_X.--THE GIFT OF TRITEMIUS._
1. Tritemius, of Herbipolis, one day,
While kneeling at the altar's foot to pray,
Alone with God, as was his pious choice,
Heard from without a miserable voice,
A sound which seemed of all sad things to tell,
As of a lost soul crying out of hell.
2. Thereat the abbot paused; the chain whereby
His thoughts went upward broken by that cry;
And, looking from the casement, saw below
A wretched woman, with gray hair a-flow,
And withered hands held up to him, who cried
For alms as one who might not be denied.
[Illustration: _The gift of Tritemius._]
3. She cried, "For the dear love of Him who gave
His life for ours, my child from bondage save,--
My beautiful, brave first-born, chained with slaves
In the Moor's galley, where the sun-smit waves
Lap the white walls of Tunis!" "What I can
I give," Tritemius said: "my prayers." "O man
Of God," she cried, for grief had made her bold,
"Mock me not thus; I ask not prayers, but gold.
Words will not serve me, alms alone suffice;
Even while I speak, perchance, my first-born dies."
4. "Woman," Tritemius answered, "from our door
None go unfed; hence are we always poor;
A single soldo is our only store.
Thou hast our prayers; what can we give thee more?"
5. "Give me," she said, "the silver candlesticks
On either side of the great crucifix;
God may well spare them on his errands sped,
Or he can give you golden ones instead."
6. Then spake Tritemius: "Even as thy word,
Woman, so be it! (Our most gracious Lord,
Who loveth mercy more than sacrifice,
Pardon me if a human soul I prize
Above the gifts upon his altar piled!)
Take what thou askest, and redeem thy child."
7. But his hand trembled as the holy alms
He placed within the beggar's eager palms;
And as she vanished down the linden shade,
He bowed his head, and for forgiveness prayed.
8. So the day passed, and when the twilight came
He woke to find the chapel all aflame,
And, dumb with grateful wonder, to behold
Upon the altar candlesticks of gold!
_Whittier._
_XI.--DAMON AND PYTHIAS._
1. About four hundred years before the Christian era, the government
of Syracuse fell into the hands of Dionysius, a successful general of
the army. He dispossessed the magistrates whom the people elected, and
was therefore a usurper. While ruling justly in the main, he had a
capricious temper, and often in his rage performed actions which he
sincerely regretted in his sober moments. He was a good scholar, and
very fond of philosophy and poetry, and he delighted to have learned
men around him, and he had naturally a generous spirit; but the sense
that he was in a position that did not belong to him, and that every
one hated him for assuming it, made him very harsh and suspicious. It
is of him that the story is told, that he had a chamber hollowed in
the rock near his state prison, and constructed with galleries to
conduct sounds like an ear, so that he might overhear the conversation
of his captives; and of him, too, is told that famous anecdote which
has become a proverb, that on hearing a friend, named Damocles,
express a wish to be in his situation for a single day, he took him at
his word, and Damocles found himself at a banquet with everything that
could delight his senses, delicious food, costly wine, flowers,
perfumes, music, but with a sword with the point almost touching his
head, and hanging by a single horse-hair! This was to show the
condition in which a usurper lived.
[Illustration: _Damon and Pythias._]
2. Thus Dionysius was in constant dread. He had a wide trench round his
bedroom, with a drawbridge that he drew up and put down with his own
hands; and he put one barber to death for boasting that he held a razor
to the tyrant's throat every morning. After this he made his young
daughters shave him; and by-and-by he would not trust them with a
razor, and caused them to singe off his beard with hot nut-shells.
3. One philosopher, named Philoxenus, he sent to a dungeon for finding
fault with his poetry, but he afterward composed another piece, which
he thought so superior that he could not be content without sending
for this adverse critic to hear it. When he had finished reading it,
he looked to Philoxenus for a compliment; but the philosopher only
turned round to the guards, and said dryly, "Carry me back to prison."
This time Dionysius had the sense to laugh, and forgive his honesty.
4. All these stories may not be true; but that they should have been
current in the ancient world, shows what was the character of the man
of whom they were told, how stern and terrible was his anger, and how
easily it was incurred. Among those who came under it was a
Pythagorean called Pythias, who was sentenced to death, according to
the usual fate of those who fell under his suspicion.
