 The age of chivalry chapter 11 from bullfinches the age of chivalry This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Kalinda The age of chivalry by Thomas bullfinch chapter 11 Kilwich and Olwen Kilid, a son of Prince Keladon, desired a wife as a helpmate, and the wife that he chose was Goliadid, the daughter of Prince Anlod And after their union the people put up prayers that they might have an heir and they had a son through the prayers of the people and called his name Kilwich After this, the boy's mother, Goliadid, the daughter of Prince Anlod fell sick She then called her husband to her and said to him Of this sickness I shall die and thou will take another wife Now wives are the gift of the Lord, but it would be wrong for thee to harm thy son Therefore I charge thee that thou take not a wife until thou see a briar with two blossoms upon my grave And this he promised her Then she besought him to dress her grave every year that no weeds might grow thereon so the queen died Now the king sent an attendant every morning to see if anything were growing upon the grave and at the end of the seventh year they neglected that which they had promised to the queen One day the king went to hunt and he rode to the place of burial to see the grave and to know if it were time that he should take a wife and the king saw the briar And when he saw it the king took counsel where he should find a wife Said one of his counselors, I know a wife that will suit thee well and she is the wife of King Dogad And they resolved to go to seek her and they slew the king and brought away his wife and they conquered the king's lands And he married the widow of King Dogad the sister of Ispadadan Pankar And one day his stepmother said to Kilwich, it were well for thee to have a wife I am not yet of an age to wed, answered the youth Then said she unto him, I declare to thee that it is thy destiny not to be suited with a wife until thou obtain Olwin the daughter of Ispadadan Pankar And the youth blushed and the love of the maiden diffused itself through all of his frame although he had never seen her And his father inquired of him, what has come over thee my son and what aileth thee My stepmother has declared to me that I shall never have a wife until I obtain Olwin the daughter of Ispadadan Pankar That will be easy for thee answered his father, Arthur is thy cousin Go therefore unto Arthur to cut thy hair and ask this of him as a boon And the youth pricked forth upon a steed with head dappled gray, four winters old, firm of limb, with shell formed hooves Having a bridle of linked gold on his head and upon him a saddle of costly gold And in the youth's hand were two spears of silver, sharp, well tempered, headed with steel, three L's in length of an edge to wound the wind And cause blood to flow and swifter than the fall of the dewdrop from the blade of reed grass when the dew of June is at its heaviest A gold-hilted sword was upon his thigh, the blade of which was gilded, bearing a cross of inlaid gold of the hue of lightning of heaven His war-horn was of ivory, before him were two brindled white-breasted greyhounds having strong collars of rubies about their necks reaching from the shoulder to the ear And the one that was upon the left side bounded across to the right side and the one on the right to the left and like two sea swallows sported around him And his coarser cast up four sods with his four hooves like four swallows in the air about his head, now above, now below About him was a four-cornered cloth of purple and an apple of gold was at each corner and every one of the apples was of the value of an hundred kind And there was precious gold of the value of three hundred kind upon his shoes and upon his stirrups from his knee to the tip of his toe And the blade of grass bent not beneath him so light was his coarser's tread as he journeyed toward the gate of Arthur's palace Spoke the youth, is there a porter? There is, and if thou holdest not thy peace small will be thy welcome I am Arthur's porter every first day of January Open the portal, I will not open it, wherefore not? The knife is in the meat and the drink is in the horn and there is revelry in Arthur's hall and none may enter therein but the son of a king of a privileged country or a craftsman bringing his craft But there will be refreshment for thy dogs and for thy horse and for thee there will be collops cooked in peppered and luscious wine and mirthful songs And food for fifty men shall be brought unto thee in the guest chamber where the stranger and the sons of other countries eat Who come not into the precincts of the palace of Arthur Thou wilt fare no worse than thou wouldst with Arthur in the court A lady shall smooth thy couch and shall lull thee with songs and early tomorrow morning when the gate is open for the multitude that came hither to-day For thee shall it be opened first and thou mayst sit in the place that thou shall choose in Arthur's hall from the upper end to the lower Said the youth, that will I not do, if thou openest the gate it is well, if thou dost not open it, I will bring disgrace upon thy lord and evil report upon thee And I will set up three shouts at this very gate than which none were ever heard more deadly What clamoursoever thou mayst make, said Glulud, the porter, against the laws of Arthur's palace shall thou not enter therein until I first go and speak with Arthur Then Glulud went into the hall and Arthur said to him, Has thou news from the gate? Half of my life is past, said Glulud, and half of thine I was here to fore in Carcay and Assay, in Sakh and Salach, in Lothar and Fotur, and I have been in India the Great and India the Lesser And I have also been in Europe and in Africa, and in the islands of Corsica, and I was present when thou didst conquer Greece in the East Nine supreme sovereigns, handsome men, saw we there, but never did I behold a man of equal dignity with him who is now at the door of the portal Then said Arthur, if walking thou didst enter here, return thou running, it is unbecoming to keep such a man as thou sayest he is in the wind and the rain Said Kay, by the hand of my friend, if thou wouldst follow my counsel, thou wouldst not break through the laws of the court because of him Not so, blessed Kay, said Arthur, it is an honour to us to be resorted to, and the greater our courtesy, the greater will be our renown and our fame and our glory And Gleilid came to the gate, and opened the gate before Kilwich, and although all dismounted upon the horse-block at the gate, yet did he not dismount but he rode in upon his charger Then said he, greeting be unto thee sovereign ruler of this island, and be this greeting no less unto the lowest than unto the highest, and be it equally unto thy guests and thy warriors and thy chieftains Let all partake of it as completely as thyself, and complete be thy favour and thy fame and thy glory throughout all this island Greeting unto thee also, said Arthur, sit thou between two of my warriors, and thou shalt have minstrels before thee, and thou shalt enjoy the privileges of a king born to a throne as long as thou remainest here And when I disperse my presence to the visitors and strangers in this court, they shall be in thy hand at my commencing Said the youth, I came not here to consume meat and drink, but if I obtain the boon that I seek I will requite it thee, and extol thee, but if I have it not I will bear forth thy dispraise to the four quarters of the world as far as thy renown has extended Then said Arthur, since thou wilt not remain here chieftain, thou shalt receive the boon whatsoever thy tongue may name, as far as the wind dries, and the rain moistened, and the sun revolves, and the sea encircles, and the earth extends, save only my ship pridwen, and my mantle, and caliber, and my sword, and rungamayant my lance, and guinevere my wife By the truth of heaven thou shalt have it cheerfully, and name with thou wilt I would that thou bless my hair, said he, that shall be granted thee And Arthur took a golden comb, and scissors, whereof the loops were of silver, and he combed his hair And Arthur inquired of him who he was, for my heart warms unto thee, and I know that thou art come of my blood Tell me therefore who thou art I will tell thee, said the youth, I am Kilwich, the son of Kilid, the son of Prince Keladon, by Gulliad, my mother, the daughter of Prince Anlod That is true, said Arthur, thou art my cousin, whatsoever boon thou mayest ask, thou shalt receive, be it what it may, that thy tongue shall name Pledge the truth of heaven, and the faith of thy kingdom thereof I pledge it thee gladly I crave of thee, then, that thou obtain for me Olwyn, the daughter of Ispatedon, Pencar, to wife And this boon I likewise seek at the hands of thy warriors I seek it from Kaye, and from Bedware, and from Gwyn, the son of Nud, and Gadwe, the son of Garant And Prince Fledver, Flam, and Iona, King of France, and Sel, the son of Selgi, and Taliesin, the chief of the Bards And Garant, the son