, and I feel certain that my misery can only be +ended by death." + + + + +THE STORY OF DOROTHEA + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +As soon as Cardenio had finished his melancholy story, the curate was +about to offer him some consolation, when he was stopped by hearing a +mournful voice calling out: "Oh that I could find an end to this life +of misery! Alas, how much more agreeable to me is the company of these +rocks and thickets than the society of faithless man! Would that I had +any one to advise me in difficulty, to comfort me in distress, or to +avenge my wrongs!" This was overheard by the curate and all who were +with him, and thinking that the person who spoke must be hard by, they +went to search, and had not gone twenty paces when they saw behind a +large rock a boy sitting under an ash-tree. He wore a peasant's dress, +but as he was bending down to wash his feet in the brook, his head was +turned from them. They approached softly and without speaking, while +his whole attention was employed in bathing his legs in the stream. +They wondered at the whiteness and beauty of his feet, that did not +seem formed to tread the furrows, or follow the cattle or the plough, +as his dress seemed to suggest. The curate, who was ahead of the rest, +made signs to them to crouch down, or hide themselves behind a rock. +This done, they all gazed at the beautiful youth, who was clad in a +grey jacket, and wore breeches and hose of the same cloth, with a grey +hunting-cap on his head. Having washed his delicate feet, he wiped +them with a handkerchief which he took out of his cap, and in doing so +he raised his head, showing to those who were looking at him a face of +such exquisite beauty that Cardenio murmured: "Since this is not +Lucinda, it can be no earthly but some celestial being." + +The youth took off his cap, and, shaking his head, a wealth of hair, +that Apollo might have envied, fell down upon his shoulders, and +discovered to them all that the peasant was not only a woman, but one +of the most delicate and handsome women they had ever seen. Even +Cardenio had to admit to himself that only Lucinda could rival her in +beauty. Her golden locks fell down in such length and quantity that +they not only covered her shoulders, but concealed everything except +her feet, and the bystanders more than ever desired to know who this +mysterious beauty might be. Some one advanced, and at the noise the +beauteous phantasy raised her head, and thrust aside her locks with +both hands, to see what it was that had startled her. No sooner did +she perceive them than she started up, and, without staying to put on +her shoes or tie up her hair, seized her bundle, and took to flight +full of alarm, but she had not run six yards when her delicate feet, +unable to bear the roughness of the stones, failed her, and she fell +to the ground. + +They all ran to her assistance, and the curate, who was first, said: +"Stay, madam, whosoever you are; those you see here have no desire to +harm you, and there is therefore no necessity whatever for flight." + +To this she made no reply, being ashamed and confused, but the curate, +taking her hand, continued in a kindly manner: "Madam, it can be no +slight cause that has hidden your beauty in such an unworthy disguise, +and brought you to this lonely place where we have found you. Let us +at least offer you our advice and counsel in your distress, for no +sorrow can be so great that kind words may not be of service. Therefore, +madam, tell us something of your good or evil fortune, that we may +help you in your troubles as best we can." + +At first, while the curate spoke, the disguised damsel stood rapt in +attention, and gaped and gazed at them all as if she were some stupid +villager, who did not understand what was said; but finding that the +curate understood something of her secret, she sighed deeply, and +said: "Since these mountains cannot conceal me, and my poor hair +betrays my secret, it would be vain for me to pretend things which you +could not be expected to believe. Therefore I thank you all, +gentlemen, for your kindness and courtesy, and I will tell you +something of my misfortunes, not to win your pity, but that you may +know why it is I wander here alone and in this strange disguise." + +All this was said in such a sweet voice, and in so sensible a manner, +that they again assured her of their wish to serve her, and begged +that she would tell them her story. + +To this she replied by putting on her shoes and binding up her hair, +and seating herself upon a rock in the midst of her three hearers. +Then, brushing away a few tears from her eyes, she began in a clear +voice the story of her life. + +"In the Province of Andalusia there is a certain town from which a +great duke takes his name, which makes him one of our grandees, as +they are called in Spain. He has two sons. The elder is heir to his +estates, the younger is heir to I know not what, unless it be his +father's evil qualities. To this nobleman my parents are vassals, of +humble and low degree, but still so rich that if nature had gifted +them with birth equal to their wealth, I should have been nobly born, +nor should I now have suffered these strange misfortunes. They are but +farmers and plain people, and what they mostly prized was their +daughter, whom they thought to be the best treasure they had. As they +had no other child, they were almost too affectionate and indulgent, +and I was their spoilt child. And as I was the mistress of their +affection, so also was I mistress of all their goods. I kept the +reckoning of their oil-mills, their wine-presses, their cattle and +sheep, their beehives--in a word, of all that a rich farmer like my +father could possess. I engaged and dismissed the servants, and was +the stewardess of the estate. The spare hours that were left from the +management of the farm I spent with the needle, the lace cushion, and +the distaff, or else I would read some good hook or practise upon my +harp. + +"This was the life that I led in my father's house. And though I +seldom went abroad except to church, yet it seems I had attracted the +eyes of the duke's younger son, Don Fernando, for so he was called." + +No sooner did she mention the name of Don Fernando than Cardenio's +face changed colour, and the curate and barber noticing it, feared +that he would burst out into one of his mad fits. But he did nothing +but tremble and remain silent, and the girl continued her story. + +"No sooner, then, had Don Fernando seen me than he was smitten with +love for me, and from that moment I had no peace. I could not sleep +for his serenades. I had numerous letters from him, full of +declarations of love, and at last at his earnest entreaty we had many +meetings. But though he talked much of love, yet I knew that his +father would not allow him to marry the daughter of one of his own +vassals, and my parents both assured me that the duke would never +consent to our marriage. + +"One evening Don Fernando gave me a beautiful ring, and promised that +he would always be true to me, and from that moment I felt that I was +betrothed to him, and that he really intended, in spite of the duke's +opposition, to make me his wife. For some days I lived in the +greatest joy, and Don Fernando came constantly to see me, but after a +while his visits grew less frequent, and at last ceased altogether, +and I heard that he had gone on a visit to another city. + +"I waited in hopes of receiving a letter from him, but none came. Ah, +how sad and bitter those days and hours were to me, when I first began +to doubt and even to disbelieve in my lover's faith! I had to keep +watch on my tears, and wear a happy face for fear my parents should +find out the reason of my unhappiness. All this time of doubt, +however, came to an end at an instant. For at last it was announced in +the town that Don Fernando had married, in the city where he was +visiting, a damsel of exceeding beauty and of very noble birth called +Lucinda, and there were many strange tales told of their wedding." + +Cardenio, hearing the name of Lucinda, did nothing but shrug his +shoulders, bow his head, and shed bitter tears. But yet, for all that, +Dorothea, for such was the maiden's name, did not interrupt the thread +of her story, but continued. + +"When this doleful news reached my ears, I was inflamed with rage and +fury. I ordered one of my father's shepherds to attend me, and without +saying a word to my parents, I packed up some dresses and some money +and jewels, and set off on foot for the city where Don Fernando had +gone, that I might get from him at least some explanation of his +wickedness. In two days and a half I arrived at my journey's end, and +the first person I asked told me the whole story of Don Fernando's +wedding. He told me that at the time of the wedding, after Lucinda +had uttered her consent to be Fernando's wife, she had fainted, and +there fell from her bosom a letter written in her own hand, in which +she said that she could not be the wife of Don Fernando, because she +was betrothed to Cardenio, a gentleman of that city. The letter went +on to say that she intended to kill herself at the end of the +ceremony, and upon her was found a dagger, which seemed to bear out +what she said. Don Fernando seeing this, and thinking that Lucinda had +mocked him, would have stabbed her with the dagger had her parents not +prevented him. After this, I was told, Don Fernando fled, and I +learned that this Cardenio