5. Pythias had lands and relations in Greece, and he entreated as a
favor to be allowed to return thither and arrange his affairs,
engaging to return within a specified time and suffer death. The
tyrant laughed his request to scorn. Once safe out of Sicily, who
would answer for his return? Pythias made reply that he had a friend
who would become security for his return; and while Dionysius, the
miserable man who trusted nobody, was ready to scoff at his
simplicity, another Pythagorean, by name Damon, came forward and
offered to become surety for his friend, engaging that, if Pythias did
not return according to promise, to suffer death in his stead.
6. Dionysius, much astonished, consented to let Pythias go, marveling
what would be the issue of the affair. Time went on, and Pythias did
not appear. The Syracusans watched Damon, but he showed no
uneasiness. He said he was secure of his friend's truth and honor, and
that if any accident had caused his delay, he should rejoice in dying
to save the life of one so dear to him.
7. Even to the last day Damon continued serene and content, however it
might fall out; nay, even when the very hour drew nigh and still no
Pythias. His trust was so perfect that he did not even grieve at having
to die for a faithless friend who left him to the fate to which he had
unwarily pledged himself. It was not Pythias's own will, but the winds
and waves, so he still declared, when the decree was brought and the
instruments of death made ready. The hour had come, and a few moments
more would have ended Damon's life, when Pythias duly presented himself,
embraced his friend, and stood forward himself to receive his sentence,
calm, resolute, and rejoiced that he had come in time.
8. Even the dim hope they owned of a future state was enough to make
these two brave men keep their word, and confront death for one
another without quailing. Dionysius looked on more struck than ever.
He felt that neither of such men must die. He reversed the sentence of
Pythias, and calling the two to his judgment-seat, he entreated them
to admit him as a third in their friendship.
_Charlotte M. Yonge._
_XII.--KING CANUTE._
1. Upon his royal throne he sat
In a monarch's thoughtful mood;
Attendants on his regal state,
His servile courtiers stood,
With foolish flatteries, false and vain,
To win his smile, his favor gain.
2. They told him e'en the mighty deep
His kingly sway confessed;
That he could bid its billows leap,
Or still its stormy breast!
He smiled contemptuously and cried,
"Be then my boasted empire tried!"
3. Down to the ocean's sounding shore
The proud procession came,
To see its billows' wild uproar
King Canute's power proclaim,
Or, at his high and dread command,
In gentle murmurs kiss the strand.
4. Not so thought he, their noble king,
As his course he seaward sped;
And each base slave, like a guilty thing,
Hung down his conscious head:
He knew the ocean's Lord on high!
They, that he scorned their senseless lie.
5. His throne was placed by ocean's side,
He lifted his scepter there,
Bidding, with tones of kingly pride,
The waves their strife forbear;
And while he spoke his royal will,
All but the winds and waves were still.
[Illustration: _Canute and his Courtiers._]
6. Louder the stormy blast swept by,
In scorn of idle word;
The briny deep its waves tossed high,
By his mandate undeterred,
As threatening, in their angry play,
To sweep both king and court away.
7. The monarch, with upbraiding look,
Turned to the courtly ring;
But none the kindling eye could brook
Even of his earthly king;
For in that wrathful glance they see
A mightier monarch wronged than he!
8. Canute, thy regal race is run;
Thy name had passed away,
But for the meed this tale hath won,
Which never shall decay:
Its meek, unperishing renown
Outlasts thy scepter and thy crown.
9. The Persian, in his mighty pride,
Forged fetters for the main,
And, when its floods his power defied,
Inflicted stripes as vain;
But it was worthier far of thee
To know thyself than rule the sea!
_Bernard Barton._
_XIII.--A NORSEMAN'S SWORD._
1. The smelting of iron in the north of Europe is believed to have
commenced with the Finns or Laplanders, the original inhabitants of
Scandinavia, who then occupied the localities where the best ores are
still found. The diminutive stature of these people compared with that
of their Gothic invaders, their skill in penetrating the bowels of the
earth in search of ores, the smoke of their collieries, the flame and
thunder of their furnaces and forges, and, above all, the excellent
temper of the weapons wrought by them--all these conspired to render
them objects of superstitious wonder to the Goths.
