Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race
called for silence in the hall, and addressed the king thus: "Sir
King, I pray thee listen to my tale, for I have much to say and much
to explain. My name is in sooth Horn, and I am the son of King Murry
of Suddene, who was slain by the Saracens. Thou didst cherish me and
give me knighthood, and I proved myself a true knight on the very day
when I was dubbed. Thou didst love me then, but evil men accused me to
thee and I was banished. For seven years I have lived in a strange
land; but now that I have returned, I have won thy fair daughter as
my bride. But I cannot dwell here in idleness while the heathen hold
my father's land. I vow by the Holy Rood that I will not rest, and
will not claim my wife, until I have purified Suddene from the infidel
invaders, and can lay its crown at Rymenhild's feet. Do thou, O King,
guard well my wife till my return."
The king consented to this proposal, and, in spite of Rymenhild's
grief, Horn immediately bade her farewell, and with his whole army
embarked for Suddene, this time accompanied by Athulf, but leaving the
rest of his comrades for the protection of his wife.
The Apostate Knight
The wind blew fair for Suddene, and the fleet reached the port. The
warriors disembarked, and marched inland, to encamp for the night in a
wood, where they could be hidden. Horn and Athulf set out at midnight
to endeavour to obtain news of the foe, and soon found a solitary
knight sleeping. They awoke him roughly, saying, "Knight, awake! Why
sleepest thou here? What dost thou guard?" The knight sprang lightly
from the ground, saw their faces and the shining crosses on their
shields, and cast down his eyes in shame, saying, "Alas! I have served
these pagans against my will. In time gone by I was a Christian, but
now I am a coward renegade, who forsook his God for fear of death at
the hands of the Saracens! I hate my infidel masters, but I fear them
too, and they have forced me to guard this district and keep watch
against Horn's return. If he should come to his own again how glad I
should be! These infidels slew his father, and drove him into exile,
with his twelve comrades, among whom was my own son, Athulf, who loved
the prince as his own life. If the prince is yet alive, and my son
also, God grant that I may see them both again! Then would I joyfully
die."
The Recognition
Horn answered quickly: "Sir Knight, be glad and rejoice, for here are
we, Horn and Athulf, come to avenge my father and retake my realm from
the heathen." Athulf's father was overcome with joy and shame; he
hardly dared to embrace his son, yet the bliss of meeting was so great
that he clasped Athulf in his arms and prayed his forgiveness for the
disgrace he had brought upon him. The two young knights said nothing
of his past weakness, but told him all their own adventures, and at
last he said: "What is your true errand hither? Can you two alone slay
the heathen? Dear Childe Horn, what joy this will be to thy mother
Godhild, who still lives in a solitary retreat, praying for thee and
for the land!" Horn broke in on his speech with "Blessed be the hour
when I returned! Thank God that my mother yet lives! We are not alone,
but I have an army of valiant Irish warriors, who will help me to
regain my realm."
The Reconquest of Suddene
Now the king blew his horn, and his host marched out from the wood and
prepared to attack the Saracens. The news soon spread that Childe Horn
had returned, and many men who had accepted the faith of Mahomet for
fear of death now threw off the hated religion, joined the true king's
army, and were rebaptized. The war was not long, for the Saracens had
made themselves universally hated, and the inhabitants rose against
them; so that in a short time the country was purged of the infidels,
who were slain or fled to other lands. Then Horn brought his mother
from her retreat, and together they purified the churches which had
been desecrated, and restored the true faith. When the land of Suddene
was again a Christian realm King Horn was crowned with solemn rites,
and a great coronation feast was held, which lasted too long for
Horn's true happiness.
Fikenhild Imprisons Rymenhild
During Horn's absence from Westernesse, his comrades watched carefully
over Rymenhild; but her father, who was growing old, had fallen much
under the influence of the plausible Fikenhild. From the day when
Fikenhild had falsely accused Horn to the king, Ailmar had held him in
honour as a loyal servant, and now he had such power over the old
ruler that when he demanded Rymenhild's hand in marriage, saying that
Horn was dead in Suddene, the king dared not refuse, and the princess
was bidden to make ready for a new bridal. For this day Fikenhild had
long been prepared; he had built a massive fortress on a promontory,
which at high tide was surrounded by the sea, but was easy of access
at the ebb; thither he now led the weeping princess, and began a
wedding feast which was to last all day, and to end only with the
marriage ceremony at night.
Horn's Dream
That same night, before the feast, King Horn had a terrible dream. He
thought he saw his wife taken on board ship; soon the ship began to
sink, and Rymenhild held out her hands for rescue, but Fikenhild,
standing in safety on shore, beat her back into the waves with his
sword. With the agony of the sight Horn awoke, and, calling his
comrade Athulf, said: "Friend, we must depart to-day. My wife is in
danger from false Fikenhild, whom I have trusted too much. Let us
delay no longer, but go at once. If God will, I hope to release her,
and to punish Fikenhild. God grant we come in time!" With some few
chosen knights, King Horn and Athulf set out, and the ship drove
darkling through the sea, they knew not whither. All the night they
drifted on, and in the morning found themselves beneath a newly built
castle, which none of them had seen before.