had been present at the wedding, and, +hearing her words, had vanished from the city in despair, leaving a +letter behind, declaring the wrongs Lucinda had done to him. The whole +city were talking of these terrible things, and they talked the more +when it was known that Lucinda was missing from her father's house, +and that her parents had almost lost their reason in their distress. +When I heard all these things I made up my mind I would find Don +Fernando, married or unmarried. But before I left the city on my +search, I was told there was a proclamation made by the public crier, +offering a large reward for any one who should bring me back to my +parents. Fearing that this might tempt the shepherd to betray my +whereabouts, I made my escape from the city, and in this disguise came +to the Brown Mountains, where I have lived for some months with an old +goatherd, and I help him to tend his goats. Here I have managed to +pass as a peasant lad until my hair betrayed me to you gentlemen as +what I am, a distressed and unfortunate maiden. This is indeed the +true story of my tragedy, for which consolation is in vain, and +relief, I fear me, impossible." + + + + +THE END OF THE PENANCE + +Retold by Judge Parry + +When the unfortunate Dorothea had finished her story, she remained +silent, her face flushed with sorrow; and as the priest was about to +comfort her, Cardenio took her by the hand and said: "Lady, thou art +the beautiful Dorothea, daughter unto rich Cleonardo." + +Dorothea was amazed when she heard her father's name spoken by a +person of such wretched appearance as Cardenio, and answered: "Who art +thou, friend, that knowest so well my father's name? For, unless I am +mistaken, I did not once name him throughout all my story." + +"I am," said Cardenio, "the unlucky one to whom Lucinda was betrothed; +and I, too, had thought that I was without hope of comfort. But now I +hear that Lucinda will not marry Fernando because she is mine, and +Fernando cannot marry Lucinda because he is yours, it seems to me that +there is yet some consolation for both of us. And I vow, on the faith +of a gentleman, not to forsake you until I see you in the possession +of Don Fernando." + +The curate now told them both the nature of his errand, and begged +that they would join him in his travels, and stay as long as they +pleased at his village. By this time they heard the voice of Sancho +Panza, who, not finding them where he had left them, was calling out +as loudly as he might. + +They went to meet him, and asked for Don Quixote. Sancho told them +that he had found him almost naked to his shirt, lean and yellow, half +dead with hunger, and sighing for the Lady Dulcinea; and although he +had told him that she commanded him to journey to Tohoso, yet he +declared that he had made up his mind not to appear before her until +he had done feats worthy of her great beauty. + +The curate now returned and told Dorothea of their plan, and she at +once offered to act the part of the distressed damsel, for she had a +lady's dress in the bundle which she carried. + +"The sooner, then, we set about our work the better," said the barber. + +Dorothea retired to put on her robe of a fine rich woollen cloth, a +short mantle of another green stuff, and a collar and many rich jewels +which she took from a little casket. With these things she adorned +herself so gorgeously that she appeared to be a princess at +least. When Sancho saw her he was amazed, and asked the curate with +great eagerness to tell him who the lady was, and what she was doing +in these out of the way places. + +"This beautiful lady, brother Sancho," replied the curate, "is the +heiress in direct line of the mighty Kingdom of Micomicon, who has +come in search of thy master, to ask of him a boon, which is to avenge +her of a wrong done by a wicked giant. And, owing to the great fame +of thy master which has spread through all lands, this beautiful +princess has come to find him out." + +"A happy searcher and a happy finding," cried Sancho; "my master shall +soon slay the great lubber of a giant, unless he turn out to be a +phantom, for he has no power over those things. And when this is done, +my lord shall marry the princess, whose name, by the bye, you have not +yet told me, and by this means shall he become an emperor, and have +islands to give away." + +"Her name," replied the curate, "is the Princess Micomicona, and as to +your master's marriage, I will do what I can to help." + +Sancho was quite satisfied with these answers, and, when Dorothea had +mounted the mule, he guided them towards the spot where Don Quixote +was to be found. And as they went along, the barber told Sancho he +must in no way pretend to know who he was, for if he did, Don Quixote +would never leave the mountains and would never become an emperor. The +curate and Cardenio remained behind, promising to join them again on +the first opportunity. + +Having travelled about three-quarters of a league, they found Don +Quixote clothed, though still unarmed, sitting amidst the rocks. No +sooner did Sancho tell Dorothea that this was his master than she +whipped up her palfrey, closely followed by the well-bearded barber, +who jumped from his mule, and ran to help his lady alight. + +Quickly dismounting, she threw herself on her knees before Don +Quixote, and refusing his efforts to raise her, spoke as follows: +"Never will I rise from this position, most valiant and invincible +knight, until you grant me a boon which will not only add to your +honour and renown, but also assist the most injured and unfortunate +damsel that ever the sun beheld. And if the valour of your mighty arm +be equal to what I have heard of your immortal fame, you can indeed +render aid to a miserable being who comes from a far-distant land to +seek your help." + +"Beauteous lady," replied Don Quixote, "I will not answer one word, +nor hear a jot of your affairs, until you rise from the ground." + +"I will not rise, my lord," answered the unfortunate maiden, "until I +have obtained from you the boon I beg." + +"Dear lady," replied Don Quixote, "it is granted, so that it be not +anything that touches my duty to my king, my country, or the chosen +queen of my heart." + +"Your kindness shall in no way affect them," replied Dorothea. + +At this moment Sancho came up and whispered softly in his master's +ear: "Sir, you may very well grant the request she asketh, for it is a +mere nothing; it is only to kill a monstrous giant, and she that +demands it is the Princess Micomicona, Queen of the great Kingdom of +Micomicon in Ethiopia." + +"Let her be what she will," said Don Quixote, "I will do my duty +towards her." And then turning to the damsel, he said: "Rise, most +beautiful lady, for I grant you any boon you shall please to ask of +me." + +"Why, then," said Dorothea, "what I ask of you is, that you will at +once come away with me to the place where I shall guide you, and that +you promise me not to undertake any new adventure, until you have +revenged me on a traitor who has driven me out of my kingdom." + +"I grant your request," said Don Quixote, "and therefore, lady, you +may cast away from this day forward all the melancholy that troubles +you, for this mighty arm shall restore you to your kingdom." + +The distressed damsel strove with much ado to kiss his hand, but Don +Quixote, who was a most courteous knight, would not permit it, and, +making her arise, treated her with the greatest respect. + +He now commanded Sancho to saddle Rozinante and help him to arm +himself, and this done the knight was ready to depart. The barber, who +had been kneeling all the while, had great difficulty to stop laughing +aloud at all this, and his beard was in danger of falling off. He was +glad to get up and help his lady to mount the mule, and when Don +Quixote was mounted, and the barber himself had got upon his beast, +they were ready to start. As for Sancho, who trudged along on foot, +he could not help grieving for the loss of his Dapple; but he bore it +all with patience, for now he saw his master on the way to marry a +princess, and so become at least King of Micomicon, though it grieved +him to think that that country was peopled by blackamoors, and that +when he became a ruler his vassals would all be black. + +While this was going on, the curate and Cardenio had not been +idle. For the curate was a cunning plotter, and had hit on a bright +idea. He took from his pocket a pair of scissors, and cut off +Cardenio's rugged beard and trimmed his hair very cleverly. And when +he had thrown his riding-cloak over Cardenio's shoulders, he was so +unlike what he was before, that he would not have known himself in a +looking-glass. This finished, they went out to meet Don Quixote and +the others. + +When they came towards them, the curate looked earnestly at the knight +for some time, and then ran towards him with open arms, saying: "In a +good hour is this meeting with my worthy countryman, the mirror of +knighthood, Don Quixote of the Mancha, the champion of the +distressed." + +Don Quixote did not at first know him, but when he remembered the +curate he wanted to alight, saying: "It is not seemly, reverend sir, +that I should ride whilst you travel on foot." + +But the curate would not allow him to dismount and give him his horse, +but suggested that he might ride behind the lady's squire on his mule. + +"I did not think of that, good master curate," said Don Quixote; "but +I know my lady the princess will for my sake order her