2. The legendary stories of that people are filled with strange tales
of the northern dwarfs, who lived in the solid rock, and possessed
magic skill in all the various arts of the smith. One of these legends
may be worth citing, and the rather, because it relates to Vanlander,
the Scandinavian Vulcan, of whom many traditions are extant, even in
England, where he is styled Wayland Smith. At the age of thirteen
Vanlander was apprenticed by his father, the giant Vade, to two of the
dwarfs who dwelt in the interior of the mountain, and he applied
himself so faithfully to their instructions, that in two years he
equaled his masters in knowledge of all the arts of smithery, both
black and white.
3. Being at the court of King Nidung, where his dexterity as a smith
became known, a rivalship arose between him and Amilias, principal
smith to the king. Amilias challenged Vanlander to a trial of skill,
upon condition that the life of the vanquished should be at the
disposal of the victor. The terms proposed were that Vanlander should
forge a sword, and Amilias a helmet, cuirass, and other defensive
armor, and a twelvemonth was allowed for preparation. If the sword of
Vanlander penetrated the armor of Amilias, the former was to be
declared the victor, if otherwise, his life was forfeited to his rival.
[Illustration: _A Norseman's Sword._]
4. Amilias spent the whole year at his task, but Vanlander did not
commence his labors until two months before the trial. He now, after
seven days' labor, exhibited to the king a sword of great beauty and
excellent temper, but too heavy for use. By way of testing its edge,
he took a cushion stuffed with wool a foot in thickness, threw it into
the river, and let it float with the current against the edge of the
sword, which cut it fairly in two. The king thought this a sufficient
proof, but Vanlander was not satisfied.
5. He took the sword to his smithy, filed it quite to dust, and after
subjecting the filings to an odd process of animal chemistry, he
forged from them another sword of somewhat smaller size than the
first, though still rather heavy. Upon testing this sword in the same
manner as before, it readily divided a cushion two feet in thickness,
and the king thought it the finest weapon in the world, but Vanlander
said he would have it half as good again before he was done with it.
6. It was now reduced to filings, which were treated as in the former
instance, and in three weeks Vanlander produced a sword of convenient
size, inlaid with gold, and with an ornamental hilt, all of the
highest finish and beauty. The king and the smith went again to the
river with a cushion three feet in thickness, which was thrown into
the water and driven against the blade as before. The sword divided
the cushion as easily as the water, and without even checking its
progress as it floated with the current, and King Nidung declared its
fellow could not be found on earth.
7. At the appointed day Amilias put on his armor, all of which was of
double plates, and, declaring himself ready for the trial, seated
himself in a chair, and defied his rival to do his worst. Vanlander
stepped behind him, gave him a blow upon the helmet, and asked him if
he felt the edge. "I felt as if cold water were running through me,"
replied Amilias. "Shake yourself," said Vanlander. His rival did so,
and fell asunder, the sword having cleft him to the chine.
_George P. Marsh._
_XIV.--THE STORY OF KING ALFRED AND ST. CUTHBERT._
1. Now King Alfred was driven from his kingdom by the Danes, and he
lay hid three years in the Isle of Glastonbury. And it came to pass on
a day that all his folk were gone out to fish, save only Alfred
himself and his wife and one servant whom he loved. And there came a
pilgrim to the king and begged for food. And the king said to his
servant, "What food have we in the house?" And his servant answered,
"My lord, we have but one loaf and a little wine." Then the king gave
thanks to God, and said, "Give half of the loaf and half of the wine
to this poor pilgrim." So the servant did as his lord commanded him,
and gave to the pilgrim half of the loaf and half of the wine, and the
pilgrim gave great thanks to the king.
2. And when the servant returned he found the loaf whole, and the wine
as much as there had been aforetime. And he greatly wondered, and he
wondered also how the pilgrim had come into the isle, for that no man
could come there save by water, and the pilgrim had no boat. And the
king greatly wondered also. And at the ninth hour came back the folk
who had gone to fish. And they had three boats full of fish, and they
said, "Lo, we have caught more fish this day than in all the three
years that we have tarried in this island!" And the king was glad,
and he and his folk were merry; yet he pondered much upon that which
had come to pass.
