wrought: 'Be true to Rimenhild.' Wear it always on your finger, for
my love's sake. The stone in it has such grace that never need you
fear any wound nor shrink from any combat, if you do but wear this
ring, and look steadfastly upon it, and think of me. And you, Athulf,
you too, when you have proven your knighthood, shall have such another
ring also. Sir Horn, may Heaven bless and keep you, and bring you safe
to me again."
With that Horn kissed her, and received her blessing, and went away to
prove his knighthood in brave feats of arms.
HORN THE KNIGHT ERRANT
Retold by F. J. H. Darton
When Horn had saddled his great black horse, and put on his armour, he
rode forth to adventure, singing gaily. Scarce had he gone a mile when
he spied by the seashore a ship, beached, and filled with heathen
Saracens. "What do you bring hither?" asked Horn. "Whence do you
come?" The pagans saw that he was but one man, and they were many, and
answered boldly, "We are come to win this land, and slay all its
folk."
At that Horn gripped his sword, and his blood ran hot. He sprang upon
the Saracen chief and smote him with all his strength, so that he
cleft the man's head from off his shoulders. Then he looked at the
ring which Rimenhild had given him; and immediately such might came
upon him that in a trice he slew full five score of the pagans. They
fled in terror before him, and few of those whom he did not slay at
the first onset escaped.
Horn set the head of the Saracen leader on the point of his sword, and
rode back to Aylmer's court. When he had come to the king's palace, he
went into the great hall, where the king and all his knights sat.
"King Aylmer," he cried, "and you, his knights, hear me. To-day, after
I was dubbed knight, I rode forth and found a ship by the shore,
filled with outlandish knaves, fierce Saracens, who were for slaying
you all. I set upon them; my sword failed not, and I smote them to the
ground. Lo, here is the head of their chief."
Men marvelled at Horn's prowess, and the king gave him words of
praise. But not yet did Horn dare speak of his love for Rimenhild. On
the morrow, at dawn, King Aylmer went a-hunting in the forest, and
Horn's twelve companions rode with him. But Horn himself did not go to
the chase; he sought instead to tell his lady Rimenhild of his deeds,
and went to her bower secretly, thinking to hear her joy in the feats
he had done. But he found her weeping bitterly. "Dear love," he said,
"why do you weep?"
"Alas, Horn, I have had an evil dream," she answered. "I dreamed that
I went fishing, and saw my net burst. A great fish was taken in it,
and I thought to have drawn him out safely; but he broke from my
hands, and rent the meshes of the net. It is in my mind that this
dream is of ill omen for us, Horn, and that the great fish signifies
you yourself, whereby I know that I am to lose you."
"Heaven keep this ill hap from us, dear princess," said Horn. "Nought
shall harm you, I vow; I take you for my own for ever, and plight my
troth to you here and now." But though he seemed to be of good cheer,
he too was stirred by this strange dream, and had evil forebodings.
Meanwhile Fikenhild, riding with King Aylmer by the river Stour, was
filled with envy of Horn's great deeds against the Saracens; and at
last he said to the king, "King Aylmer, hear me. This Horn, whom you
knighted yesterday for his valour in slaying the Saracens, would fain
undo you. I have heard him plotting to kill you and take Rimenhild to
wife. Even now, as we ride here by the river, he is in her bower--he,
Horn, the foundling, is with your daughter, the Princess Rimenhild.
Go now, and take him, and drive him out of your land for his
presumption." For Fikenhild had set a watch on Horn, and found out the
secret of his love for Rimenhild.
Thereupon King Aylmer turned his horse, and rode home again, and found
Horn with Rimenhild, even as Fikenhild had said. "Get you hence,
Horn," he cried in anger, "you base foundling; forth out of my
daughter's bower, away with you altogether! See that you leave this
land of Westerness right speedily; here is no place nor work for you.
If you flee not soon, your life is forfeit."
Horn, flushed with rage, went to the stable, and set saddle on his
steed, and took his arms; so fierce was his mien that none dared
withstand him. When all was ready for his going, he sought out
Rimenhild. "Your dream was true, dear love," he said. "The fish has
torn your net, and I go from you. But I will put a new ending to the
dream; fear not. Now fare you well; the king your father has cast me
out of his realm, and I must needs seek adventure in other lands.