of Erbin, Garin, Gwyn, the son of Kaye, and Amrin, the son of Bedware All the son of Olwyn, Bedwyn, the bishop, Gwynevere, the chief lady, and Gwynehuach, her sister, Morved, the daughter of Urian And Gwynly and Dag, the majestic maiden, Credilad Footnote Credilad is no other than Shakespeare's Cordelia, whose father, King Lear, is by the Welsh authorities called indiscriminately Lear or Leud All the old chronicles give the story of her devotion to her aged parent, but none of them seem to have been aware that she is destined to remain with him till the day of doom While Gwyn Apnud, the king of the fairies, and Gwyther of Greodol, fight for her every 1st of May, and whichever of them may be fortunate enough to be the conqueror at that time will obtain her as a bride The daughter of Leud, the constant maiden, and Ewedda, the daughter of Kinvelyn Footnote The Welsh have a fable on the subject of the half-man, taken to be illustrative of the force of habit In this allegory, Arthur is supposed to be met by a sprite, who appears at first in a small and indistinct form, but who, on approaching nearer, increases in size and assuming the semblance of half a man, endeavours to provoke the king to wrestle Despising his weakness and considering that he should gain no credit by the encounter, Arthur refuses to do so and delays the contest until at length the half-man, habit, becomes so strong that it requires his utmost efforts to overcome him The half-man All these did kill which the son of Kilad adjure to obtain his boon Then said Arthur Oh chieftain, I have never heard of the maiden of whom thou speakest, nor of her kindred, but I will gladly send messengers in search of her, give me time to seek her And the youth said, I will willingly grant from this night to that at the end of the year to do so Then Arthur sent messengers to every land within his dominions to seek for the maiden, and at the end of the year Arthur's messengers returned without having gained any knowledge or intelligence concerning Olwyn, more than on the first day Then said Kilwich Everyone has received his boon and I yet lack mine, I will depart and bear away thy honour with me Then said Kay Thereupon Kay rose up, and Arthur called Bedware, who never shrank from any enterprise upon which Kay was bound None were equal to him in swiftness throughout this island except Arthur alone, and although he was one-handed three warriors could not shed blood faster than he on the field of battle And Arthur called to Kindelike the guide, go thou upon this expedition with the chieftain, for as good a guide was he in a land which he had never seen as he was in his own He called Gerherg Valsdott, because he knew all tongues, he called Gawain the son of Guayar, because he never returned home without achieving the adventure of which he went in quest And Arthur called Menuh, the son of Tirgued, in order that if they went into a savage country he might cast a charm and an illusion over them, so that none might see them whilst they could see everyone They journeyed until they came to a vast open plain, wherein they saw a great castle, which was the fairest of the castles of the world And when they came before the castle they beheld a fast flock of sheep, and upon the top of a mound there was a herdsman keeping the sheep And a rug made of skins was upon him, and by his side was a shaggy mastiff larger than a steed nine winters old Then said Kay, Gawherg Valsdott, go thou and salute yonder man Kay said he, I engage not to go further than thou thyself, let us go then together, answered Kay Said Menuh, fear not to go thither, for I will cast a spell upon the dog, so that he shall injure no one And they went up to the mound whereon the herdsman was, and they said to him, how dost thou fare, herdsman, not lest fare be it to you than to me? Who's are the sheep that thou dost keep, and to whom does yonder castle belong? Stupid are ye truly, not to know that this is the castle of Ispadan Pencar, and ye also who are ye? We are an embassy from Arthur come to seek Olwen, the daughter of Ispadan Pencar Oh men, the mercy of heaven be upon you, do not that for all the world, none who ever came hither on this quest has returned alive And the herdsman rose up, and as he rose Kilwich gave unto him a ring of gold, and he went home and gave the ring to his spouse to keep And she took the ring when it was given her, and she said, whence came this ring, for thou art not want to have good fortune? Oh wife, him to whom this ring belongs thou shalt see here this evening And who is he, asked the woman, Kilwich, the son of Kilid, by Goliad, the daughter of Prince Anlad who has come to seek Olwen as his wife And when she heard that she had joy that her nephew, the son of her sister, was coming to her And sorrow, because she had never known anyone depart alive who had come on that quest And the men went forward to the gate of the herdsman's dwelling, and when she heard their footsteps approaching she ran out with joy to meet them And Kaye snatched a billet out of the pile, and when she met them she sought to throw her arms about their necks And Kaye placed the log between her two hands and she squeezed it so that it became a twisted coil Oh woman, said Kaye, if thou hadst squeezed me thus, none could ever again have set their affections on me Evil love were this They entered into the house and were served, and soon after they all went forth to amuse themselves Then the woman opened a stone chest that was before the chimney corner, and out of it arose a youth with yellow curling hair Said Gurhir, it is a pity to hide this youth, I know that it is not his own crime that is thus visited upon him This is but a remnant, said the woman, three and twenty of my sons has ispid in Pencar slain, and I have no more hope of this one than of the others Then said Kaye, let him come and be a companion with me, and he shall not be slain unless I also am slain with him And they ate And the woman asked them, upon what errand come you here? We come to seek Olwen for this youth Then said the woman, in the name of heaven, since no one from the castle hath yet seen you return again once you came Heaven is our witness that we will not return until we have seen the maiden, does she ever come hithers so that she may be seen? She comes here every Saturday to wash her head, and in the vessel where she washes she leaves all her rings and she never either comes herself or sends any messengers to fetch them Will she come here if she is sent to? Heaven knows that I will not destroy my soul, nor will I betray those that trust me, unless you will pledge me your faith that you will not harm her, I will not send to her We pledge it, said they So a message was sent, and she came The maiden was clothed in a robe of flame-colored silk, and about her neck was a collar of ruddy gold on which were precious emeralds and rubies More yellow was her head than the flower of the broom Footnote The romancers dwell with great complacency on the fair hair and delicate complexion of their heroines This taste continued for a long time, and to render the hairlight was an object of education Even when wigs came into fashion they were all flaxen Such was the color of the hair of the Gauls and of their German conquerors It required some centuries to reconcile their eyes to the swarthy beauties of their Spanish and Italian neighbors And her skin was whiter than the foam of the wave, and fairer were her hands and her fingers than the blossoms of the wood anemone amidst the spray of the meadow fountain The eye of the trained hawk was not brighter than hers, her bosom was more snowy than the breast of the white swan, her cheek was redder than the reddest roses Whoso beheld her was filled with her love, four white trefoils sprung up wherever she trod, and therefore she was called Olwen She entered the house and sat beside Kilwich upon the foremost bench, and as soon as he saw her he knew her And Kilwich said unto her, Ah maiden thou art she whom I have loved, come away with me lest they speak evil of thee and of me. Many a day have I loved thee I cannot do this, for I have pledged my faith to my father not to go without his counsel, for his life will last only until the time of my espousals Whatever is to be must be, but I will give thee advice if thou wilt take it Go, ask me of my father and that which he shall require of thee, grant it, and thou wilt obtain me But if thou deny him anything, thou wilt not obtain me, and it will be well for thee if thou escape with thy life I promise all of this if occasion offer, said he She returned to her chamber, and they all rose up and followed her to the castle And they slew the nine porters that were at the nine gates in silence And they slew the nine watchdogs without one of them barking, and they went forward to the hall The greeting of heaven and of man beyond to thee, espada and pencar, said they And you, wherefore come you? We come to ask thy daughter Olwen for Kilwich, the son of Kilid, the son of Prince Keledon Where