3. And when night came the king went to his bed, and the king lay
awake and thought of all that had come to pass by day. And presently
he saw a great light, like the brightness of the sun, and he saw an
old man with black hair, clothed in priest's garments, and with a
miter on his head, and holding in his right hand a book of the Gospels
adorned with gold and gems. And the old man blessed the king, and the
king said unto him, "Who art thou?" And he answered: "Alfred, my son,
rejoice; for I am he to whom thou didst this day give thine alms, and
I am called Cuthbert the Soldier of Christ.
4. "Now be strong and very courageous, and be of joyful heart, and
hearken diligently to the things which I say unto thee; for henceforth
I will be thy shield and thy friend, and I will watch over thee and
over thy sons after thee. And now I will tell thee what thou must do:
Rise up early in the morning and blow thine horn thrice, that thine
enemies may hear it and fear, and by the ninth hour thou shalt have
around thee five hundred men harnessed for the battle. And this shall
be a sign unto thee that thou mayst believe. And after seven days thou
shalt have, by God's gift and my help, all the folk of this land
gathered unto thee upon the mount that is called Assaudun. And thus
shalt thou fight against thine enemies, and doubt not that thou shalt
overcome them.
5. "Be thou, therefore, glad of heart, and be strong and very
courageous, and fear not, for God hath given thine enemies into thine
hand. And he hath given thee also all this land and the kingdom of thy
fathers, to thee and to thy sons and to thy sons' sons after thee. Be
thou faithful to me and to my folk, because that unto thee is given
all the land of Albion. Be thou righteous, because thou art chosen to
be the king of all Britain. So may God be merciful unto thee, and I
will be thy friend, and none of thine enemies shall ever be able to
overcome thee."
6. Then was King Alfred glad at heart, and he was strong and very
courageous, for that he knew that he would overcome his enemies by the
help of God and St. Cuthbert his patron. So in the morning he arose
and sailed to the land, and blew his horn three times, and when his
friends heard it they rejoiced, and when his enemies heard it they
feared. And by the ninth hour, according to the word of the Lord,
there were gathered unto him five hundred men of the bravest and
dearest of his friends.
7. And he spake unto them and told them all that God had said unto them
by the mouth of his servant Cuthbert, and he told them that, by the gift
of God and by the help of St. Cuthbert, they would overcome their
enemies and win back their own land. And he bade them, as St. Cuthbert
had taught him, to be pious toward God and righteous toward men. And he
bade his son Edward, who was by him, to be faithful to God and St.
Cuthbert, and so he should always have victory over his enemies. So they
went forth to battle and smote their enemies and overcame them, and King
Alfred took the kingdom of all Britain, and he ruled well and wisely
over the just and the unjust for the rest of his days.
_E. A. Freeman._
_XV.--A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER._
1. Milon, or Milone, a knight of great family, and distantly related
to Charlemagne, having secretly married Bertha, the emperor's sister,
was banished from France. After a long and miserable wandering on foot
as mendicants, Milon and his wife arrived at Sutri, in Italy, where
they took refuge in a cave, and in that cave Orlando was born. There
his mother continued, drawing a scanty support from the compassion of
the neighboring peasants, while Milon, in quest of honor and fortune,
went into foreign lands. Orlando grew up among the children of the
peasantry, surpassing them all in strength and manly graces.
2. Among his companions in age, though in station far more elevated,
was Oliver, son of the governor of the town. Between the two boys a
feud arose, that led to a fight, in which Orlando thrashed his rival;
but this did not prevent a friendship springing up between the two
which lasted through life.
3. Orlando was so poor that he was sometimes half naked. As he was a
favorite of the boys, one day four of them brought some cloth to make
him clothes. Two brought white and two red; and from this circumstance
Orlando took his coat-of-arms, or quarterings.