Seven years will I wander, and it may be that I shall win such fortune
as shall bring me back to sue honourably for you. But if at the end of
seven years I have not come again to Westerness, nor sent word to you,
then do you, if you so will, take another man for husband in my stead,
and put me out of your heart. Now for the last time hold me in your
arms and kiss me good-bye."
So Horn took his leave. But before he went away from Aylmer's court,
he charged Athulf his friend to watch over Rimenhild and guard her
from harm. Then he set forth on his horse, and rode down to the sea,
and took ship to sail away alone from Westerness.
HORN IN EXILE
Retold by F. J. H. Barton
Ere Horn had sailed long, the wind rose, and the ship drove blindly
before it for many leagues, till at length it was cast up on land.
Horn stepped out on to the beach, and there before him saw two
princes, whose names (for they greeted him kindly) were Harild and
Berild.
"Whence are you?" they asked, when they had told him who they were.
"What are you called?"
Horn thought it wise to hide his real name from them, lest it should
come to Aylmer's ears, and his anger reach Horn even in this distant
land. "I am called Cuthbert," he answered, "and I am come far from the
west in this little ship, seeking adventure and honour."
"Well met, sir knight," said Harild. "Come now to our father the king:
you shall do knightly deeds in his service." They led him to King
Thurston their father; and when Thurston saw that Horn was a man of
might, skilled in arms, and a true knight, he took him into his
service readily. So Horn--or Cuthbert, as they knew him--abode at
Thurston's court, and served the king in battle. But no great and
notable thing befell him until the coming of Christmas.
It was King Thurston's custom to make each Christmas a great feast,
lasting many days. To this feast Horn was bidden, with all the other
knights of the court. Great mirth and joy was there that Yule-tide;
all men feasted with light hearts. Suddenly, about noon-day, the great
doors of the king's hall were flung open, and a monstrous giant strode
in. He was fully armed, in pagan raiment, and his mien was proud and
terrible.
"Sit still, sir king," he roared, as Thurston turned to him. "Hearken
to my tidings. I am come hither with a Saracen host, and my comrades
are close at hand. From them I bring a challenge; and this is the
challenge. One of us alone will fight any three of your knights, in a
certain place. If your three slay our one, then we will depart and
leave you and your land unscathed. But if our one champion slays your
three, then will we take your land for our own, and deal with it and
you as it pleases us. To-morrow at dawn we will make ready for the
combat; and if you take not up this challenge, and send your appointed
knights to battle, then will we burn and lay waste and slay all over
this realm." Thereupon he turned, and stalked out of the hall, saying
never another word. "This is a sorry hap," said King Thurston, when
the Saracen had gone and left them all aghast. "Yet must we take up
this challenge. Cuthbert," he said, turning to Horn, "you have heard
this pagan boast; will you be one of our three champions? Harild and
Berild, my sons, shall be the other two, and may God prosper all
three! But alas! it is of little avail. We are all dead men!"
But Horn felt no fear. He started up from the board when he heard the
king's sorrowful words. "Sir king," he cried, "this is all amiss. It
is not to our honour that three Christian knights should fight this
one pagan. I alone will lay the giant low, with my own sword,
unaided."
Thurston hoped little of this plan, but none the less he agreed to it;
and when the next day came, he arose betimes, and with his own hands
helped to arm Horn; and having made ready, he rode down to the field
of battle with him. There, in a great open space, stood the Saracen
giant awaiting them, his friends standing by him to abide the issue of
the combat. They made little tarrying, but fell to right soon. Horn
dealt mightily with the giant; he attacked him at once, and showered
blows upon him, so that the pagan was hard pressed, and begged for a
breathing space.
"Let us rest awhile, sir knight," he said. "Never suffered I such
blows from any man's hand yet, except from King Murry, whom I slew in
Suddenne."
At that dear name Horn's blood ran hot within him: before him he saw
the man who had slain his father and had driven himself from his
kingdom. He fell to more furiously than ever, and drove hard at the
giant beneath the shield; and as he smote he cast his eye upon the
ring Rimenhild had given him.
Therewith his strength was redoubled; so straight and strong was the
blow, so true his arm, that he pierced the giant to the heart, and he
fell dead upon the ground.
When they saw their champion slain, the Saracens were stricken with
panic. They turned and fled headlong to their ships, Thurston and his
knights pursuing. A great battle was fought by the ships: Harild and
Berild were slain, but Horn did such deeds of prowess that every pagan
was killed.
There was great lamentation over the two princes. Their bodies were
brought to the king's palace and laid in state, and lastly buried in a
great church built for them.