are my pages and my servants? Raise up the forks beneath my two eyebrows, which have fallen over my eyes That I may see the fashion of my son-in-law And they did so Come hither to-morrow, and you shall have an answer They rose to go forth, and espada and pencar seized one of the three poison darts that lay beside him And threw it after them, and bed where caught it and flung it And pierced espada and pencar grievously with it through the knee Then he said A cursed, un-gentle son-in-law truly, I shall ever walk the worse for his rudeness And shall ever be without a cure This poisoned iron pains me like the bite of a gadfly Cursed be the smith who forged it and the anvil on which it was wrought, so sharp is it That night also they took up their abode in the house of the herdsmen The next day with the dawn they arrayed themselves and proceeded to the castle And entered the hall, and they said Espada and pencar, give us thy daughter in consideration of her dour and her maidenfee, which we will pay to thee And do her two kings woman likewise Then he said Her four great-grandmothers and her four great-grandsires are yet alive It is needful that I take counsel of them Be it so, they answered, we will go to meet As they rose up he took the second dart that was beside him and cast it after them And many the son of Gawad caught it and flung it back at him and wounded him in the centre of the breast A cursed, un-gentle son-in-law truly said he The hired iron pains me like the bite of a horse-leach Cursed be the hearth whereon it was heated and the smith who formed it, so sharp is it Henceforth whenever I go uphill I shall have a scant in my breath and a pain in my chest and I shall often loathe my food And they went to meet And the third day they returned to the palace and Ispid and Pencor said to them Shoot not at me again unless thou desire death Where are my attendants, lift up the forks of my eyebrows which have fallen over my eyeballs that I may see the fashion of my son-in-law Then they arose and as they did so Ispid and Pencor took the third poison dart and cast it at them And kill which caught it and threw it vigorously and wounded him through the eyeball A cursed, un-gentle son-in-law truly as long as I remain alive my eyesight will be the worse Whenever I go against the wind my eyes will water and per adventure my head will burn And I shall have a giddiness every new moon like the bite of a mad dog is the stroke of this poisoned iron Cursed be the fire in which it was forged and they went to meet And the next day they came again to the palace and they said Shoot not at us any more unless thou desire as such hurt and harm and torture as thou now hast and even more Said Killwitch, give me thy daughter and if thou wilt not give her thou shalt receive thy death because of her Where is he that seeks my daughter, come hither where I may see him And they placed him a chair face to face with him Said Ispid and Pencor, is it thou that seekest my daughter? It is I, answered Killwitch, I must have thy pledge that thou wilt not do toward me otherwise than is just And when I have gotten that which I shall name my daughter thou shalt have I promised thee that willingly, said Killwitch, name what thou wilt I will do so, said he, seeest thou yonder red-tilt ground? I see it When first I met the mother of this maiden nine bushels of flax were sown therein and none has yet sprung up white nor black I require to have the flax to sow in the new land yonder that when it grows up it may make a white wimple for my daughter's head on the day of thy wedding It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think it will not be easy Though thou get this there is yet that which thou wilt not get, the harp of terror to, to play to us that night When a man desires that it should play it does so of itself and when he desires that it should cease it ceases And this he will not give of his own free will and that will not be able to compel him It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think it will not be easy Though thou get this there is yet that which thou wilt not get I require thee to get me for my huntsman, Mabon the son of Modron He was taken from his mother when three nights old and it is not known where he now is nor whether he is living nor dead It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think it will not be easy Though thou get this there is yet that which thou wilt not get The two cubs of the wolf gassed rimmy, no leash in the world will hold them but a leash made from the beard of Dillis Varvac, the robber And the leash will be of no avail unless it is plucked from his beard while he is alive While he lives he will not suffer this to be done to him and the leash will be of no use should he be dead because it will be brittle It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think it will not be easy Though thou get this there is yet that which thou wilt not get The sword of Guernac the giant, of his own free will he will not give it and thou wilt never be able to compel him It will be easy for me to compass this, although thou mayest think it will not be easy Though thou get this there is yet that which thou wilt not get Difficulties shall thou meet with, and nights without sleep in seeking this, and if thou obtain it not, neither shall thou obtain my daughter. Horses shall I have, and chivalry, and my Lord and Kinsman Arthur will obtain for me all these things, and I shall gain thy daughter, and thou shalt lose thy life. Go forward, and thou shalt not be chargeable for food or raiment for my daughter while thou art seeking these things, and when thou hast compassed all these marvels, thou shalt have my daughter for thy wife. End of Chapter 11 Recording by Kalinda in Lüneburg, Germany On February 14, 2009 The Age of Chivalry, Chapter 12 From Bullfinches the Age of Chivalry This is LibriVox Recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Kalinda The Age of Chivalry by Thomas Bullfinch, Chapter 12 Kilwich and Olwen continued All that day they journeyed until the evening, and then they beheld a vast castle which was the largest in the world. And Lowe, a black man, larger than three of the men of this world, came out from the castle. And they spoke unto him and said, Oh man, whose castle is that? Stupid are ye truly, oh man, there is no one in the world that does not know that this is the castle of Guernac the Giant. What treatment is there for guests and strangers that alight in that castle? Oh, chieftain, heaven protect thee. No guests ever returned thence alive, and no one may enter therein unless he brings with him his craft. Then they proceeded towards the gate. Said Guernac the Giant, is there a porter? There is, wherefore dost thou call? Open the gate. I will not open it. Wherefore wilt thou not? The knife is in the meat, and the drink is in the horn, and there is revelry in the hall of Guernac the Giant. And except for a craftsman who brings his craft, the gate will not be opened to-night. Verily Porter then said, Kay, my craft bring I with me. What is thy craft? The best burnisher of swords am I in the world. I will go and tell this unto Guernac the Giant, and I will bring thee an answer. So the porter went in, and Guernac said to him, Has thou news from the gate? I have. There is a party at the door of the gate who desire to come in. Didst thou inquire of them if they possessed any art? I did inquire, said he, and one told me that he was well skilled in the burnishing of swords. We have need of him then, for some time have I sought for someone to polish my sword, and could find no one. Let this man enter, since he brings with him his craft. The porter thereupon returned, and opened the gate. And Kay went in by himself, and he saluted Guernac the Giant, and a chair was placed for him opposite to Guernac. And Guernac said to him, O man, is it true that is reported of thee that thou knowest how to burnish swords? I know full well how to do so, answered Kay. Then was the sword of Guernac brought to him, and Kay took a blue-wet stone from under his arm, and asked whether he would have it burnished white or blue. Do with it as it seems good to thee, or as thou wouldst if it were thine own. Then Kay polished one half of the blade, and put it in his hand. Will this please thee, asked he? I would rather than all that is in my dominions that the whole of it were like this. It is a marvel to me that such a man as thou should be without a companion. O noble sir, I have a companion, albeit he is not skilled in this art. Who may he be? Let the porter go forth, and I will tell him whereby he may know him. The head of his lance will leave its shaft and draw blood from the wind, and will descend upon its shaft again. Then the gate was opened, and Bedware entered. And Kay said, Bedware is very skillful, though he knows not this art. And there was much discourse among those who were without, because that Kay and Bedware had gone in. And a young man who was with them, the only son of the herdsmen, got in