4. When Charlemagne was on his way to Rome, to receive the imperial
crown, he dined in public in Sutri. Orlando and his mother that day had
nothing to eat, and Orlando, coming suddenly upon the royal party, and
seeing abundance of provisions, seized from the attendants as much as he
could carry off, and made good his retreat in spite of their resistance.
5. The emperor, being told of this incident, was reminded of an
intimation he had received in a dream, and ordered the boy to be
followed. This was done by three of the knights, whom Orlando would
have encountered with a cudgel on their entering the grotto, had not
his mother restrained him. When they heard from her who she was, they
threw themselves at her feet, and promised to obtain her pardon from
the emperor. This was easily effected. Orlando was received into favor
by the emperor, returned with him to France, and so distinguished
himself that he became the most powerful support of the throne and of
Christianity.
6. On another occasion, Orlando encountered a puissant Saracen
warrior, and took from him, as the prize of victory, the sword
Durindana. This famous weapon had once belonged to the illustrious
prince Hector of Troy. It was of the finest workmanship, and of such
strength and temper that no armor in the world could stand against it.
7. Guerin de Montglave held the lordship of Vienne, subject to
Charlemagne. He had quarreled with his sovereign, and Charles laid
siege to his city, having ravaged the neighboring country. Guerin was
an aged warrior, but relied for his defense upon his four sons and two
grandsons, who were among the bravest knights of the age. After the
siege had continued two months, Charlemagne received tidings that
Marsilius, King of Spain, had invaded France, and, finding himself
unopposed, was advancing rapidly in the southern provinces. At this
intelligence, Charles listened to the counsel of his peers, and
consented to put the quarrel with Guerin to the decision of Heaven, by
single combat between two knights, one of each party, selected by lot.
8. The proposal was acceptable to Guerin and his sons. The name of the
four, together with Guerin's own, who would not be excused, and of the
two grandsons, who claimed their lot, being put into a helmet,
Oliver's was drawn forth, and to him, the youngest of the grandsons,
was assigned the honor and the peril of the combat. He accepted the
award with delight, exulting in being thought worthy to maintain the
cause of his family. On Charlemagne's side Roland was designated
champion, and neither he nor Oliver knew who his antagonist was to be.
9. They met on an island in the Rhône, and the warriors of both camps
were ranged on either shore, spectators of the battle. At the first
encounter both lances were shivered, but both riders kept their seats
immovable. They dismounted and drew their swords. Then ensued a combat
which seemed so equal, that the spectators could not form an opinion
as to the probable issue. Two hours and more the knights continued to
strike and parry, to thrust and ward, neither showing any sign of
weariness, nor ever being taken at unawares.
10. At length Orlando struck furiously upon Oliver's shield, burying
Durindana in its edge so deeply that he could not draw it back, and
Oliver, almost at the same moment, thrust so vigorously upon Orlando's
breastplate that his sword snapped off at the handle. Thus were the two
warriors left weaponless. Scarcely pausing a moment, they rushed upon
one another, each striving to throw his adversary to the ground, and,
failing in that, each snatched at the other's helmet to tear it away.
Both succeeded, and at the same moment they stood bareheaded face to
face, and Roland recognized Oliver, and Oliver Roland. For a moment they
stood still; and the next, with open arms, rushed into one another's
embrace. "I am conquered," said Orlando. "I yield me," said Oliver.
11. The people on the shore knew not what to make of all this.
Presently they saw the two late antagonists standing hand-in-hand, and
it was evident the battle was at an end. The knights crowded around
them, and with one voice hailed them as equal in glory. If there were
any who felt disposed to murmur that the battle was left undecided,
they were silenced by the voice of Ogier the Dane, who proclaimed
aloud that all had been done that honor required, and declared that he
would maintain that award against all gainsayers.
12. The quarrel with Guerin and his sons being left undecided, a truce
was made for four days, and in that time, by the efforts of Duke Namo
on the one side, and of Oliver on the other, a reconciliation was
effected. Charlemagne, accompanied by Guerin and his valiant family,
marched to meet Marsilius, who hastened to retreat across the frontier.