Horn's Disguise
While they were seeking to moor their boat to the shore, one of the
castle windows looking out to sea opened, and they saw a knight
standing and gazing seaward, whom they speedily recognised; it was
Athulf's cousin, Sir Arnoldin, one of the twelve comrades, who had
accompanied the princess thither in the hope that he might yet save
her from Fikenhild; he was now looking, as a forlorn hope, over the
sea, though he believed Horn was dead. His joy was great when he saw
the knights, and he came out to them and speedily told them of
Rymenhild's distress and the position of affairs in the castle. King
Horn was not at a loss for an expedient even in this distress. He
quickly disguised himself and a few of his comrades as minstrels,
harpers, fiddlers, and jugglers. Then, rowing to the mainland, he
waited till low tide, and made his way over the beach to the castle,
accompanied by his disguised comrades. Outside the castle walls they
began to play and sing, and Rymenhild heard them, and, asking what the
sounds were, gave orders that the minstrels should be admitted. They
sat on benches low down the hall, tuning their harps and fiddles and
watching the bride, who seemed unhappy and pale. When Horn sang a lay
of true love and happiness, Rymenhild swooned for grief, and the
king was touched to the heart with bitter remorse that he had tried
her constancy so long, and had allowed her to endure such hardships
and misery for his sake.
Death of Fikenhild
King Horn now glanced down and saw the ring of betrothal on his
finger, where he had worn it ever, except that fateful day when he had
given it as a token of recognition to Rymenhild. He thought of his
wife's sufferings, and his mind was made up. Springing from the
minstrels' bench, he strode boldly up the hall, throwing off his
disguise, and, shouting, "I am King Horn! False Fikenhild, thou shalt
die!" he slew the villain in the midst of his men. Horn's comrades
likewise flung off their disguise, and soon overpowered the few of the
household who cared to fight in their dead master's cause. The castle
was taken for King Ailmar, who was persuaded to nominate Sir Arnoldin
his heir, and the baronage of Westernesse did homage to him as the
next king. Horn and his fair wife begged the good old steward Sir
Athelbrus to go with them to Suddene, and on the way they touched at
Ireland, where Reynild, the king's fair daughter, was induced to look
favourably on Sir Athulf and accept him for her husband. The land of
King Modi, which had now no ruler, was committed to the care of Sir
Athelbrus, and Horn and Rymenhild at last reached Suddene, where the
people received their fair queen with great joy, and where they dwelt
in happiness till their lives' end.
CHAPTER XV: ROBIN HOOD
Introduction
England during the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries was
slowly taught the value of firm administrative government. In Saxon
England, the keeping of the peace and the maintenance of justice had
been left largely to private and family enterprise and to local and
trading communities. In Norman England, the royal authority was
asserted throughout the kingdom, though as yet the king had to depend
in large measure upon the co-operation of his barons and the help of
the burghers to supply the lack of a standing army and an adequate
police. Under the Plantagenets, the older chivalry was slowly breaking
up, and a new, wealthy burgher and trading community was rapidly
gaining influence in the land; whilst the clergy, corrupted by excess
of wealth and power, had strained, almost to breaking, the controlling
force of religion. It was therefore natural that in these latter days
a class of men should arise to avail themselves of the unique
opportunities of the time--men who, loving liberty and hating
oppression, took the law into their own hands and executed a rough and
ready justice between the rich and the poor which embodied the best
traditions of knight-errantry, whilst they themselves lived a free and
merry life on the tolls they exacted from their wealthy victims. Such
a man may well have been the original Robin Hood, a man who, when once
he had captured the popular imagination, soon acquired heroic
reputation and was credited with every daring deed and every
magnanimous action in two centuries of 'freebooting.'
Robin Hood Seeks a Guest
At one time Robin Hood lived in the noble forest of Barnesdale, in
Yorkshire. He had but few of his merry men with him, for his
headquarters were in the glorious forest of Sherwood. Just now,
however, the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire was less active in his
endeavours to put down the band of outlaws, and the leader had
wandered farther north than usual. Robin's companions were his three
dearest comrades and most loyal followers, Little John (so called
because of his great stature), Will Scarlet, Robin's cousin, and Much,
the miller's son. These three were all devoted to their leader, and
never left his side, except at such times as he sent them away on his
business.
On this day Robin was leaning against a tree, lost in thought, and his
three followers grew impatient; they knew that before dinner could be
served there were the three customary Masses to hear, and their leader
gave no sign of being ready for Mass. Robin always heard three Masses
before his dinner, one of the Father, one of the Holy Spirit, and the
last of Our Lady, who was his patron saint and protector. As the three
yeomen were growing hungry, Little John ventured to address him.
"Master, it would do you good if you would dine early to-day, for you
have fasted long." Robin aroused himself and smiled. "Ah, Little John,
methinks care for thine own appetite hath a share in that speech, as
well as care for me. But in sooth I care not to dine alone. I would