also, and he contrived to admit all the rest, but they kept themselves concealed. The sword was now polished, and Kay gave it unto the hands of Gwernak the Giant to see if he were pleased with his work. And the Giant said, The work is good, I am content therewith. Said Kay, It is thy scabbard that hath rusted thy sword, give it to me, that I may take out the wooden sides of it and put in new ones. And he took the scabbard from him, and the sword in the other hand, and he came and stood over against the Giant as if he would have put the sword into the scabbard. And with it he struck at the head of the Giant and cut off his head at one blow. Then they despoiled the castle and took from it what goods and jewels they would. And they returned to Arthur's court, bearing with them the sword of Gwernak the Giant. And when they told Arthur how they had sped, Arthur said, It is a good beginning. Then they took counsel and said, Which of these marvels will it be best for us to seek next? It will be best, said one, to seek Mabon the son of Modron, and he will not be found unless we first find Idoel, the son of Eir, his kinsman. Then Arthur rose up, and the warriors of the island of Britain with him, to seek for Idoel. And they proceeded until they came to the castle of Glyvy, where Idoel was imprisoned. Glyvy stood on the summit of his castle, and he said, Arthur, what requires thou of me, since nothing remains to me in this fortress, and I have neither joy nor pleasure in it, neither wheat nor oats, seek not therefore to do me harm. Said Arthur, not to injure thee, came I hither, but to seek for the prisoner that is with thee. I will give thee my prisoner, though I had not thought to give him up to any one, and therewith shall thou have my support and my aid. His followers said unto Arthur, Lord, go thou home, thou canst not proceed with thy host in quest of such small adventures as these. Then said Arthur, it were well for thee, Gerher Gvalstad, to go upon this quest, for thou knowest all languages and art familiar with those of the birds and the beasts. Thou, Idoel, oughtst likewise to go with thy men in search of thy cousin, and as for you, Kay and Bedweyr, I have hope of whatever adventure ye are in quest of, that ye will achieve it. Achieve ye this adventure for me. They went forward until they came to the usel of Silbury. And Gerher adjured her, saying, Tell me if thou knowest ought of Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken when three nights old from between his mother and the wall. And the usel answered, When I first came here, there was a smith's anvil in this place, and I was then a young bird, and from that time no work has been done upon it save the pecking of my beak every evening. And now there is not so much as the size of a nut remaining thereof. Yet during all that time I have never heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless, I will do that which it is fitting that I should for an embassy from Arthur. There is a race of animals who were formed before me, and I will be your guide to them. So they proceeded to the place where was the stag of Redenver. Stag of Redenver, behold, we are come to thee an embassy from Arthur, for we have not heard of any animal older than you. Say, knowest thou ought of Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken from his mother when three nights old? The stag said, When first I came hither there was a plain all around me without any trees save one oak sapling, which grew up to be an oak within hundred branches, and that oak has since perished, so that now nothing remains of it but the withered stump, and from that day to this I have been here. Yet have I never heard of the man for whom you inquire. Nevertheless, being an embassy from Arthur, I will be your guide to the place where there is an animal which was formed before I was, and the oldest animal in the world, and the one that has traveled most, the eagle of Guern Habi. Gurheir said, Eagle of Guern Habi, We have come to thee, an embassy from Arthur, to seek thee if thou knowest ought of Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken from his mother when he was three nights old. The eagle said, I have been here for a great space of time, and when I first came hither there was a rock here from the top of which I pecked at the stars every evening, and it has crumbled away, and now it is not so much as a span high. All that time I have been here, and I have never heard of the man for whom you inquire, except once, when I went in search of food as far as Lin Lui. And when I came there, I struck my talons into a salmon, thinking he would serve me as food for a long time, but he drew me into the water and I was scarcely able to escape from him. After that I made peace with him, and I drew fifty fish-spears out of his back and relieved him. Unless he knows something of him whom you seek, I cannot tell whom he may. However, I will guide you to the place where he is. So they went thither, and the eagle said, Salmon of Lin Lui, I have come to thee with an embassy from Arthur to ask if thou knowest ought of Mabon the son of Modron, who was taken away at three nights old from his mother. As much as I know I will tell thee, with every tide I go along the river upward until I come near to the walls of Gloucester, and there have I found such wrong as I never found elsewhere, and to the end that ye may give credence thereto let one of you go thither upon each of my two shoulders. So Kay and Gurgir Gvalstadt went upon the two shoulders of the salmon, and they proceeded until they came unto the wall of the prison, and they heard a great wailing and lamenting from the dungeon. Said Gurgir, who is it that laments in this house of stone? Alas! it is Mabon the son of Modron, who is here imprisoned, and no imprisonment was ever so grievous as mine. Has thou hope of being released for gold or for silver or for any gifts of wealth or through battle and fighting? By fighting will whatever I may gain be obtained. Then they went thence and returned to Arthur, and they told him where Mabon the son of Modron was imprisoned, and Arthur summoned the warriors of the island, and they journeyed as far as Gloucester to the place where Mabon was imprisoned. Kay and Bedwear went upon the shoulders of the fish, whilst the warriors of Arthur attacked the castle, and Kay broke through the wall into the dungeon and brought away the prisoner upon his back whilst the fight was going on between the warriors, and Arthur returned home, and Mabon with him at liberty. On a certain day, as Gurgir Gvalstadt was walking over a mountain, he heard a wailing and a grievous cry, and when he heard it, he sprang forward and went towards it, and when he came there he saw a fire burning among the turf, and an anthill nearly surrounded by the fire, and he drew his sword and smote off the anthill close to the earth, so that it escaped from being burned in the fire. And the ant said to him, Receive from us the blessing of heaven and that which no man can give, we give thee. Then they fetched the nine bushels of flaxseed, which Ispateden Pencar had required of Kilwich, and they brought the full measure without lacking any except one flaxseed, and that the lame pismir brought in before night. Then said Arthur, Which of the marvels will it be best for us to seek next? It will be best to seek for the two cubs of the wolf-gassed rimmy. Is it known, said Arthur, where she is? She is in Aberklediff, said one. Then Arthur went to the house of Tringad in Aberklediff, and he inquired of him whether he had heard of her there. She has often slayed my herds, and she is there below in a cave in Aberklediff. Then Arthur went in his ship Pridwin by sea, and the others went by land to hunt her, and they surrounded her in her two cubs, and took them and carried them away. As Kay and Bedwear sat on a beacon-carn on the summit of Plinlimon, in the highest wind that ever was, they looked around them and saw a great smoke far off. Then, said Kay, by the hand of my friend, yonder is the fire of a robber. Then they hastened towards the smoke, and they came so near to it that they could see Dillis Varvac scorching a wild boar. Behold, yonder is the greatest robber that ever fled from Arthur, said Bedwear to Kay. Does thou know him? I do know him, answered Kay. He is Dillis Varvac, and no leash in the world will be able to hold the cubs of gassed rimmy, save a leash made from the beard of him thou seest yonder'd. And even that will be useless unless his beard be plucked out alive with wooden tweezers, for if dead it will be brittle. What thinkest thou that we should do concerning this, said Bedwear? Let us suffer him, said Kay, to eat as much as he will of the meat, and after that he will fall asleep. And during that time they employed themselves in making the wooden tweezers. And when Kay knew certainly that he was asleep, he made a pit under his feet, and he struck him a violent blow, and squeezed him into the pit. He stretched out his beard completely with the