squire to lend +you the use of his saddle." + +"That I will," said the princess; "and I know my squire is the last +man to grudge a share of his beast to this reverend father." + +"That is most certain," said the barber, and got off his steed at +once. + +The curate now mounted, but the misfortune was that when the barber +tried to get up behind, the mule, which was a hired one, lifted up her +legs and kicked out with such fury that she knocked Mr. Nicholas to +the ground, and, as he rolled over, his beard fell off and lay upon +the earth. Don Quixote, seeing that huge mass of beard torn from the +jaw without blood, and lying at a distance from the squire's face, +said: "This, I vow, is one of the greatest miracles I ever saw in my +life. The beard is taken off as clean by the heel of the mule as if it +had been done by the hand of a barber." + +The curate, seeing the risk they ran of their plan being found out, +came to where Master Nicholas was lying, and with one jerk clapped it +on again, muttering as he did so some Latin words, which he said were +a charm for fixing on beards. + +By this means, to Don Quixote's amazement, the squire was cured again, +and he asked the curate to tell him this charm, which, he said, since +it could heal a wound of this kind, must be good for even more +dangerous injuries. + +The curate agreed to tell him the secret some other day, and, having +mounted the mule, the party rode slowly away towards the inn. + + + + +THE JOURNEY TO THE INN + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +The curate rode first on the mule, and with him rode Don Quixote and +the princess. The others, Cardenio, the barber, and Sancho Panza, +followed on foot. + +And as they rode, Don Quixote said to the damsel: "Madam, let me +entreat your highness to lead the way that most pleaseth you." + +Before she could answer, the curate said: "Towards what kingdoms would +you travel? Are you for your native land of Micomicon?" + +She, who knew very well what to answer, being no babe, replied: "Yes, +sir, my way lies towards that kingdom." + +"If it be so," said the curate, "you must pass through the village +where I dwell, and from thence your ladyship must take the road to +Carthagena, where you may embark. And, if you have a prosperous +journey, you may come within the space of nine years to the Lake +Meona, I mean Meolidas, which stands on this side of your highness's +kingdom some hundred days' journey or more." + +"You are mistaken, good sir," said she, "for it is not yet fully two +years since I left there, and, though I never had fair weather, I have +arrived in time to see what I so longed for, the presence of the +renowned Don Quixote of the Mancha, whose glory was known to me as +soon as my foot touched the shores of Spain." + +"No more," cried Don Quixote. "I cannot abide to hear myself praised, +for I am a sworn enemy to flattery. And though I know what you speak +is but truth, yet it offends mine ears. And I can tell you this, at +least, that whether I have valour or not, I will use it in your +service, even to the loss of my life. But let me know, master curate, +what has brought you here?" + +"You must know, then," replied the curate, "that Master Nicholas, the +barber, and myself travelled towards Seville to recover certain sums +of money which a kinsman of mine in the Indies had sent me. And +passing yesterday through this way we were set upon by four robbers, +who took everything that we had. And it is said about here, that those +who robbed us were certain galley slaves, who they say were set at +liberty, almost on this very spot, by a man so valiant that in spite +of the guard he released them all. And doubtless he must be out of his +wits, or else he must be as great a knave as they, to loose the wolf +among the sheep, and rebel against his king by taking from the galleys +their lawful prey." + +Sancho had told the curate of an adventure they had had with galley +slaves, and the curate spoke of it to see what Don Quixote would say. +The knight, however, durst not confess his part in the adventure, but +rode on, changing colour at every word the curate spoke. + +When the curate had finished, Sancho burst out: "By my father, master +curate, he that did that deed was my master, and that not for want of +warning, for I told him beforehand that it was a sin to deliver them, +and that they were great rogues who had been sent to the galleys to +punish them for their crimes." + +"You bottlehead!" replied Don Quixote. "It is not the duty of +knights-errant to examine whether the afflicted, enslaved, and +oppressed whom they meet by the way are in sorrow for their own +default; they must relieve them because they are needy and in +distress, looking at their sorrow and not at their crimes. And if any +but the holy master curate shall find fault with me on this account, I +will tell him that he knows nought of knighthood, and that he lies in +his throat, and this I will make him know by the power of my sword." + +Dorothea, who was discreet enough to see they were carrying the jest +too far, now said: "Remember, sir knight, the boon you promised me, +never to engage in any other adventure, be it ever so urgent, until +you have seen me righted. And had master curate known that it was the +mighty arm of Don Quixote that freed the galley slaves, I feel sure he +would have bit his tongue through ere he spoke words which might cause +you anger." + +"That I dare swear," said the curate. + +"Madam," replied Don Quixote, "I will hold my peace and keep my anger +to myself, and will ride on peaceably and quietly until I have done +the thing I promised. Tell me, therefore, without delay, what are your +troubles and on whom am I to take revenge." + +To this Dorothea replied: "Willingly will I do what you ask, so you +will give me your attention." + +At this Cardenio and the barber drew near to hear the witty Dorothea +tell her tale, and Sancho, who was as much deceived as his master, was +the most eager of all to listen. + +She, after settling herself in her saddle, began with a lively air to +speak as follows: "In the first place, I would have you know, +gentlemen, that my name is--" Here she stopped a moment, for she had +forgotten what name the curate had given her. + +He, seeing her trouble, said quickly: "It is no wonder, great lady, +that you hesitate to tell your misfortunes. Great sufferers often lose +their memory, so that they even forget their own names, as seems to +have happened to your ladyship, who has forgotten that she is called +the Princess Micomicona, heiress of the great Kingdom of Micomicon." + +"True," said the damsel, "but let me proceed. The king, my father, +was called Tinacrio the Sage, and was learned in the magic art. By +this he discovered that my mother, the Queen Xaramilla, would die +before him, and that I should soon afterwards be left an orphan. This +did not trouble him so much as the knowledge that a certain giant, +called Pandafilando of the Sour Face, lord of a great island near our +border, when he should hear that I was an orphan, would pass over with +a mighty force into my kingdom and take it from me. My father warned +me that when this came to pass I should not stay to defend myself, and +so cause the slaughter of my people, but should at once set out for +Spain, where I should meet with a knight whose fame would then extend +through all that kingdom. His name, he said, should be Don Quixote, +and he would be tall of stature, have a withered face, and on his +right side, a little under his left shoulder, he should have a tawny +spot with certain hairs like bristles." + +On hearing this, Don Quixote said: "Hold my horse, son Sancho, and +help me to strip, for I would know if I am the knight of whom the sage +king spoke." + +"There is no need," said Sancho, "for I know that your worship has +such a mark near your backbone." + +"It is enough," said Dorothea, "for among friends we must not be too +particular, and whether it is on your shoulder or your backbone is of +no importance. And, indeed, no sooner did I land in Osuna than I heard +of Don Quixote's fame, and felt sure that he was the man." + +"But how did you land in Osuna, madam," asked Don Quixote, "seeing +that it is not a sea town?" + +"Sir," said the curate, "the princess would say that she landed at +Malaga, and that Osuna was the first place wherein she heard tidings +of your worship." + +"That is so," said Dorothea; "and now nothing remains but to guide you +to Pandafilando of the Sour Face, that I may see you slay him, and +once again enter into my kingdom. For all must succeed as the wise +Tinacrio, my father, has foretold, and if the knight of the prophecy, +when he has killed the giant, so desires, then it will be my lot to +become his wife, and he will at once possess both me and my kingdom." + +"What thinkest thou of this, friend Sancho? Did I not tell thee this +would come about? Here we have a kingdom to command and a queen to +marry." + +When Sancho heard all this he jumped for joy, and running to Dorothea +stopped her mule, and asking her very humbly to give him her hand to +kiss, he kneeled down as a sign that he accepted her as his queen and +lady. + +All around could scarcely hide their laughter at the knight's madness +and the squire's simplicity, and when Dorothea promised Sancho to make +him a great lord, and Sancho gave her thanks, it roused their mirth +anew. + +"Madam," continued Don Quixote, who appeared to be full of thought, "I +repeat all I have said, and make my vow