HORN'S RETURN
Retold by F. J. H. Darton
There was now no heir to Thurston's kingdom, since Harild and Berild
were slain; and in a little time, when the king's grief abated, he
bethought him of what should befall his people when his time came to
die.
"Cuthbert," he said to Horn one day, when he had pondered long over
these things, "there is no heir to my kingdom. There is but my
daughter Reynild to come after me. Will you wed her, and he king and
rule this land after my death?"
Horn was sorely tempted. But he looked on his ring, and remembered
Rimenhild. "Sir king," he answered, "you do me great honour, and I
give you thanks. But I am under a vow, and cannot wed the lady
Reynild." He would say no more, but was firm in his purpose; and King
Thurston had to be content with his loyal service only. For seven
years Horn abode at Thurston's court, serving in arms under him and
winning great fame by his knightly deeds. No word did he send to
Rimenhild, nor received tidings of any kind from Westerness.
About the end of the seventh year Horn chanced to be riding in the
forest, when he met a page journeying as if towards Thurston's
palace. "What do you here?" he said. "Whither do you go?"
"Sir," answered the page, "I have a message for one Sir Horn from Sir
Athulf in Westerness, where Aylmer is king. The Lady Rimenhild is to
be wedded on Sunday to King Modi of Reynes, and I am sent to bring
tidings thereof to Sir Horn. But I can find him nowhere, nor hear
even so much as his name, though I have wandered far and wide."
At this heavy news Horn hid his name no longer. He told the page who
he was, and bade him go back with all speed, and say to Rimenhild that
she need no longer mourn: her lover would save her ere Sunday came.
The page returned blithely with this message. But he never delivered
it, for as he went back he was by chance drowned; and Rimenhild,
hearing no word of Horn, despaired. Athulf, too, watching long for
Horn each day on a tower of Aylmer's palace, gave up hope.
But Horn was not idle or forgetful. When he had despatched the page,
as he thought, safely back to Athulf and Rimenhild, he went straight
to King Thurston, and without more pretence told him his true name and
all the story of the adventures.
"Sire," he said, at the end, "I have served you well. Grant me reward
for my service, and help me to win Rimenhild. See, you offered me the
hand of your daughter Reynild; that I might not accept, for I was
pledged already; but perchance my comrade Athulf might be deemed an
honourable suitor. If you will but help me, Athulf shall be Reynild's
husband; that I vow. Sire, give me your aid."
"Be it so," said Thurston, loath to lose Horn, but glad to hear of a
knight waiting to wed the lady Reynild. Straightway a levy of knights
was made, and Horn set forth in a ship with a brave body of fighting
men. The wind blew favourably, and ere long they came to Westerness.
Even as they touched the shore, the bells ceased ringing for the
marriage of Rimenhild to King Modi.
Horn saw how late they had arrived, and that he must needs act warily,
if he would save Rimenhild in the midst of the rejoicings over her
wedding. He left his men on board ship, and landed alone, setting out
to walk to the palace, where the wedding-feast was about to be held.
As he walked thus, he met a palmer [Footnote: A pilgrim], clad in
pilgrim's weeds. "Whither go you, sir palmer?" he asked.
"I have just come from a wedding," he answered, "from the wedding of
Rimenhild, the king's daughter; and sad and sorrowful she seemed to
be, in truth, on this wedding day."
"Now Heaven help me, palmer, but I will change clothes with you. Take
you my robe, and give me your long cloak. To-day I will drink at that
wedding feast, and some shall rue the hour that I sit at the board
with them."
Without more ado he changed clothes with the palmer, taking also his
staff and scrip, and staining his face till it was like that of a
toil-worn traveller. Then he set out for the palace once more.
He came soon to the gates, where a porter strove to bar his
entrance. But Horn broke in the wicket-gate, and entered, and threw
the man over the drawbridge, so that his ribs were broken. None other
stood in Horn's way, and he went into the great hall, and took his
place in a lowly seat among the beggars and poor men.
As he looked about him, he saw, at a little distance, Rimenhild,
weeping and lamenting sorely. Athulf he did not see, for he was still
keeping watch in the tower for Horn's return. Before long Rimenhild
rose from her seat and began to minister to the guests, according to
custom, pouring them out wine and ale in horn beakers. When she came
low down among the guests, Horn spoke to her.
"Fair queen," he said, "serve us also; we beggars are athirst."