wooden tweezers, and after that they slew him altogether. And from thence they went, and took the leash made of Dillis Varvac's beard, and they gave it into Arthur's hand. Thus they got all the marvels that Ispid and Pencor had required of Kilwich, and they set forward and took the marvels to his court. And Kilwich said to Ispid and Pencor, is thy daughter mine now? She is thine, said he, but therefore needest thou not thank me, but Arthur, who hath accomplished this for thee. Then Gory, the son of Custinan, the herdsman, whose brothers Ispid and Pencor had slain, seized him by the hair of his head, and dragged him after him to the keep, and cut off his head, and placed it on a stake on the citadel. Then they took possession of his castle and of his treasures. And that night, Olin became Kilwich's bride, and she continued to be his wife, as long as she lived. Recording by Kalinda in Lunaborgs, Germany, on February 14, 2009 Taliesin. Guidno Garenhia was sovereign of Gwaelod, a territory bordering on the sea, and he possessed a weir upon the strand between Dovi and Aberystwyth, near to his own castle, and the value of a hundred pounds was taken in that weir every May eve. And Guidno had an only son named Elfin, the most hapless of youths, and the most needy, it grieved his father's sore, for he thought that he was born in an evil hour. By the advice of his council, his father had granted him the drawing of the weir that year, to see if good luck would ever befall him, and to give him something wherewith to begin the world. And this was on the 29th of April. The next day, when Elfin went to look, there was nothing in the weir, but a leaven bag upon a pole of the weir. Then said the weirward unto Elfin, all thy ill luck of foretime was nothing to this, and now thou hast destroyed the virtues of the weir, which always yielded the value of a hundred pounds every May eve, and to-night there is nothing but this leaven's skin within it. How now, said Elfin, there may be there in the value of a hundred pounds? Well, they took up the leaven bag, and he who opened it saw the forehead of an infant, the fairest that ever was seen, and he said, Behold, a radiant brow! In the Welsh language, tell yes in. Tell yes in, be he called, said Elfin, and he lifted the bag in his arms, and lamenting his bad luck, placed the boy sorrowfully behind him, and he made his horse amble gently that before had been trotting, and he carried him as softly as if he had been sitting in the easiest chair in the world. And presently the boy made a consolation and praise to Elfin, and the consolation was as you may here see. Fair Elfin, cease to lament, never in Gwythnos weir was there such good luck as this night. Being sad will not avail, better to trust in God than to forbode ill, weak and small as I am on the foaming beach of the ocean. In this day of trouble I shall be of more service to thee than three hundred salmon. This was the first poem that Tell yes in ever sung, being to console Elfin in his grief for that the produce of the weir was lost, and what was worse that all the world would consider that it was through his fault and ill luck. Then Elfin asked him what he was, whether man or spirit, and he sung thus, I have been formed a comely person, although I am but little, I am highly gifted, into a dark leaven bag I was thrown, and on a boundless sea I was sent adrift. From seas and from mountains God brings wealth to the fortunate man. Then came Elfin to the house of Gwythnos, his father, and Tell yes in with him. Gwythnos asked him if he had had a good haul at the weir, and he told him that he had got that which was better than fish. What was that said Gwythnos? A bard said Elfin. Then said Gwythnos, alas, what will he profit thee? And Tell yes in himself replied and said, he will profit him more than the weir ever profited thee. Asked Gwythnos, are thou able to speak, and thou so little? And Tell yes in answered him, I am better able to speak than thou to question me. Let me hear what thou canst say with Gwythnos, then Tell yes in sang. Three times have I been born, I know by meditation all the sciences of the world are collected in my breast, for I know what has been and what hereafter will occur. Elfin gave his haul to his wife, and she nursed him tenderly and lovingly. Thenceforward Elfin increased in riches more and more day after day, and in love and favour with the king, and there abode Tell yes in until he was thirteen years old, when Elfin, son of Gwythnos, went by a Christmas invitation to his uncle, Milgan Gwynedd, who held open court at Christmas Tide in the castle of Dganwy, for all the number of his lords of both degrees, both spiritual and temporal, with a vast and thronged host of knights and squires. And one arose and said, is there in the whole world a king so great as Milgan, or one on whom heaven has bestowed so many gifts as upon him, form and beauty, and meekness and strength, besides all the powers of the soul? And together with these they said that heaven had given one gift that exceeded all the others, that which was the beauty and grace and wisdom and modesty of his queen, whose virtues surpassed those of all the ladies and noble maidens throughout the whole kingdom. As they put questions to one another, who had braver men, who had fairer or swifter horses or greyhounds, who had more skillful or wiser bards than Milgan? When they had made an end of their praising the king and his gifts, it befell that Elfin spoke on this wise, of a truth none but a king may vie with a king, but were he not a king I would say that my wife was as virtuous as any lady in the kingdom and also that I have a bard who is more skillful than all the king's bards. In a short space some of his fellows told the king all the boastings of Elfin, and the king ordered him to be thrown into a strong prison until he might show the truth as to the virtues of his wife and the wisdom of his bard. Now when Elfin had been put in the tower of the castle with a thick chain about his feet, it is said that it was a silver chain because he was of royal blood. The king, as the story relates, sent his son Hrin to inquire into the demeanour of Elfin's wife. Now Hrin was the most graceless man in the world, and there was neither wife nor maiden with whom he held converse, but was evil spoken of. While Hrin went in haste towards Elfin's dwelling, being fully minded to bring disgrace upon his wife, Taliesin told his mistress how that the king had placed his master in endurance in prison and how that Hrin was coming in haste to strive to bring disgrace upon her. Wherefore he caused his mistress to array one of the maids of her kitchen in her apparel, which the noble lady gladly did, and she loaded her hands with the best rings that she and her husband possessed. In disguise Taliesin caused his mistress to put the maiden to sit at the board in her room at supper, and he made her to seem as her mistress and the mistress to seem as the maid. And when they were in due time seated at their supper in the manner that has been said, Hrin arrived suddenly at Elfin's dwelling and was received with joy for the servants knew him, and they brought him to the room of their mistress, in the semblance of whom the maid rose up from the supper and welcomed him gladly. As she sat down to supper again and Hrin with her, then Hrin began jesting with the maid who still kept the semblance of her mistress, and verily this story shows that the maiden became so intoxicated that she fell asleep, and the story relates that it was a powder that Hrin put into the drink that made her sleep so soundly that she never felt it when he cut off from her hand her little finger, which was the signet ring of Elfin, which he had sent to his wife as a token a short time before, and Hrin returned to the king with the finger and the ring as a proof to show that he had cut it from her hand without her awakening from her sleep of intemperance. The king rejoiced greatly at these tidings, and he sent for his counsellors to whom he told the whole story from the beginning, which he brought out of prison, and he chided him because of his boast, and he spake on thus wise, Elfin, be it known to thee beyond a doubt that it is but folly for a man to trust in the virtues of his wife further than he can see her, and that thou mayst be certain of thy wife's vileness, behold her finger with thy signet ring upon it, which was cut from her hand last night while she slept the sleep of intoxication. Then, thus spake Elfin, with thy leave mighty king I cannot deny my ring for it is known of many, but verily I assert that the finger around which it is was never attached to the hand of my wife, for in truth and certainty there are three notable things pertaining to it, none of which ever belong to any of my wife's fingers. The first of the three is that it is certainly known to me that this ring would never remain upon her thumb, whereas you can plainly see that it is hard to draw over the joint of the little finger of the hand whence