anew, and when I have cut off +the head of Pandafilando I will put you in peaceable possession of +your kingdom, but since my memory and will are captive to another, it +is not possible for me to marry." + +So disgusted was Sancho with what he heard that he cried out in a +great rage: "Surely, Sir Don Quixote, your worship is not in your +right senses. Is it possible your worship can refuse to marry a +princess like this? A poor chance have I of getting a countship if +your worship goes on like this, searching for mushrooms at the bottom +of the sea. Is my Lady Dulcinea more beautiful? She cannot hold a +candle to her. Marry her! Marry at once, and when you are king make me +a governor." + +Don Quixote, who heard such evil things spoken of his Lady Dulcinea, +could not bear them any longer, and therefore, lifting up his lance, +without speaking a word to Sancho, gave him two blows that brought him +to the earth, and if Dorothea had not called to the knight to spare +him, without doubt he would have taken his squire's life. + +"Think you, miserable villain," cried Don Quixote, "that it is to be +all sinning on thy side and pardoning on mine? Say, scoffer with the +viper's tongue, who dost thou think hath gained this kingdom and cut +off the head of this giant and made thee marquis--for all this I take +to be a thing as good as completed--unless it be the worth and valour +of Dulcinea using my arm as her instrument? She fights in my person, +and I live and breathe in her. From her I hold my life and being. O +villain, how ungrateful art thou that seest thyself raised from the +dust of the earth to be a nobleman, and speakest evil of her who gives +thee such honours!" + +Sancho was not too much hurt to hear what his master said. He jumped +up nimbly and ran behind Dorothea's palfrey, and from there said to +his master: "Tell me, your worship, if you are not going to marry this +great princess, how this kingdom will become yours, and how you can do +me any favours. Pray marry this queen now we have her here. I say +nothing against Lady Dulcinea's beauty, for I have never seen her." + +"How, thou wicked traitor, thou hast not seen her!" cried Don +Quixote. "Didst thou not but now bring me a message from Her?" + +"I mean," replied Sancho, "not seen her for long enough to judge of +her beauty, though, from what I did see, she appeared very lovely." + +"Ah!" said Don Quixote, "then I do excuse thee, but have a care what +thou sayest, for, remember, the pitcher may go once too often to the +well." + +"No more of this," said Dorothea. "Run Sancho, kiss your master's +hand, and ask his pardon. Henceforth speak no evil of the Lady +Dulcinea, and trust that fortune may find you an estate where you may +live like a prince." + +Sancho went up hanging his head and asked his lord's hand, which he +gave him with a grave air, and, after he had kissed it, the knight +gave him his blessing, and no more was said about it. + +While this was passing, they saw coming along the road on which they +were a man riding upon an ass, and when he drew near he seemed to be a +gipsy. + +But Sancho Panza, whenever he met with any asses, followed them with +his eyes and his heart, and he had hardly caught sight of the man when +he knew him to be an escaped robber, Gines of Passamonte, and the ass +to be none other than his beloved Dapple. + +Gines had disguised himself as a gipsy, but Sancho knew him, and +called out in a loud voice: "Ah! thief Gines, give up my jewel, let go +my life, give up mine ass, give up the comfort of my home. Fly, +scoundrel! Begone, thief! Give back what is none of thine." + +He need not have used so many words, for Gines leaped off at the first +and raced away from them all as fast as his legs could carry him. + +Sancho then ran up to Dapple, and, embracing him, cried: "How hast +thou been cared for, my darling and treasure, Dapple of mine eyes, my +sweet companion?" With this he stroked and kissed him as if he had +been a human being. But the ass held his peace, and allowed Sancho to +kiss and cherish him without answering a word. + + + + +SANCHO PANZA'S STORY OF HIS VISIT TO THE LADY DULCINEA + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +"Friend Sancho," said Don Quixote, "let us bury all our differences, +and tell me when, how, and where didst thou find Dulcinea. What was +she doing? What saidst thou to her? What answer made she? How did she +look when she read my letter? Who copied it for thee? Tell me all, +without adding to it or lying, for I would know everything." + +"Master," replied Sancho, "if I must speak the truth, nobody copied +out the letter, for I carried no letter at all." + +"Thou sayest true," said Don Quixote, "for I found the pocket-book, +wherein it was written, two days after thy departure, and I did expect +that thou wouldst return for it." + +"I had done so," said Sancho, "if I had not carried it in my memory +when you read it to me, so that I could say it to a parish clerk, who +copied it out of my head, word for word, so exactly that he said that +in all the days of his life he had never read such a pretty letter." + +"And hast thou it still by heart, Sancho?" asked Don Quixote. + +"No, sir, for after I gave it, seeing that it was to be of no more +use, I let myself forget it. If I remember, it began, _Scrubby Queen, +Sovereign Lady_, and the ending--_yours till death, the Knight of the +Rueful Countenance_--but between these things I put in three hundred +_hearts_, and _loves_, and _dear eyes_." + +"All this I like to hear, therefore say on," said Don Quixote. "Thou +didst arrive; and what was the Queen of Beauty doing then? I daresay +thou foundest her threading pearls or embroidering some curious device +with golden threads for this her captive knight." + +"No, that I did not," said Sancho, "but winnowing two bushels of wheat +in the yard of her house." + +"Why, then," said Don Quixote, "thou mayest reckon that each grain of +wheat was a pearl, seeing they were touched by her hands. But tell me, +when thou didst deliver my letter, did she kiss it? Did she use any +ceremony worthy of such a letter? Or what did she?" + +"When I went to give it to her," said Sancho, "she was all in a bustle +with a good lot of wheat in her sieve, and said to me: 'Lay down that +letter there on the sack, for I cannot read it until I have winnowed +all that is here.'" + +"O discreet lady!" said Don Quixote; "she must have done that, so that +she might read and enjoy it at leisure. Go on, then, Sancho, and tell +all she said about me, and what thou saidst to her." + +"She asked me nothing," replied the squire, "but I told her the state +which I left you in for her sake, doing penance, and I told her how +you slept on the ground and never combed your beard, but spent your +time weeping and cursing your fortune." + +"There thou saidst ill," said Don Quixote, "for I do not curse my +fortune, but rather bless it, seeing that it hath made me worthy to +merit the love of so beautiful a lady as Dulcinea of Toboso. But tell +me, after she had sifted her corn and sent it to the mill, did she +then read my letter?" + +"The letter," replied Sancho, "she did never read, for she said she +could neither read nor write, and therefore she tore it into small +pieces, and would allow no one to read it lest the whole village might +know her secrets. Lastly, she told me that I was to say to your +worship that she kissed your hands, and that she had a greater desire +to see you than to write to you. Therefore she begged, as you loved +her, that you should quit these bushes and brambles, and leave off +these mad pranks, and set out for Toboso, for she had a great longing +to see your worship. She laughed a good deal when I told her they +called your worship the Knight of the Rueful Countenance. I asked her +whether the beaten Biscayan came there. She said yes, and that he was +a very good fellow. I asked also after the galley slaves you sent; but +she told me that she had seen none of them as yet." + +"All goes well, then," said Don Quixote; "but tell me, what jewel did +she bestow on thee at thy departure for reward of the tidings thou +hadst brought? For it is a usual and ancient custom among +knights-errant and their ladies to give to their squires, damsels, or +dwarfs who bring good tidings, some rich jewel as a reward for their +welcome news." + +"It may well be," replied Sancho; "and I think it was a most excellent +custom, but I doubt if it exists nowadays, for it would seem to be the +manner of our age only to give a piece of bread and cheese; for this +was all that my Lady Dulcinea bestowed on me when I took my leave, +and, by the way, the cheese was made of sheep's milk." + +"She is marvellous liberal," said the knight; "and if she gave thee +not a jewel of gold, it was doubtless because she had none then about +her. But that will be put right some day. Knowest thou, Sancho, at +what I am astonished? It is at thy sudden return, for it seems to me +thou wast gone and hast come back again in the air, for thou hast been +away but a little more than three days, although Toboso is more than +thirty leagues from hence. Therefore I do believe that the wise +enchanter, who takes care of my affairs and is my friend, must have +helped thee to travel without thy being aware of it. For there are +sages that take up a knight-errant sleeping in his bed, and, without +knowing how or in what manner, he awakes the next day more than a +thousand leagues from the place where he fell asleep. For otherwise +knights-errant