She laid down the vessel she bore, and took a great gallon cup, and
filled it with brown ale, and offered it him, thinking him a
glutton. "Take this cup," she said, "and drink your fill. Never saw I
so forward a beggar."
"I will not drink your ale, lady," answered Horn, for he was minded to
let her know who he was, and yet to hide himself from all others at
the feast. "Give me wine; I am no beggar. I am a fisherman, come
hither to search my nets, and see what I have caught. Pledge me now
yourself and drink to Horn of horn."
Thus by his strange words he thought to recall to her that dream she
had formerly dreamed, of a great fish that escaped from her net.
Rimenhild looked on him, and hope and fear sprang up in her heart
together. She knew not what his saying about his nets and "Horn of
horn" might mean. With a steadfast look, she took her drinking-horn,
and filled it with wine, and gave it to Horn.
"Drink your fill, friend," she said, "and tell me if you have seen
aught of this Horn of whom you seem to speak."
Horn drained the beaker, and as he put it down dropped into it the
ring that Rimenhild had given him so long ago. When Rimenhild saw the
ring she knew it at once. She made an excuse, and left the feast, and
went to her bower. In a little time she sent for the palmer secretly,
and asked him where he got the ring.
"Queen," said Horn, "in my travels I met one named Horn. He gave me
this ring to bring to you; it was on shipboard I met him, and he lay
dying."
He said this to prove if her love were still constant to him. But
Rimenhild believed him, and when she heard him say that Horn was dead,
became as one mad with grief. Then Horn, seeing how strong was her
love, threw off his palmer's cloak, and showed her the false stain on
his face, and told her that he was in very truth Horn, her lover.
When their first joy at meeting again was over, Horn told the princess
of the men he had brought with him in his ship. Secretly they sent for
Athulf, and when he too had learnt all Horn's tidings, a message was
sent to the men in the ship, who came to the palace speedily, and were
admitted by a private door. Then all the company of them broke
suddenly into the banquet-hall, and fell upon those there, and slew
many; but Modi and Fikenhild escaped and fled from Westerness.
THE KING OF SUDDENNE
Retold by F. J. H. Barton
When they had made an end of slaying, Horn revealed himself to Aylmer,
and reproached him for giving his daughter in marriage to Modi, whom
she did not love; and Aylmer, when he heard of Horn's deeds--for the
fame which Horn had won under the name of Cuthbert had gone into many
lands--could not but feel sorrow that he had sent Horn away in anger
seven years ago; and he begged Horn to stay at his court and wed
Rimenhild, for the marriage with Modi was not fully complete when Horn
and his men broke up the feast.
"Nay, I am of royal blood," answered Horn. "You thought me a
foundling and despised me. For that insult you formerly put upon me,
I vow I will not take Rimenhild for my wife until I have won my
kingdom of Suddenne back from the Saracens, and avenged my father King
Murry, whom they slew. I am a king's son; I will be a king before my
wife shall come to me."
Aylmer could not gainsay Horn in his purpose, and once more Horn set
out on his wanderings. With him went Sir Athulf and a band of brave
knights. They took ship and for five days sailed the sea with a
favouring wind, till at last, late at night on the fifth day, they
came to the shores of Suddenne.
Horn and Athulf landed, to spy out the country. A little way inland
they came upon an old knight sleeping by the wayside; on his shield
was the device of a cross. Horn woke him gently. "Tell me, sir knight,
who are you?" he asked. "Your shield shows that you are a Christian;
but this land is ruled by pagans."
"I am a Christian, truly," said the old knight. "But I serve the
pagans perforce. They hold the power, and I must needs fight for them,
against my will. This land is in a sorry case. If King Murry's son,
Horn, were here, perchance we might drive the pagans out. But I know
not where to find him, nor where my own son is; for Athulf, my son,
was Horn's dearest companion."
Such changes had the long absence wrought in Horn and Athulf and the
old knight that they did not recognise one another. But at these words
Horn and Athulf knew for certain that they were indeed in
Suddenne. They told the old knight who they were, and learnt that
Horn's mother, the Queen Godhild, was still alive, and many knights in
the land besides, desirous of driving the Saracens out, but unable to
fulfil their desire through lack of a leader and of men.
Horn forthwith summoned his men from the ships, and blew his trumpet
for battle, and attacked the Saracens. There was a great fight, but
before long the heathen were defeated, and those who were not slain
were driven altogether out of the land.