this was cut. The second thing is that my wife has never let pass one Saturday since I have known her without pairing her nails before going to bed, and you can see fully that the nail of this little finger has not been paired for a month. The third is, truly, that the hand whence this finger came within three days before the finger was cut therefrom, and I can assure your highness that my wife has never needed Rideau since my wife she has been. The king was mightily wroth with Elfin, for so stoutly withstanding him, respecting the goodness of his wife, wherefore he ordered him to his prison a second time, saying that he should not be loosed thence, until he had proved the truth of his boast, as well concerning the wisdom of his bard as the virtues of his wife. In the meantime his wife and Telyesin remain joyful at Elfin's dwelling, and Telyesin showed his mistress how the Telfin was in prison because of them, but he bade her be glad for that he would go to Milgan's court to free his master. So he took leave of his mistress and came to the court of Milgan, who was going to sit in the hall and dine in his royal state as was the custom in those days for kings and princes to do at every chief feast. As soon as Telyesin entered the hall he placed himself in a quiet corner near the place where the bards and the minstrels were want to come in doing their service and duty to the king, as is the custom at the high festivals when the bountyers proclaimed. So when the bards and the heralds came to cry largesse and to proclaim the power of the king and his strength at the moment where they passed by the corner wherein he was crouching, Telyesin pouted out his lips after them and played blerum blerum with his finger upon his lips. Neither took they much notice of him as they went by, but proceeded forward till they came before the king unto whom they made their obeisance with their bodies, as they were want without speaking a single word, but pouting out their lips and making mouths at the king playing blerum blerum upon their lips with their forefingers as they had seen the boy do. This sight caused the king to wonder and to deem within himself that they were drunk with many liquors, wherefore he commanded one of his lords who served at the board to go to them and desire them to collect their wits and to consider where they stood and what it was fitting for them to do. And this lord did so gladly, but they ceased not from their folly any more than before, where upon his lips were many more than before, whereupon he sent to them a second time and a third, desiring them to go forth from the hall. At the last the king ordered one of his squires to give a blow to the chief of them, named Hainian Varth, and the squire took a broom and struck him on the head so that he fell back in his seat. Then he arose and went on his knees and besought leave of the king's grace through want of knowledge, neither through drunkenness, but by the influence of some spirit that was in the hall. And he spoke on this wise, O honourable king, be it known to your grace that not from the strength of drink or of too much liquor are we dumb, but through the influence of a spirit that sits in yonder corner in the form of a child. Forthwith the king commanded the squire to fetch him, and brought him before the king who asked him what he was and whence he came. And he answered the king in verse, primary chief bard am I to Elfin and my native country is the region of the summer stars. I have been in Asia with Noah in the ark. I have seen the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. I was in India when Rome was built. I have now come here to the remnant of Troyer. When the king and his nobles had heard the song they wondered much, for they had never heard the like from a boy so young as he. And when the king knew that he was the bard of Elfin he bade Hainin, his first and wisest bard, to answer Taliesin and to strive with him. But when he came he could do no other than play blerum on his lips and when he sent for the others of the four and twenty bards and could do no other. And Milgan asked the boy Taliesin what was his errand and he answered him in song. Elfin, the son of Guidno is in the land of Artro secured by thirteen locks for praising his instructor therefore I, Taliesin chief of the bards of the west will loosen Elfin out of a golden fetter. Then he sang to them a riddle discover thou what is the strong creature from before the flood without flesh, without bone without vein, without blood without head, without feet. It will neither be older nor younger than at the beginning behold how the sea whitens when first it comes when it comes from the south when it strikes on coasts it is in the field it is in the wood but the eye cannot perceive it one being has prepared it by a tremendous blast to wreak vengeance on Milgan Gwyneth while he was thus singing his verse there arose a mighty storm of wind so that the king and all his nobles thought that the castle would fall upon their heads and the king caused them to fetch Elfin in haste from his dungeon and placed him before Taliesin and it is said that immediately he sung a verse so that the chains opened from about his feet. After that Taliesin brought Elfin's wife before them and showed that she had not one finger wanting and in this manner did he set his master free from prison and protect the innocence of his mistress and silence the bards so that not one of them dared to say a word. Right Glad was Elfin Right Glad was Taliesin The Age of Chivalry Beowulf Notable among the names of heroes of the British race is that of Beowulf which appeals to all English-speaking people in a very special way since he is the one hero in whose story we may see the ideals of our English forefathers before they left their continental home to cross to the islands of Britain. Although this hero has distinguished himself by numerous feats of strength during his boyhood and early youth it was as a deliverer of Rothgar king of Denmark from the monster Grendel that he first gained wide renown as half-monster and half-man and had his abode in the fen fastnesses in the vicinity of Rothgar's residence. Night after night he would steal into the king's great palace called Herorot and slay sometimes as many as 30 at one time of the night sleeping there. Beowulf put himself at the head of a selected band of warriors went against the monster and after a terrible fight slew it. The following night Grendel's mother a fiend scarcely less terrible than her son carried off one of Rothgar's boldest thanes. Once more Beowulf went to the help of the Danish king followed the she-monster to her lair at the bottom of a muddy lake in the midst of the swamp and with his good-sword heronting and his own muscular arms broke the sea-woman's neck. Upon his return to his own country of the Geats loaded with honors bestowed upon him by Rothgar Beowulf served the king of Geatland as a trusted counselor and champion. When after many years the king fell before an enemy the Geats unanimously chose Beowulf for their new king. His fame as a warrior kept his country free from invasion and his wisdom as a statesman increased its prosperity and happiness. In the fiftieth year of Beowulf's reign however a great terror fell upon the land in the way of a monstrous fire-dragon which flew forth by night out the blackness with its blazing breath and burning houses and homesteads men in cattle with the flames from its mouth. When the news came to Beowulf that his people were suffering and dying and that no warrior dared to risk his life in an effort to deliver the country from this deadly devastation the aged king took up his shield and sword and went forth to his last fight. At the entrance of the dragons cave Beowulf raised his voice and shouted a furious defiance to the awesome guardian of the den. Roaring hideously and napping his glowing wings together the dragon rushed forth and half flew half sprang on Beowulf then began a fearful combat which ended in Beowulf's piercing the dragon's scaly armor and inflicting a mortal wound but alas in himself being given a gash in the neck by the opponent's poisoned fangs which resulted in his death. As he lay stretched on the ground his head supported by Wigliff who had helped in the fight with the dragon Beowulf roused himself to say as he grasped Wigliff's hand thou must now look to the needs of the nation here dwell I no longer for destiny calleth me bid thou my warriors after my funeral pyre build me a burial car in high on the sea cliff's head so that the seafarers Beowulf's barrel henceforth shall name it they who drive far and wide over the mighty flood their foamy keels thou are the last of all the kindred of wagmund wired has swept all my kin all the brave chiefs away now must I follow them these last words spoken the king of the geats brave to seek danger and brave to look on death and fate undaunted fell back dead according to his last desires his followers gathered wood and piled it on the cliff head