could not help one another in perils as they do +now. For it may be that one is fighting in the mountains of Armenia +with some dragon or fierce serpent, and is at the point of death, and, +just when he least expects it, he sees on a cloud, or in a chariot of +fire, some other knight, his friend, who a little before was in +England, who helps him and delivers him from danger. And all this is +done by the craft and wisdom of those sage enchanters who take care of +valorous knights. But, leaving all this apart, what dost thou think I +should do about my lady's commands to go and see her?" + +"Tell me, good your worship," replied Sancho, "do you intend to +journey to Toboso and lose so rich and noble a prize as this princess +we have just met at the inn? Peace! take my advice and marry her in +the first village that hath a parish priest, or let the curate do it, +for he is here, and remember the old saying, 'A bird in the hand is +worth two in the bush.'" + +"Look you, Sancho," said his master, "if you counsel me to marry, to +the end that I may be king when I have slain the giant and be able to +give you an island, know that I can do that without marrying, for I +will make it a condition that upon conquering this monster they shall +give me a portion of the kingdom, although I marry not the princess, +and this I will bestow upon thee." + +"Let it be so, then," said Sancho. "And trouble not your mind, I pray +you, to go and see the Lady Dulcinea at this moment, but go away and +kill the giant and let us finish off this job, for I believe it will +prove of great honour and greater profit." + +"I believe, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "that thou art in the right, +and I will follow thy advice in going first with the princess rather +than visiting Dulcinea." + + + + +DON QUIXOTE WAGES A BATTLE AGAINST A GIANT + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +When they had finished their dinner, they saddled and went to horse +once more, and travelled all that day and the next without any +adventure of note, until they arrived at the inn, which was the dread +and terror of Sancho Panza, and though he would rather not have +entered it, yet he could not avoid doing so. The innkeeper, the +hostess, her daughter, and Maritornes, seeing Don Quixote and Sancho +return, went out to meet them with tokens of great love and joy. The +knight returned their compliments with grave courtesy, and bade them +prepare a better bed than they gave him the last time. + +"Sir," said the hostess, "if you would pay us better than the last +time, we would give you one fit for a prince." + +Don Quixote answered that he would, and they prepared a reasonable +good bed for him in the same room where he lay before. Then he went +off to bed at once, because he was tired and weary, both in body and +mind. + +Don Quixote was still asleep when the dinner was served, and during +dinner--the innkeeper, his wife, his daughter, and Maritornes being +there, as well as all the travellers--they talked of Don Quixote's +strange craze, and of the state in which they had found him. The +hostess told them of what had happened between him and the carrier, +and glancing round to see if Sancho were present, and not seeing him, +she told them the story of his being tossed in the blanket, to the no +small entertainment of all the company. + +The curate told him it was the books of knighthood that Don Quixote +had read that had turned his head. + +"I know not how that can be," said the innkeeper, "for to my thinking, +there is no finer reading in the world; and when it is harvest-time, +the reapers here often collect during the midday heat, and one who can +read takes one of these books in hand, while some thirty of us get +round him, and sit listening with so much delight that I could find it +in my heart to be hearing such stories day and night." + +"And I think well of them, too," said the hostess, "for when the +reading is going on, you are so full of it that you forget to scold +me, and I have a good time of it." + +"Ah," said her daughter, "I too listen, and though I like not the +fights which please my father, yet the lamentations which the knights +make when they are away from their ladies make me weep for pity, and I +enjoy that." + +"We have need here," said the curate, "of our friends, the old woman +and the niece. Beware, my good host, of these books, and take care +that they carry you not on the road they have taken Don Quixote." + +"Not so," said the innkeeper, "I shall not be such a fool as to turn +knight-errant; for I see well enough that it is not the fashion now to +do as they used to do in the times when these famous knights roamed +about the world. All that is of no use nowadays." + + +Sancho came in in the midst of this, and was amazed to hear them say +that knights-errant now were of no use, and that books of knighthood +were full of follies and lies, and he made up his mind to see the end +of this voyage of his master, and if that did not turn out as happily +as he expected, to return home to his wife and children and to his +former labours. + +At this moment a noise came from the room where Don Quixote was lying, +and Sancho went hastily to see if his master wanted anything. + +In a few moments he returned, rushing wildly back, and shouting at the +top of his voice: "Come, good sirs, quickly, and help my master, who +is engaged in one of the most terrible battles my eyes have ever +seen. I swear he has given the giant, the enemy of my lady, the +Princess Micomicona, such a cut, that he has sliced his head clean off +like a turnip." + +"What sayest thou, friend?" said the curate. "Art thou in thy wits, +Sancho? How can it be as you say, when the giant is at least two +thousand leagues from here?" + +By this time they heard a marvellous great noise within the chamber, +and Don Quixote shouting out: "Hold, thief, scoundrel, rogue! now I +have thee, and thy scimitar shall not avail thee!" + +And it seemed as if he were striking a number of mighty blows on the +walls. + +"Do not stand there listening," cried Sancho, "but go in and part the +fray, or aid my master. Though I think it will not now be necessary, +for doubtless the giant is dead by now, and giving an account of the +ill life he led; for I saw his blood was all about the house and his +head cut off, which is as big as a great wine-bag." + +"May I be hewed in pieces," cried the innkeeper on hearing this, "if +Don Quixote has not been slashing at one of the skins of red wine that +are standing filled at his bed head, and the wine that is spilt must +be what this fellow takes for blood." + +So saying he ran into the room, and the rest followed him, and found +Don Quixote in the strangest guise imaginable. He was in his shirt, +which did not reach to his knees. His legs were very long and lean. On +his head he wore a greasy red nightcap which belonged to the inkeeper. +Round his left arm he had folded the blanket from off his bed, at +which Sancho gazed angrily, for he owed that blanket a grudge. In his +right hand he gripped his naked sword, with which he laid round about +him with many a thwack, shouting out as if indeed he was at battle +with some terrible giant. The best sport of all was that his eyes +were not open, for he was indeed asleep, and dreaming that he was +fighting a giant. For his imagination was so full of the adventure in +front of him that he dreamed that he had already arrived at Micomicon, +and was there in combat with his enemy; and he had given so many blows +to the wine-bags, supposing them to be the giant, that the whole +chamber flowed with wine. + +When the innkeeper saw this, he flew into such a rage that he set upon +Don Quixote with his clenched fist, and began to pummel him, so that +if Cardenio and the curate had not pulled him off, he would have +finished the battle of the giant altogether. In spite of this, the +poor knight did not awake until the barber got a great kettleful of +cold water from the well, and threw it right over him, when Don +Quixote woke up, but even then did not understand where he was. + +As for Sancho, he went up and down the floor, searching for the +giant's head, and seeing he could not find it, said: "Now I know that +everything I see in this house is enchanted, for this head is not to +be seen here, though I myself saw it cut off with my own eyes, and the +blood running from the body as from a fountain." + +"What blood or what fountain dost thou cackle of here?" cried the +innkeeper. "Thou thief! dost thou not see that the blood and the +fountain is no other thing but the wine-bags which are ripped open, +and the red wine which swims up and down the room?" + +"I know nothing but this," replied Sancho, "that if I cannot find the +giant's head, my earldom will dissolve like salt cast into water." For +indeed Sancho awake was worse than his master asleep, so greatly had +his master's promises turned his brain. + +The innkeeper was at his wits' end at seeing the stupidity of the +squire and the mischief done by his master, but he determined that +they should not as before go away without paying; that knighthood +should be no excuse for this, and he would make them pay for the very +patches in the wine-skins that had been ruined. + +All this time the curate was holding Don Quixote's hands, who, +believing that he had finished the adventure and was in the presence +of the Princess Micomicona herself, fell on his knees before the +curate, and said: "Your highness, exalted and beautiful lady, may live +from henceforth secure from any danger that this wretched giant might +have done to you; and I am also freed this day from the promise I made +to you, seeing that I have with the assistance of her through whose +favour I live and breathe, so happily completed my labour." + +"Did I not say so?" cried Sancho, hearing his master. "I was not +drunk. My master has salted the giant down this time, and my earldom +is secure." + +Who could help laughing at the follies of the two, master and man? All +of them laughed except the innkeeper, who burst out into fits of anger +ten times worse than before. + +At length the barber, Cardenio, and the curate managed, not without +much ado, to get Don Quixote to bed again, and presently left him +sleeping, with every sign of being worn out. They let him sleep, and +went out to comfort Sancho Panza, whose grief was great at not finding +the giant's head. But they had more to do to pacify the innkeeper, who +was almost out of his wits at the sudden death of his wine-skins. + +His wife, too, was running up and down, scolding and crying out: +"Alas, the unlucky hour when this knight-errant came to my house! +Would that mine eyes had never seen him, for he has cost me dear. The +last time he was here he went away scot free for his supper, bed, +straw, and barley for himself, his man, his horse, and his ass, +because he said he was a knight-errant. Then for his sake the other +gentlemen came and took away my good tail, and have returned it +damaged, and now he breaks my wine-skins and spills the wine. I wish I +may see as much of his blood spilt." And backed up by Maritornes, the +good innkeeper's wife continued her lamentations with great fury. + +At length the curate quelled the storm, promising to satisfy them for +the wine and the skins, and also for the damage to the tail, about +which there was so much fuss. Dorothea comforted Sancho, telling him +that as soon as ever it was made certain that his master had slain the +giant, and placed her safely in her kingdom, she would give him the +best earldom she had. + +With this he was consoled, and told her that he himself had seen the +giant's head cut off, and that it had a beard which reached down to +his girdle, and that if the beard could not now be found it was +because the affairs of this house were all guided by enchantment, as +he knew to his cost by what had happened to himself in his last visit. + +Dorothea replied that she was of the same opinion, and bade him be of +good cheer, since all would be well ended to his heart's desire. + + + + +ADVENTURES AT THE INN + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Later in the day the innkeeper, who was standing at the door, cried +out: "Here is a fine troop of guests coming. If they stop here, we may +sing and rejoice." + +"Who are they?" asked Cardenio. + +"Four men on horseback," answered the innkeeper, "with lances and +targets, and all with black masks on their faces. With them comes a +woman dressed in white, on a side-saddle, and her face also masked, +and two lackeys that run with them on foot." + +"Are they near?" asked the curate. + +"So near," replied the innkeeper, "that they are now arriving." +Hearing this, Dorothea veiled her face, and Cardenio went into Don +Quixote's room; and they had hardly time to do this when the whole +party, of whom the innkeeper had spoken, entered the inn. The four who +were on horseback were of comely and gallant bearing, and, having +dismounted, went to help down the lady on the side-saddle; and one of +them, taking her in his arms, placed her upon a chair that stood at +the door of the room into which Cardenio had entered. All this while +neither she nor they took off their masks, or said a word, only the +lady, as she sank into the chair, breathed a deep sigh, and let fall +her arms as one who was sick and faint. The lackeys led away the +horses to the stable. + +The curate, seeing and noting all this, and curious to know who they +were that came to the inn in such strange attire and keeping so close +a silence, went after one of the lackeys, and asked of him what he +wanted to learn. + +"Faith, sir, I cannot tell you who these are, but they seem to be +persons of good quality, especially he who went to help the lady +dismount. The rest obey him in all things." + +"And the lady--who is she?" asked the curate. + +"I cannot tell you that neither," replied the lackey, "for I have not +once seen her face during all the journey, though I have often heard +her groan and utter deep sighs." + +"And have you heard the name of any of them?" asked the curate. + +"Not I, indeed," replied the man; "they travel in silence, and nothing +is heard but the sighs and sobs of the poor lady, and it is our firm +belief that, wherever she is going, she is going against her." + +"May be it is so," said the curate, and he returned to the inn. + +Dorothea, who heard the disguised lady sigh so mournfully, moved by +pity, drew near to her and asked: "What ails you, good madam, for I +offer you my service and good-will, and would help you as much as lies +in my power?" + +To this the unhappy lady made no reply; and though Dorothea again +spoke kindly to her, yet she sat silent and spoke not a word. + +At length the masked gentleman came across and said to Dorothea: +"Lady, do not trouble yourself to offer anything to that woman; she is +of a most ungrateful nature, and not wont to return any courtesy." + +"I have never spoken," said the silent lady, "since I am too unhappy +to do so, and am almost drowned in my misfortunes." + +Cardenio overheard these words very clearly and distinctly, for he was +close to her who uttered them, the door of Don Quixote's room being +the only thing that separated them, and he cried aloud: "What is this +I hear? What voice is this that hath touched mine ear?" + +The lady, moved with a sudden passion, turned her head at these cries, +and as she could not see who uttered them, she rose to her feet and +would have entered the room, but the gentleman stopped her and would +not let her move a step. + +This sudden movement loosened the mask, which fell from her face, +discovering her marvellous beauty. + +But her countenance was wan and pale, and she turned her eyes from +place to place as one distracted, which caused Dorothea and the rest +to behold her with a vast pity. + +The gentleman held her fast by the shoulders, and was so busied that +he could not hold up his own mask, which fell from his face, and, as +it did so, Dorothea looked up and discovered that it was her lover, +Don Fernando. + +Scarce had she known him than, breathing out a long and most pitiful +"Alas!" from the bottom of her heart, she fell backward in a +swoon. And if the barber had not been by good chance at hand, she +would have fallen on the ground with all the weight of her body. + +The curate removed the veil from her face, and cast water thereon, and +Don Fernando, as soon as he looked upon her, turned as pale as death. +Cardenio, who had heard the moan which Dorothea uttered, as she fell +fainting on the floor, came out of the room, and saw Don Fernando +holding his beloved Lucinda. + +All of them held their peace and beheld one another; Dorothea looking +on Don Fernando, Don Fernando on Cardenio, Cardenio on Lucinda, and +Lucinda on Cardenio, all stood dumb and amazed, as folk that knew not +what had befallen them. + +Lucinda was the first to break the silence. "Leave me, Don Fernando," +she cried, "for the sake of what is due to yourself. Let me cleave to +the wall whose ivy I am, to his support from whom neither your threats +nor your promises could part me." + +By this time Dorothea had come to herself, and seeing that Don +Fernando did not release Lucinda, she arose, and casting herself at +his feet, shed a flood of crystal tears as she thus addressed him: "If +the sun of Lucinda's beauty hath not blinded thine eyes, know that she +who is kneeling at thy feet is the hapless and miserable Dorothea. I +am that lowly country girl to whom thou didst promise marriage. Know, +my dear lord, that the matchless love I bear thee may make amends for +the beauty and nobility of her for whom thou dost abandon me. Thou +canst not be the beautiful Lucinda's, because thou art mine; nor she +thine, for she belongs to Cardenio. And all this being so, as in truth +it is, and seeing that thou art as good as thou art noble, wherefore +put off making me once more happy again? Do not vex the declining +years of my parents, who have ever been loyal vassals to thine. For +remember, whether thou wilt or no, thou must ever remain my promised +husband." + +These and many other reasons did the grieved Dorothea use, with so +much feeling and so many tears, that all who were present, even those +who had come with Don Fernando, could not help from giving her their +sympathy. + +As for Don Fernando, he stood gazing fixedly at Dorothea for some +time, and at last, overwhelmed with remorse and admiration, he took +her to his arms, saying: "Thou hast vanquished, O beautiful +Dorothea. Thou hast vanquished!" + +At the same moment, Cardenio, who had stood close to Don Fernando, +started forward to catch the fainting Lucinda, who threw both her arms +around his neck, crying: "Thou, and thou only, art my lord and +master." + +Thus were the true lovers all united, and the good curate, the barber, +and even Sancho Panza joined in their tears, delighted that so much +joy had taken the place of so much misery. As for Sancho, he excused +himself afterwards for his tears, saying