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."