upon this funeral pyre was laid Beowulf's body and consumed to ashes then upon the same cliff the throne'sness was erected a huge burial carn widespread and lofty to be known thereafter as Beowulf's Barrel Kuchulin, champion of Ireland among all the early literatures of Europe there are two which at exactly opposite corners of the continent display most strikingly similar characteristics these are the greek and the irish and the legend of the irish champion Kuchulin which well illustrates the similarity of the literatures there is so close a resemblance to the story of Achilles as to win for this hero the title of the irish achilles certainly in reckless courage power of inspiring dread sense of personal merit and frankness of speech the irish hero is fully equal to the mighty greek Kuchulin was the nephew of king Conner of Ulster son of his sister dectire and it is said that his father was no mortal man but the great god Lu of the longhand Kuchulin was brought up by king Conner himself and even while he was still a boy his fame spread all over Ireland his war like deeds were those of a proved warrior not of a child of nursery age and by the time Kuchulin was 17 he was without peer among the champions of Ulster upon Kuchulin's marriage to Emer daughter of Forgall the Wiley a druid of great power the couple took up their residence at Armagh the capital of Ulster under the protection of king Conner here there was one chief Bacraeus of the Bitter Tongue who, like Thursites among the Grecian leaders delighted in making mischief soon he had on foot plans for stirring up strife among the heroes of Ulster leaders among whom were the mighty Laguerre, Connell Cernock cousin of Kuchulin and Kuchulin himself inviting the members of king Conner's court to dinner Bacraeus arranged that a contest should arise over who should have the champion's portion and so successful was he that to avoid a bloody fight the three heroes mentioned decided to submit their claims to the championship of Ireland to king El El of Conner El El put the heroes to an unexpected test their dinner was served them in a separate room into which three magic beasts in the shape of monstrous cats were sent by the king when they saw them Laguerre and Connell rose from their meal climbed among the rafters and stayed there all night Kuchulin waited until one cat attacked him and then drawing his sword struck the monster it showed no further sign of fight and at daybreak the magic beast disappeared as Laguerre and Connell claimed this test was an unfair one El El sent the three rivals to Curroy of Cury a just and wise man who set out to discover by wizardry and enchantments the best among the heroes in turn they stood watch outside the castle where Laguerre and Connell were overcome by a huge giant who hurled spears of mighty oak trees and ended by throwing them over the wall into the courtyard Kuchulin alone was stood the giant whereupon he was attacked by other magic foes among these was a dragon who flew on horrible wings from a neighboring lake and seemed ready to devour everything in its way Kuchulin sprang up giving his wonderful hero leap thrust his arm into the dragon's mouth and tore out its heart after the monster fell dead he cut off its scaly head as even yet Kuchulin's opponents would not admit his championship they were all three directed to return to our mag to await Curroy's judgment here it happened that all the Ulster heroes were in the great hall one night except Kuchulin and his cousin Connell as they sat in order of rank a terrible stranger gigantic and stature hideous an aspect with ravening yellow eyes entered in his hand he bore an enormous axe with keen and shining edge upon King Connors inquiring his business there the stranger replied behold my axe the man who will grasp it today may cut my head off with it provided that I may in like manner cut off his head tomorrow if you have no champion who dare face me I will say that Ulster has lost her courage and is dishonored at once Laguerre accepted the challenge the giant laid his head on a block and at a blow the hero severed it from the body thereupon the giant arose took the head in the axe and thus headless strode from the hall but the following night when he returned sound as ever to claim the fulfillment of Laguerre's promise the latter's heart failed him and he did not come forward the stranger then jeered at the men of Ulster because their great champion does not keep his agreement nor face the blow he should receive in return for the one he gave the men of Ulster were utterly ashamed but Connell Cernock who was present that night made a new agreement with the stranger he gave a blow which beheaded the giant but again when the latter returned whole and sound on the following evening the champion was not to be found now it was the turn of Coochulan who as the others had done cut off the giant's head at one stroke the next day the members of Conner's court watched Coochulan to see what he would do they would not have been surprised if he had failed like the others who were now present the champion however showed no signs of failing or retreat he sat sorrowfully in his place and with a sigh said to King Conner as they waited do not leave this place till all is over death is coming to me very surely but I must fulfill my agreement for I would rather die than break my word towards the close of day the stranger strode into the hall exultant where is Coochulan he cried here I am was the reply ah poor boy your speech is sad tonight and the fear of death lies heavy upon you but at least you have redeemed your word and have not failed me the youth rose from his seat and went towards him as he stood with the great axe ready and knelt to receive the blow the hero of Ulster laid his head on the block but the giant was not satisfied stretch out your neck better said he you are playing with me to torment me said Coochulan slay me now speedily for I did not keep you waiting last night however he stretched out his neck as ordered and the stranger raised his axe till it crashed upwards through the raptors of the hall like the crash of trees falling in a storm when the axe came down with a terrific sound all men looked fearfully at Coochulan the descending axe had not even touched him it had come down with the blunt side on the ground and the youth knelt there and harmed smiling at him and leaning on his axe stood no terrible and hideous stranger but Coo Roy of Kerry come to give his decision at last rise up Coochulan said Coo Roy there is none among all the heroes of Ulster to equal you in courage and loyalty and truth the championship of the heroes of Ireland is yours from this day forth and the champion's portion at all feasts and to your wife I adjudged the first place among all men of Ulster woe to him who dares to dispute this decision thereupon Coo Roy vanished and the warriors gathered around Coochulan and all with one voice acclaimed him the champion of the heroes of all Ireland a title which has clung to him until this day this is one of the many stories told of the Irish champion whose deeds of bravery would fill many pages Coochulan finally came to his end on the field of battle after a fight in which he displayed a gallantry but in which unfair means were used to overcome him for Wales and for England during centuries Arthur has been the representative very gentle perfect knight in a similar way in England's sister Isle Coochulan stands ever for the highest ideals of the Irish gales here word the wake in here word the wake or watchful is found one of those heroes whose date can be ascertained with a fair amount of exactness and yet in whose story occur mythological elements which seem to belong to all ages the folklore of primitive races is a great storehouse once a people can choose tales and heroic deeds to glorify its own national hero careless that the same tales and deeds have done duty for other peoples and other heroes hence it happens that here word the Saxon a patriot hero as real and actual as Nelson or George Washington the deeds were recorded in prose and verse within 40 years of his death was even then surrounded by a cloud of romance and mystery which hid in vagueness his family his marriage and even his death briefly it may be stated that here word was a native of Lincolnshire and was in his prime about 1070 in that year he joined a party of Danes who appeared in England attacked Peterborough and sacked the Abbey there and afterward took refuge in the Isle of Elie here he was besieged by William the Conqueror and was finally forced to yield to the Norman he thus came to stand for the defeated Saxon race and his name has been passed down as that of the darling hero of the Saxons for his splendid defense of Elie they forgave his final surrender to Duke William they attributed to him all the virtues supposed to be inherent in the free born and all the glorious valor on which the English prided themselves and lastly they surrounded his death with a halo of desperate fighting and