Chapter I: Preface

In refashioning, for the pleasure of readers of the twentieth century, these versions of ancient tales which have given pleasure to story-lovers of all centuries from the eighth onward, I feel that some explanation of my choice is necessary. Men's conceptions of the heroic change with changing years, and vary with each individual mind; hence it often happens that one person sees in a legend only the central heroism, while another sees only the inartistic details of mediaeval life which tend to disguise and warp the heroic quality.

It may be that to some people the heroes I have chosen do not seem heroic, but there is no doubt that to the age and generation which wrote or sang of them they appeared real heroes, worthy of remembrance and celebration, and it has been my object to come as close as possible to the mediaeval mind, with its elementary conceptions of honour, loyalty, devotion, and duty. I have therefore altered the tales as little as I could, and have tried to put them as fairly as possible before modern readers, bearing in mind the altered conditions of things and of intellects to-day.

In the work of selecting and retelling these stories I have to acknowledge with most hearty thanks the help and advice of Mr. F. E. Bumby, B.A., of the University College, Nottingham, who has been throughout a most kind and candid censor or critic. His help has been in every way invaluable. I have also to acknowledge the generous permission given me by Mr. W. B. Yeats to write in prose the story of his beautiful play, "The Countess Cathleen," and to adorn it with quotations from that play.

The poetical quotations are attributed to the authors from whose works they are taken wherever it is possible. When mediaeval passages occur which are not thus attributed they are my own versions from the original mediaeval poems.

M. I. EBBUTT

TANGLEWOOD
BARNT GREEN
_July 1910_

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE
INTRODUCTION xvii

I. BEOWULF 1

II. THE DREAM OF MAXEN WLEDIG 42

III. THE STORY OF CONSTANTINE AND ELENE 50

IV. THE COMPASSION OF CONSTANTINE 63

V. HAVELOK THE DANE 73

VI. HOWARD THE HALT 95

VII. ROLAND, THE HERO OF EARLY FRANCE 119

VIII. THE COUNTESS CATHLEEN 156

IX. CUCHULAIN, THE CHAMPION OF IRELAND 184

X. THE TALE OF GAMELYN 204

XI. WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE 225

XII. BLACK COLIN OF LOCH AWE 248

XIII. THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAYNE 265

XIV. KING HORN 286

XV. ROBIN HOOD 314

XVI. HEREWARD THE WAKE 334

GLOSSARY AND INDEX 353

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
Robin Hood and the Black Monk
(_William Sewell_) _Frontispiece_

_To face page_
"The demon of evil, with his fierce ravening, greedily
grasped them"
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 4

Beowulf replies haughtily to Hunferth
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 12

Beowulf finds the head of Aschere
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 22

Beowulf shears off the head of Grendel
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 26

The death of Beowulf
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 40

The dream of the Emperor
(_Byam Shaw_) 46

The Queen's dilemma
(_Byam Shaw_) 60

They filled the great vessel of silver with pure water
(_Byam Shaw_) 70

"Havelok sat up surprised"
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 78

"Havelok again overthrew the porters"
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 82

"With great joy they fell on their knees"
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 88

Olaf and Sigrid
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 98

Howard leaves the house of Thorbiorn
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 106

"The silver rolled in all directions from his cloak"
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 110

"Thorbiorn lifted the huge stone"
(_J. H. F. Bacon, A.R.A._) 116

Charlemagne
(_Stella Langdale_) 120

"Here sits Charles the King"
(_Byam Shaw_) 124

"Ganelon rode away"
(_Byam Shaw_) 130

"Charlemagne heard it again"
(_Byam Shaw_) 144

Aude the Fair
(_Evelyn Paul_) 154

"Day by day Cathleen went among them"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 162

The peasant's story
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 172

"Thieves have broken into the treasure-chamber"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 176

"Cathleen signed the bond"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 180

"All three drove furiously towards Cruachan"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 190

"Three monstrous cats were let into the room"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 192

"The dragon sank towards him, opening its terrible jaws"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 196

"The body of Uath arose"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 200

"Go and do your own baking!"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 206

"Lords, for Christ's sake help poor Gamelyn out of prison!"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 214

"Then cheer thee, Adam"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 218

"Come from the seat of justice!"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 222

"William continued his wonderful archery"
(_Patten Wilson_) 232

Adam Bell writes the letter
(_Patten Wilson_) 234

The fight at the gate
(_Patten Wilson_) 238

William of Cloudeslee and his son
(_Patten Wilson_) 244

"Wait for me seven years, dear wife"
(_Byam Shaw_) 252

"The King blew a loud note on his bugle"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 268

"Now you have released me from the spell completely"
(_W. H. Margetson, R.I._) 282

Queen Godhild prays ever for her son Horn
(_Patten Wilson_) 288

Horn kills the Saracen Leader
(_Patten Wilson_) 298

Horn and his followers disguised as minstrels
(_Patten Wilson_) 312

"Little John caught the horse by the bridle"
(_Patten Wilson_) 316

"I have no money worth offering"
(_Patten Wilson_) 320

"Sir Richard knelt in courteous salutation"
(_Patten Wilson_) 324

"Much shot the monk to the heart"
(_Patten Wilson_) 330

"Her pleading won relief for them"
(_Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I._) 334

Alftruda
(_Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I._) 340

Hereward and the Princess
(_Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I._) 344

Hereward and Sigtryg
(_Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I._) 348