Grymer, a youth early distinguished in arms, who well knew how to dye
his sword in the blood of his enemies, to run over the craggy mountains,
to wrestle, to play at chess, trace the motions of the stars, and throw
far from him heavy weights, frequently shewed his skill in the chamber
of the damsels, before the king's lovely daughter; desirous of acquiring
her regard, he displayed his dexterity in handling his weapons, and the
knowledge he had attained in the sciences he had learned; at length
ventured to make this demand: "Wilt thou, O fair princess, if I may
obtain the king's consent, accept of me for a husband?" To which she
prudently replied, "I must not make that choice myself, but go thou and
offer the same proposal to my father."
The sequel of the story informs us, that Grymer accordingly made his
proposal to the king, who answered him in a rage, that though he had
learned indeed to handle his arms, yet as he had never gained a single
victory, nor given a banquet to the beasts of the field, he had no
pretensions to his daughter, and concluded by pointing out to him, in a
neighboring kingdom, a hero renowned in arms, whom, if he could conquer,
the princess should be given him: that on waiting on the princess to
tell her what had passed, she was greatly agitated, and felt in the most
sensible manner for the safety of her lover, whom she was afraid her
father had devoted to death for his presumption, that she provided him
with a suit of impenetrable armor and a trusty sword, with which he
went, and having slain his adversary, and the most part of his warriors,
returned victorious, and received her as the reward of his valor.
Singular as this method of obtaining a fair lady by a price paid in
blood may appear, it was not peculiar to the northerns: we have already
taken notice of the price which David paid for the daughter of Saul, and
shall add, that among the Sacae, a people of ancient Scythia, a custom
something of this kind, but still more extraordinary, obtained: every
young man who made his addresses to a lady, was obliged to engage her in
single combat; if he vanquished, he led her off in triumph, and became
her husband and sovereign; if he was conquered, she led him off in the
same manner, and made him her husband and her slave.