Thus Horn came into his kingdom again; but he had yet to punish
Fikenhild the traitor, who first separated him from Rimenhild (for
this Aylmer had told him), and King Modi, who had sought to wed her
against her will.
Fikenhild, when Horn came back to Westerness in time to save Rimenhild
from Modi, had fled; but he still plotted deep treachery in his
heart. By bribes and favours he won many knights to follow him; and he
built himself a great castle of stone, set on a rock, surrounded on
all sides with water, so that none could come at it easily. Then by
stealth one night he carried off Rimenhild, and married her in this
castle, holding a great feast at sunrise to celebrate the marriage.
Horn knew nought of this by word of mouth or letter. But in a dream he
beheld Rimenhild: she seemed to him as though shipwrecked, calling
upon his name; but when she tried to swim to him, Fikenhild appeared
and prevented her.
When he awoke, Horn told Athulf this vision; and when they had thought
upon the lore of dreams, they agreed that it meant that Rimenhild was
in Fikenhild's sea-girt castle, the fame of which was known to all
men. Straightway they took a ship and sailed to the land hard by where
the castle lay.
There a certain knight named Arnoldin, cousin of Athulf, met them, and
told them that Fikenhild had just wedded Rimenhild, arid the
wedding-feast was now beginning.
They could not come nigh the castle openly as enemies, for none could
approach it across the water unless those within were willing to let
him enter. But Horn and some of his knights disguised themselves as
harpers, hiding their swords under long cloaks.
They took a boat and rowed under the walls of the banqueting-hall, and
there they played and sang merrily, till Fikenhild heard them, and
called them in to the feast.
When they had come into the hall, they began to sing again, at
Fikenhild's bidding. But soon Horn looked once more upon his ring, and
then, with a shout, he and his companions fell upon Fikenhild and his
men and slew every one of them.
The tale is soon told. Horn made Arnoldin king in Fikenhild's
castle. Athulf he sent to Thurston's court, where in a little time he
married the princess Reynild; and Horn went back to his kingdom of
Suddenne, and there made Rimenhild his queen. Long and happily they
reigned in true love and in fear of God.
HAVELOK HID FROM THE TRAITOR
Retold by F. J. H. Darton
In former days there was a King of England called Athelwold; the very
flower of England was he, and he ruled justly and well. All things in
his realm he ordered strictly, and maintained truth and right
throughout the land. Under his rule robbers and traitors were put
down; men bought and sold freely, without fear, and wrongdoers were so
hard pressed that they could but lurk and creep in secret corners.
Athelwold set up justice in his kingdom. There was mercy for the
fatherless in his day; his judgments could not be turned aside by
bribes of silver and gold. If any man did evil, the king's arm reached
him to punish him, were he never so wary and strong.
This Athelwold had no heir, save only one daughter, very fair to look
upon, named Goldborough. But ere she grew up, the king fell ill of a
dire sickness. He knew well that his time was come, and that death was
nigh him. "What shall I do now?" he said in his heart. "How shall my
daughter fare when I am dead? My heart is troubled for her: I think
nought of myself. She cannot yet speak or walk: if she were of age to
ride, she could rule England, and I would care nothing about dying."
But it was idle to lament. The king was sure in his mind that he must
die, and he sent messengers to all his vassals, to his earls, and his
barons, rich and poor, from Roxburgh to Dover, bidding them come to
him speedily where he lay sick.
All those who heard his message were sad at the tidings, and prayed
that he might be delivered from death. They came with all speed to the
king at Winchester.
"Welcome," said he, when they entered the hall of his dwelling. "Full
glad am I that you are come. You see in what sorry case I lie. I have
bidden you here that you may know that my daughter shall be your lady
when I, your lord, am dead. But she is yet a child, and I am fain to
make some true man her guardian till she be a woman grown: I will that
Godrich, Earl of Cornwall, do guard her and bring her up. He is a true
man, wise in counsel and wise in deed, and men have him in awe."
They brought a holy book to the king. On it he made Earl Godrich swear
a solemn oath to keep Goldborough well and truly, till she was of age
to rule and to order the realm of England wisely. Then the little
maid was given to the earl, her new guardian. Athelwold thanked the
earl, and bade him to be true to his charge; and in a little while
death took the good king.
When King Athelwold was dead, Godrich ruled England. In every castle
he set some knight of his own, whom he could trust: all the English
folk he caused to take an oath to be faithful to him; and in a little
while Athelwold's realm was altogether in his power.