he wept only because he saw +that Dorothea was not the Queen of Micomicona as he had imagined, from +whom he hoped to have received such mighty gifts and favours. + +Each in turn told his or her story, and Don Fernando gave an account +of all that had befallen him in the city, after he had found the +scroll that Lucinda had written in which she declared her love for +Cardenio. + +And it appeared that, the day after the interruption of the wedding, +Lucinda had secretly departed from her father's house, and had fled no +one knew whither; but within a few months Don Fernando had learned +that she was in a certain convent, intending to remain there all the +days of her life, if she could not pass them with Cardenio. As soon as +he had learned that, choosing three gentlemen to aid him, he went to +the place where she was. One day he surprised her walking with one of +the nuns in the cloisters, and carried her off without giving her a +chance to resist. From there they brought her to a certain village, +where they disguised themselves, and so rode on until they came to the +inn. But Lucinda, after she was in his power, did nothing but weep and +sigh without speaking a word. + +Thus in silence and tears had they reached this inn, which to him and +all of them would always remain the most beautiful place in the world, +since it had seen the end of so many troubles, and brought him back to +his own true love. + + + + +THE PRINCESS MICOMICONA + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Sancho gave ear to what he heard with no small grief of mind, seeing +that all hopes of his earldom vanished away like smoke, and the fair +Princess Micomicona was turned into Dorothea, whilst his master was +sound asleep, careless of all that happened. Dorothea could not +believe that the happiness she enjoyed was not a dream. Cardenio and +Lucinda were of a similar mind, and Don Fernando was truly thankful +that he was free from the dangerous path he had taken, which must have +ended in loss of all honour and credit. + +In a word, all were contented and happy. The curate, like a man of +sense, congratulated every one on his good fortune; but she that kept +greatest jubilee and joy was the hostess, because Cardenio and the +curate had promised to pay all the damages done by Don Quixote. + +Only Sancho, as has been said, was unhappy and sorrowful. And thus he +went with a melancholy face to his master, who was then just awaking, +and said: "Your worship, Sir Knight of the Rueful Countenance, may +well sleep on as long as you please, without troubling yourself to +kill any giant, or restore to the princess her kingdom, for all that +is done and finished already." + +"That I well believe," replied Don Quixote, "for I have had the most +monstrous and terrible battle with that giant that ever I had all the +days of my life; and yet with one back stroke, swish, I tumbled his +head to the ground, and his blood gushed forth, so that streams of it +ran along the earth as if it had been water." + +"As if it had been red wine, your worship might have said," replied +Sancho, "for I would have you know, if you do not know already, that +the dead giant is no other than a ruined wine-bag, and the blood +six-and-twenty gallons of red wine." + +"What sayest thou, madman?" cried Don Quixote. "Art thou in thy right +wits?" + +"Get up, sir," said Sancho, "and you shall see yourself the fine piece +of work you have done, and what we have to pay. You shall behold the +queen turned into a private lady, called Dorothea, with many other +things that may well astonish you." + +"I should marvel at nothing," replied Don Quixote, "for if thou +rememberest right, I told thee, the other time that we were here, how +all that happened here was done by enchantment, and it would be no +wonder if it were the same now." + +"I should believe it all," replied Sancho, "if my tossing in the +blanket had been a thing of that sort. Only it was not so, but very +real and certain. And I saw the innkeeper, who is here to this day, +hold one end of the blanket and toss me up to the sky with very good +grace and strength, and as much mirth as muscle. And where it comes to +knowing persons, I hold, though I may be a simpleton and a sinner, +that there is no enchantment, but only bruising and bad luck." + +"Well," cried Don Quixote, "time will show; but give me my clothes, +for I would see these wonders that thou speakest of for myself." + +Sancho gave him his clothes, and, whilst he was making him ready, the +curate told Don Fernando and the rest, of Don Quixote's mad pranks, +and the plan he had used to get him away from the Brown Mountains, +where he imagined he was exiled through the disdain of his lady. + +The curate told them further, that since the good fortune of the Lady +Dorothea prevented them carrying out their scheme, they must invent +some other way of taking him home to his village. + +Cardenio offered to continue the adventure, and let Luanda take +Dorothea's part. + +"No," cried Don Fernando. "It shall not be so, for I will have +Dorothea herself carry out her plan, and if the good knight's home is +not far from here, I shall be very glad to help in his cure." + +"It is not more than two days' journey," said the curate. + +"Even if it were more," replied Don Fernando, "I should be happy to +make the journey in so good a cause." + +At this moment Don Quixote sallied out, completely armed with +Mambrino's helmet, which had a great hole in it, on his head, his +shield on his arm, and leaning on his lance. His grotesque appearance +amazed Don Fernando and his companions very much, who wondered at his +gaunt face so withered and yellow, the strangeness of his arms, and +his grave manner of proceeding. + +All stood silent to see what he would do, whilst the knight, casting +his eyes on the beautiful Dorothea, with great gravity and calmness +spoke as follows: "I am informed, beautiful lady, by this my squire, +that your greatness has come to an end, and your condition is +destroyed. For, instead of being a queen and a mighty princess, you +are now become a private damsel. If this has been done by the special +order of that sage magician, the king your father, because he dreaded +that I could not give you all necessary help, I say that he does not +know half his art, and has never understood the histories of knightly +adventures. For if he had read them with the attention that I have, he +would have found how many knights of less fame than myself have ended +far more desperate adventures than this, for it is no great matter to +kill a giant, be he ever so proud. For in truth it is not so many +hours since I myself fought with one; but I will be silent, lest they +tell me I lie. Time, the detecter of all things, will disclose it when +we least expect." + +"Thou foughtest with two wine-bags, not with a giant," cried the +innkeeper. + +Don Fernando told him to be silent and not to interrupt Don Quixote, +who continued his speech thus: "In fine, I say, high and disinherited +lady, do not trouble if your father has made this change in you, for +there is no peril so great on earth but my sword shall open a way +through it, and by overthrowing your enemies' head to the ground I +shall set your crown on your own head within a few days." + +Don Quixote said no more, but waited for the princess's answer. She +knowing Don Fernando's wish that she should continue to carry out +their plan, answered with a good grace and pleasant manner, saying: +"Whosoever informed you, valorous Knight of the Rueful Countenance, +that I have altered and transformed my being, hath not told you the +truth, for I am the very same to-day as I was yesterday. True it is +that my fortunes have somewhat changed, and given me more than I hoped +for or could wish for, but for all that I have not ceased to be what I +was before, and I still hope to have the aid of your valorous and +invincible arm. Therefore, good my lord, restore to my father his +honour, and believe him to be both wise and sagacious, for by his +magic he has found me a remedy for all my misfortunes. For I believe +that had it not been for you, I should never have attained the +happiness I now enjoy, and that I speak the truth these good gentlemen +will bear witness. All that is now wanted is that to-morrow morning we +set out on our journey. As for the conclusion of the good success I +hourly expect, that I leave to the valour of your invincible arm." + +Thus spoke the witty Dorothea, and Don Quixote, having heard her, +turned to Sancho with an air of great indignation, and said: "Now, I +say unto thee, Sancho, thou art the veriest little rascal in all +Spain. Tell me, thief and vagabond, didst thou not tell me that this +princess was turned into a damsel, and that she was called Dorothea? +And that the head that I slashed from a giant's shoulders, was a +wine-skin, with a thousand other follies, that threw me into the +greatest confusion I was ever in in my life? I vow," he continued, +looking up to the heavens and crashing his teeth together, "I vow that +I am about to make such a havoc of thee, as shall beat some wit into +the pates of all the lying squires that shall hereafter ever serve +knights-errant in this world. + +"I pray you have patience, good my lord," answered Sancho, "for it may +well befall me to be deceived touching the change of the lady and +Princess Micomicona. But in what touches the giant's head, or at least +the cutting of the winebags, and that the blood was but red wine, I am +not deceived, I swear. For