made his last conflict as wonderful as that of Rowland at Ronses Fales if Rowland is the ideal of Norman feudal chivalry here word is equally the ideal of Anglo-Saxon sturdy manliness and knighthood an account of one of here words adventures as a youth will serve as illustration of the stories told of his prowess in an enforced visit to Cornwall he found that King Aela a petty British chief had betrothed his fair daughter to a terrible Pictish giant breaking off in order to do it her troth plight with Prince Sigtrigg of Waterford son of a Danish king in Ireland here word ever chivalrous picked a quarrel with the giant and killed him in fair fight whereupon the king threw him into prison in the following night however he realized that the gallant Saxon should be freed and sent hot foot for her lover Prince Sigtrigg after many adventures here word reached the prince who hastened to return to Cornwall with the young hero but to the grief of both they learned upon their arrival that the princess had just been betrothed to a wild Cornish hero and the wedding feast was to be held that very day Sigtrigg at once sent a troop to the front of the troth plight between himself and his daughter and threatening vengeance if it were broken to this threat the king returned no answer and no Dane came back to tell of their reception Sigtrigg would have waited till morning trusting in the honor of the king but here word disguised himself as a minstrel and obtained admission to the bridal feast where he soon won applause by his beautiful singing the bridegroom Haco in a rapture and gave him any boon he liked to ask but he demanded only a cup of wine from the hands of the bride when she brought it to him he flung into the empty cup the betrothal ring the token she had sent to Sigtrigg and said I thank thee lady and would reward thee for thy gentleness to a wandering minstrel I give back the cup richer than before by the kind thoughts of which it bears the token the princess looked at him looking again she recognized her deliverer and knew that rescue was at hand while men feasted here word listened and talked and found out that the 40 Danes were prisoners to be released on the Marl when Haco was sure of his bride but released useless and miserable since they would be turned adrift blinded Haco was taking his lovely bride back to his own land and here word saw that any rescue to be successful must be attempted on the March returning to Sigtrigg the young Saxon told all that he had learned and the Danes planned an ambush in the ravine where Haco had decided to blind and set free his captives the hole was carried out exactly as here word arranged it the Cornish men with the Danish captives passed first without attack next came Haco riding grim and ferocious beside his silent bride he exalting in his success she looking eagerly for any signs of rescue as they passed here word sprang from his shelter crying upon them Danes and set your brethren free and himself struck down Haco and smote off his head there was a short struggle but soon the rescued Danes were able to aid their deliverers and the Cornish guards were all slain the men of King Elif never very zealous for the cause of Haco fled and the Danes were left masters of the field Sigtrigg had in the meantime seen to the safety of the princess and now placing her between himself and here word he escorted her to the ship which soon brought them to Waterford and a happy bridle the prince and princess of Waterford always recognized in here word their deliverer and best friend and in their gratitude wished him to dwell with them always but the heroes roving and daring temper forbade his settling down but rather urged him on to deeds of arms and other lands quickly won a renown second to none Robin Hood among the earliest heirlooms of the Anglo-Saxon tongue are the songs and legends of Robin Hood and his merry outlaws which have charmed readers young and old for more than 600 years these entertaining stories date back to the time when Chaucer wrote his Canterbury tales when the minstrel and scribe stood in the place of the more prim and precise modern printed book of whether or not Robin Hood was a real person has been asked for many years just as a similar question has been asked about William Tell and others whom everyone would much rather accept on faith it cannot be answered by a brief yes or no even though learned men have poured over ancient records and have written books on the subject according to the general belief Robin was an outlaw in the reign of Richard I when in the depths of Sherwood forest he entertained 100 tall men all good archers with the spoil he took but he suffered no woman to be oppressed or otherwise molested poor men's goods he spared abundantly relieving them with that which by theft he got from abbeys and houses of rich carls consequently Robin was an immense favorite with the common people this popularity extended from the leader to all the members of his hearty band God save Robin Hood in all his good yearlmenry ending of many old ballads the clever archer who could out-shoot his fellows the brave yeoman inured to blows and the man who could be true to his friends through thick and thin were favorites for all time and they have been idolized in the persons of Robin Hood and his merry outlaws one of the best known stories of this picturesque figure of early English times is that given by Sir Walter Scott in Ivanhoe concerning the archery contest during the rule of Prince John in the absence of Richard from the kingdom Robin Hood under the assumed name of loxley boldly presents himself at a royal tournament at Ashby as competitor for the prize in shooting with the longbow from the eight or ten archers who enter the contest the number finally narrows down to two Hubert a forester in the service of one of the king's nobles and loxley or Robin Hood Hubert takes the first shot in the final trial of skill and lands his arrow within the inner ring of the target but not exactly in the center you have not allowed for the wind Hubert said loxley or that had been a better shot so saying and without showing the least anxiety to pause upon his aim loxley stepped to the appointment station and shot his arrow as carelessly in appearance as if he had not even looked at the mark he was speaking almost at the instant the shaft left the boasting yet it alighted in the target two inches near to the white spot which marked the center than that of Hubert by the light of heaven said Prince John to Hubert and thou suffer that runigate nave to overcome thee thou art worthy of the gallows Hubert had but one set speech for all occasions and your highness were to hang me he said a man can do but his best nevertheless my grand sire drew a good bow the foul fiend on my grand sire and all his generation interrupted John shoot nave and shoot thy best or it shall be worse for thee thus exhorted Hubert resumed his place and not neglecting the caution which he had received from his adversary he made the necessary allowance for a very light air of wind which had just risen and shot so successfully that his arrow alighted in the very center of the target a Hubert a Hubert shouted the populace more interested in a known person than a stranger in the clout in the clout a Hubert forever thou canst not mend that shot loxley said the prince with an insulting smile I will notch his shaft for him however replied loxley and letting fly his arrow with a little more precaution than before it lighted right upon that of his competitor which it split to shivers the people who stood around were so astonished at his wonderful dexterity that they could not even give vent to their surprise in their usual clamor this must be the devil and no man of flesh and blood whispered the yeoman to each other such archery was never seen since a bull was first bent in Britain and now said loxley I will crave your grace's permission to plant such a mark as is used in the north country and welcome every brave yeoman who shall try a shot at it to win a smile from the body last he loves best loxley there upon sets up a willow wand six feet long and as thick as a man's thumb Hubert is forced to decline the honor of taking part in such a trial of archery skill but his rival easily splits the wand at a distance of three hundred feet and carries off the prize even Prince John in admiration of loxley's skill lost for an instant his dislike to his person these twenty nobles he said which with the bugle thou has fairly won are thine own we will make them fifty if thou will take livery and service with us as a yeoman of our bodyguard and be near to our person for never did so strong a hand bend a bow or so true an eye direct to shaft loxley however declares that it is impossible for him to enter the Prince's service generously shares his prize with the worthy Hubert and retires once more to his beloved haunts among the lights and shadows of the good Greenwood end of hero miss of the British race end of the age of Civilry by Thomas Bullfinch