_Bullfinch._
_XVI.--THE LEGEND OF MACBETH._
1. Soon after the Scots and Picts had become one people, there was a
king of Scotland called Duncan, a very good old man. He had two sons,
Malcolm and Donaldbane. But King Duncan was too old to lead out his
army to battle, and his sons were too young to help him. Now it
happened that a great fleet of Danes came to Scotland and landed their
men in Fife and threatened to take possession of that province. So a
numerous Scottish army was levied to go out to fight with them. The
king intrusted the command to Macbeth, a near kinsman.
2. This Macbeth, who was a brave soldier, put himself at the head of
the Scottish army and marched against the Danes. And he took with him
a near relative of his own called Banquo, a brave and successful
soldier. There was a great battle fought between the Danes and the
Scots, and Macbeth and Banquo defeated the Danes and drove them back
to their ships, leaving a great many of their soldiers killed and
wounded. Then Macbeth and his army marched back to Forres in the north
of Scotland, rejoicing on account of their victory.
3. Now, at this time, there lived in the town of Forres three old
women, whom people thought were witches, and supposed they could tell
what was to come to pass. These old women went and stood by the
way-side, in a great moor near Forres, and waited until Macbeth came
up. And then stepping before him as he was marching at the head of his
soldiers the first woman said, "All hail Macbeth! hail to the Thane of
Glamis!" The second said, "All hail to the Thane of Cawdor!" Then the
third wishing to pay him a higher compliment, said: "All hail Macbeth,
that shall be King of Scotland!" While Macbeth stood wondering what
they could mean, Banquo stepped forward and asked if they had not
something good to say to him. And they said he should not be so great
as Macbeth, yet his children should succeed to the throne of Scotland
and reign for a great number of years.
4. Before Macbeth had recovered from his surprise, there came a
messenger to tell him that his father was dead; so that, he was Thane
of Glamis; and then came a second messenger from the king to thank
Macbeth for the great victory over the Danes, and to tell him that the
Thane of Cawdor had rebelled against the king, and that the king had
taken his office from him, and had sent to make Macbeth Thane of
Cawdor. Macbeth, seeing that a part of their words came true, began to
think how he might become king as the three old women had predicted.
Now Lady Macbeth was a very wicked woman, and she showed Macbeth that
the only way to become king was to kill good King Duncan. At first
Macbeth would not listen to her, but at last his ambition to be king
became so great that he resolved to murder his kinsman and best friend.
5. To accomplish his purpose he invited King Duncan to visit him in
his own castle near Inverness, and the king accepted the invitation.
Macbeth and his lady received their distinguished guests with great
seeming joy and made for them a great feast. At the close of the feast
the king retired to rest, and all the other guests followed his
example. The two personal attendants of the king whose duty it was to
watch over him while asleep, were purposely made drunk by Lady
Macbeth, and they fell upon their couch in a profound slumber.
[Illustration: _Macbeth._]
6. Then Macbeth came into King Duncan's room about two o'clock in the
morning. It was a terrible stormy night, but the noise of the wind and
the thunder could not awaken the king, as he was old and weary with
his journey; neither could it awaken the two sentinels. They all slept
soundly. So Macbeth stepped gently over the floor and took the two
dirks which belonged to the sentinels and stabbed poor old King Duncan
to the heart, so he died without a groan. Then Macbeth put the bloody
daggers into the hands of the sleeping sentinels and daubed their
hands and faces with blood. Macbeth was frightened at what he had
done, but his wife made him wash his hands and go to bed.
7. Early in the morning the nobles and gentlemen who attended on the
king assembled in the great hall of the castle, and then they began to
talk of what a dreadful storm there had been the night before. They
waited for some time, but finding the king did not come out, one of the
noblemen went to see whether he was well or not. But when he came into
the room he found King Duncan dead, and went back and spread the alarm.
The Scottish nobles were greatly enraged at the sight, and Macbeth made
believe he was more enraged than any of them, and drawing his sword he
killed the two attendants of the king, still heavy with sleep in
consequence of the drink furnished by Lady Macbeth the night before.