the bags lie wounded there at your own +bed-head, and the red wine hath made a lake in your room: and all this +you will know, when his honour the landlord asks you to pay the +damages." + +"I tell thee, Sancho, thou art a blockhead," said Don Quixote. "Pardon +me, we have had enough of it." + +"Enough, indeed," said Don Fernando, "and let me entreat you to say no +more of it. Seeing my lady the princess says she will go away +to-morrow, as it is too late to depart to-day, let us agree to spend +this evening in pleasant discourse." + +It was now time for supper, and they all sat down at a long table, for +there was not a square or round one in the whole house. And they gave +the principal end to Don Quixote, though he did all he could to refuse +it; but when he had taken it, he commanded that the Lady Micomicona +should sit at his elbow, as he was her champion. The others being +placed in due order, they all enjoyed a pleasant supper, listening to +the wise, strange discourse that Don Quixote held upon his favourite +subject of knightly adventures. + + + + +THE LAST OF THE NOTABLE ADVENTURES OF OUR GOOD KNIGHT + +Retold by Judge Parry + + +Don Quixote, as soon as he found himself free from all the quarrels by +which he had been surrounded, held it high time to begin his voyage +and bring to an end the great adventure unto which he was called and +chosen. + +Therefore, having made up his mind to depart, he went and cast himself +upon his knees before Dorothea and said: "I cannot but think, high and +worthy lady, that our abode in this castle is nothing profitable, and +may turn out to our disadvantage. For who knows but that your enemy +the giant hath learned by spies or other secret means how I intend to +come and destroy him, and he may by now have fortified himself in some +impregnable castle or fortress, against the strength of which even the +force of mine invincible arm will be of little use. Therefore, dear +lady, let us by our diligence hinder his plans, and let us depart to +the place where fortune calls us." + +Don Quixote said no more but awaited the answer of the beautiful +princess, who, with a lordly air and in a style not unworthy of Don +Quixote himself, replied as follows: + +"I thank you, sir knight, for the desire you show to assist me in this +my great need, and I trust your desires and mine may succeed, that I +may show you that there are some thankful women on earth. As for my +departure, let it be as you wish." * * * + +Two days passed, when it seemed to all the noble company at the inn +that it was time to depart, and they considered how, without putting +Dorothea and Don Fernando to the pain of turning back with Don Quixote +to his village, the curate and the barber could carry him home as they +desired, and leave him cured of his folly in his own home. + +This was the plan they decided on. They made a bargain with a wagoner, +who chanced to pass by that way with a team of oxen, to carry him in +the following manner:-- + +They made a thing like a cage of timber, so big that Don Quixote might +sit or lie in it at his ease, and presently Don Fernando, Cardemo, +their companions, and the innkeeper did all, by master curate's +directions, cover their faces and disguise themselves as well as they +could, so that they might seem to Don Quixote to be different persons +to any he had seen in the castle. This being done, they entered +silently into the place where he slept, reposing after his recent +battles. They went up to him as he was sleeping peacefully, not +fearing any such accident, and, laying hold of him forcibly, they tied +his hands and feet very strongly, so that when he started out of his +sleep he could not move, nor do anything else but stare and wonder at +the strange faces that he saw before him. + +And immediately he fell into the idea, which his wild imagination had +at once suggested to him, that all these strange figures were spirits +and phantoms of that enchanted castle, and he believed that he himself +was without doubt enchanted, seeing that he could neither move nor +defend himself. + +All happened as the curate who plotted the jest expected; and after +they had brought him to the cage, they shut him within, and afterwards +nailed the bars thereof so well that they could not easily be broken. + +Sancho all this time looked on in wonder to see what would happen to +his master. + +Then the phantoms mounted him upon their shoulders, and as he was +carried out of his chamber door the barber called out in as terrible a +voice as he could muster: "O Knight of the Rueful Countenance, be not +grieved at thine imprisonment, for so it must be that thine adventures +be more speedily ended. And thou, O most noble and obedient squire +that ever had sword at girdle, beard on a face, or dent in a nose, let +it not dismay thee to see carried away thus the flower of all +knighthood. For I assure thee that all thy wages shall be paid to +thee, if thou wilt follow in the steps of this valorous and enchanted +knight. And as I am not allowed to say more, farewell!" + +Don Quixote listened attentively to all this prophecy, and said: "O +thou, whatsoever thou beest, I desire thee to request in my name that +I may not perish in this prison before my work is ended. And as +concerns my squire Sancho Panza, I trust in his goodness that he will +not abandon me in good or bad fortune. For, though it should fall out +through his or my hard lot that I shall not be able to bestow on him +an island, as I have promised, his wages cannot be lost to him, for in +my will, which is made already, I have set down what he is to have for +his many good services." + +Sancho Panza bowed his head with great reverence when he heard this, +and kissed both his master's hands, which were bound tightly together. +Then the phantoms lifted up the cage and hoisted it on to the wagon +that was drawn by the team of oxen. + +After bidding farewell to all their friends, the procession +started. First went the cart guided by the carter, then the troopers, +then followed Sancho upon his ass leading Rozinante by the bridle, and +last of all the curate and the barber, riding their mighty mules, with +masks on their faces. + +Don Quixote sat with his hands tied and his legs stretched out, +leaning against a bar of the cage, with such a silence and such +patience that he seemed rather to be a statue than a man. And thus at +an alderman-like pace, such as suited the slow steps of the heavy +oxen, they journeyed home. + +At the end of two days they arrived at Don Quixote's village, into +which they entered about noon. This was on a Sunday, when all the +people were in the market-place, through the midst of which Don +Quixote's cart passed. All drew near to see what was in it, and when +they knew their neighbour they were greatly astounded. A little boy +ran home before, to tell the old woman and the niece that their lord +and uncle was returned. It would have moved one to pity to have heard +the cries and lamentations the two good women made, and the curses +they poured out against all books of knighthood, when they saw Don +Quixote enter the gates of his own house again in so strange a +carriage. + +Sancho Panza's wife, when she heard of his return, ran forward to meet +her husband, and the first question she asked was whether the ass were +in health or no. + +Sancho answered that he was come in better health than his master. + +"Tell me, then," cried his wife, "what profit hast thou reaped by this +squireship? What petticoat hast thou brought me home? What shoes for +the little boys?" + +"I bring none of these things, good wife," replied Sancho, "though I +bring things better thought of and of greater moment." + +"I am glad of that," said his wife, "for I should like to see them, to +the end that my heart may be cheered, which hath been swollen and +sorrowful for so long, all the time of thine absence." + +"Thou shalt see them at home," said Sancho, "therefore rest +satisfied. For when we travel once again to seek adventures, thou +shalt see me shortly afterwards an earl or governor of an island, one +of the best in the world." + +"I pray that it may be so," replied his wife; "but what means that +island, for I understand not the word?" + +"Honey is not made for the ass's mouth," said Sancho, "but thou shalt +know all in good time. Do not busy thyself, Joan, to know all things +in a sudden. It is enough that I will tell thee all the truth, and +therefore close thy mouth. I will only say this much unto thee as yet, +that there is nothing in the world so pleasant as for an honest man to +be the squire of a knight that seeks adventures." + +Now, if I were to tell you that Don Quixote got quite well and lived +quietly at home after all these adventures, and never went abroad +again, I should tell you what is not true. For some day, and I hope at +no great distance of time, you may read all that the great Cervantes +has written, not only of the adventures of which I have told you the +story, but of others. You will then learn how Sancho Panza became at +last governor of an island for a short space, and may read of the +great wisdom and shrewdness with which he ruled. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Junior Classics, V4, by Willam Patten (Editor) + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUNIOR CLASSICS, V4 *** + +This file should be named 6323.txt or 6323.zip + +Produced by Tom Allen, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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