8. Malcolm and Donaldbane, the two sons of Duncan, when they saw their
father dead, fled from the castle, as they believed that Macbeth had
committed the murder. Malcolm, the eldest son, made his way to the
English court, and solicited aid to get possession of his father's
throne. In the mean time Macbeth took possession of the kingdom of
Scotland. The remembrance of his great crime continually haunted him,
and he became so sleepless as to be nearly insane. He remembered that
the witches had said that the children of Banquo should reign as kings
in Scotland, and he became terribly jealous of his old friend and
companion. At last he hired ruffians to waylay Banquo and his sons and
murder them. The scheme was partially successful--Banquo was killed
but the sons escaped, and from him descended a long line of the early
Scottish kings.
9. But Macbeth was not more happy after he had slain his friend and
cousin Banquo. He knew that people began to suspect him of his evil
deeds, and he was constantly afraid that some of his nobles would
treat him as he treated King Duncan. In his perplexity he sought the
three witches he had met before, to ask them what was to happen to him
in the future. They answered him that he should not be conquered nor
lose the crown of Scotland until a great forest, called Birnam Wood
should come to attack him in his strong castle on Dunsinane hill. As
the distance between the two was about twelve miles, Macbeth thought
it was impossible that the trees should ever come to assault him in
his castle. He immediately summoned all his nobles to assist him in
strengthening his castle at Dunsinane. All the nobles were obliged to
furnish oxen and horses to drag the heavy stones and logs used on the
fortification up the steep hill.
10. One day Macbeth noticed a pair of oxen so tired with their burden
that they fell down under their load. Upon inquiry he learned that they
belonged to Macduff, the Thane of Fife. The king, who was jealous of
Macduff, flew into a great rage and declared that "since the Thane of
Fife sends such worthless cattle as these to do my labor, I will put his
own neck into the yoke, and make him drag the burden himself." A friend
of Macduff who heard this speech hastened to the king's castle and
informed Macduff who was walking about while the dinner was preparing.
11. Macduff snatched a loaf of bread from the table, called for his
horses and servants, and galloped off toward his own castle of
Kennoway in Fife. When Macbeth returned he first asked what had become
of Macduff, and being informed that he had fled from Dunsinane,
Macbeth put himself at the head of a large force of his guards, and
immediately pursued. Macduff reached his castle which is built upon
the shore of the sea, a little in advance of the king. He ordered his
wife to shut the gates of the castle and pull up the drawbridge, and
on no account permit the king or any of his soldiers to enter. In the
mean time he went aboard a small ship and put out to sea.
12. Macbeth then summoned the lady to open the gates and deliver up
her husband. "Do you see," said she, "yon white sail upon the sea?
Yonder goes Macduff to the court of England. You will never see him
again until he comes with young Prince Malcolm to pull you down from
the throne and put you to death. You will never be able to put your
yoke upon the neck of the Thane of Fife."
13. Some say that Macbeth was so enraged at the escape of Macduff that
he stormed and took the castle, and put to death the wife and children
of Macduff. But others say that Macbeth turned back from the strong
castle and its brave defenders, and returned to his own home at
Dunsinane. Macduff readily found Prince Malcolm and the English king,
fitted them out with an army. Upon entering Scotland a large share of
the nobles deserted Macbeth and joined the forces of Malcolm. The army
marched as far as Birnam Wood where they encamped to rest and recuperate.
14. Macbeth, in the mean time, shut himself up in his castle, where he
thought himself safe according to the old woman's prophecy, until
Birnam Wood should advance against him, and this he never expected to
see. Malcolm's army having entirely recovered their strength and
vigor, at length were ready to march. As they were about to start,
Macduff advised each soldier to cut down the bough of a tree and carry
it so as to conceal the strength of the army as they crossed the
valley. The sentinel on the castle walls saw all these green boughs
advancing, ran to Macbeth and informed him that the wood of Birnam was
moving toward the castle of Dunsinane. The king at first called him a
liar and threatened to put him to death; but when he looked from the
walls himself, and saw the appearance of a forest approaching from
Birnam, he remembered the prediction, and felt that the hour of his
destruction had come.
15. His followers were also superstitious and began to desert him. But
Macbeth, at the head of those who remained true to him sallied out,
and was killed in a hand-to-hand conflict with Macduff. This story, a
tradition, is told by Sir Walter Scott, and forms the foundation of
Shakespeare's tragedy of "Macbeth."
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