Hereward, The Last of the English

on shrieking inland. Heathen Danes, whether fair-haired Fiongall from Norway, or brown-haired Dubgall from Denmark proper, no longer burned convents, tortured monks for

no match for the Danish swords and battle-axes which they adopted during the middle age, or their plaid trousers and felt capes for the Danish helmet and chain corslet, still an Irishman was so ugly a foe, that it was not worth while to fight with him unless he could be robbed afterwards. The Danes, who, like their descendants of Northumbria, the Lowlands, and Ulster, were canny common-sense folk, with a shrewd eye to interest, found, somewhat to their regret, that there were trades even more profitable than robbery and murder. They therefore concentrated themselves round harbors and river mouths, and sent forth their ships to all the western seas, from Dublin, Waterford, Wexford, Cork, or Limerick. Every important seaport in Ireland owes its existence to those sturdy Vikings' sons. In each of these towns they had founded a pet

so the Irish sang, the Northern invaders were exterminated, once and for all, by the Milesian hero, who had craftily used the strangers to fight his battles, and then, the moment they became form

old round tower of Dundory, built by his predecessor and namesake about the year 1003, which stands as Reginald's tower to this day. He had fought many a bloody battle since his death at Clontarf, by the side of his old leader Sigtryg Silkbeard. He had been many a time to Dublin to visit his even more prosperous and formidable friend; and was so delighted with the new church of the Holy Trinity, which Sigtryg and his bishop Donatus had just built, not in the Danish or Ostman town, but in the heart of ancient Celti

ian historians to the plain truth. And far away inland, monks wrote and harpers s

arles the Milesian version of the great historical event: and when the harper, in fear and trembling, came to the story of Ranald's own death at Brian Boru's hands, then the jolly old Viking laughed till the tears ran down his face; and instead of cutting off Teague's head, gave him a cup of goodly wine, made him his own harper thenceforth, and

n. The fire of pine logs was in the midst of the hall, and the smoke went out through a louver in the roof. On one side was a long bench, and in the middle of it the king's high arm-chair; right and left of him sat his kinsmen and the ladies, and his

nt poured out of a bucket into a great bull's

end of the hindermost bench, and Martin sto

e so humbly, though, he looks like an earl's son,

Ranald. "Come forward hit

braid; and scarlet stockings, cross-laced with gold braid up to the knee; and shoes trimmed with martin's fur; and a short blue silk cloak over all, trimmed with martin's fur likewise; and by his si

er for naught. Drink first, man, and tell us thy b

took it,

s Braga

anald I

quor, whic

or on oa

or, which

g of th

all. We ourselves drink here by the peg at midday; but a s

ing, sat him down on the high settle. He did not remark, that

," quoth the king, "g

t on the high bench, rose, and renewed an ora

e hard by; and which of the two is it wiser to quarrel with, him that lives hard by or him that lives far off? Therefore, King Ranald, says, by the mouth of my humility, the great O'Brodar, Lord of Ivark, 'Take example by Alcinous, the wise king of Fairy, and listen not to the ambassadors of those lying villains, O'Dea Lord of Slievardagh, M

and sat down. At which speec

riest seems to talk like a wise man

, it was not for rudeness that I laughed, for I learnt good manners lo

ow

ing, nor of this O'Brodar either; and I am but a lad, as you see: but I heard a

his lad is no fool

e stood on a hill. In the first there built an eagle, in the

aid, 'Go shares with me, and we will kill

ld kill the crow without your he

miles from you, and never flew across your path in my life? Better kill that little rogue of a sparhawk who lives between us

eagle; and he went out and killed

all. "Well spoken, young man! We will t

e story. After a while the eagle finds the crow

ch as well as that little hookno

y blood is on my own head. If I had but left t

e got all three

priest (not without a present for his church, for Ranald was a pious man) to tell the great O'Brodar, that unless he sent into Waterford by that day week tw

one to him, had he been living peaceably in Norway, and O'Brodar been strong enough to invade and rob him. Indeed, so had O'Brodar done already, ever since he wore beard, to every chieftain of his own race whom he was strong enough to ill-treat. Many a fair herd had he driven off, many a fair farm burnt,

, tell us your name and your business. As for the name, however, if you wish to keep

in hand. He took it from him courteously enough, put a silver penny into th

and fr

ss and

the worl

tless

my bea

y Brai

en me c

r or w

aught s

Northum

the wit

g his b

roke I fe

musical talent for which he was afterwards so famous, till the hearts of the wild Norsem

with the Princess. But always, though he went into the most minute details, he concealed the name both of her and of

y, red, almost angry; ti

ring she

ally dwar

will I

or for sw

im who ca

nd by tro

at her

hero b

finger on his lips, he sat down again. Hereward felt his shoulder touched from behind. O

ns, the sons of your sister, Siward the White and Siward the R

p, struck the har

and fr

olk have

kinsfol

folk shal

d is my

ld is m

is my

is my b

r, for we have bad news for you and us. Your father is dead, and

ereward's heart. He kept it down,

d, king,

ofric m

tminst

ed with K

sters he

ks he ma

he, a be

ath, a pri

eath, a c

om I de

aven, all

els uph

s of Ma

y will m

ier, the

t from th

l from th

t-strewn

strokes my

ars be my

oes' hot

ed for my

between the life of the devotee and that of the worldling, that it seemed reasonable enough for either party to have their own heaven and their own hell. After all, Hereward was n

hen a note of the highest art); and the old king filling not this time the h

Hereward. "Such a scald," he said, "ought to

ngly on the Prince, dropt the Princess's ring into th

ker I re

h than I

d will

g's, the r

wit or

hily w

ined by

ar lie

er the w

ows are

e my gift?" gr

as he hid the ring in his bosom; "leave him t

neither Sigtryg nor Hereward drank; and the two Siwards stood behind their young uncl

y would fight all the kinglets of Cornwall at once, if need was; they would carry off the Princess, and burn Alef's tow

two nephews who lingered nea

d made up his mind to show no kindness to his own kin. The day

as we told y

r England. And Harold and the Godwinssons, of

grandfather Siw

keep it long, unless he learns that Northu

ain, after King Edward had given hi

d w

outlawed two

dwinssons hate

him on to Dublin to get ships, just as he did two ye

ce, and was outlawed; he plunders and burns a whole minster, and is made a great earl for it. One law for the weak and one for the strong, young lads, as you will know when you are as old as I. And now I suppose he will plunder and burn more minsters, and then patch up a peace with Harold again; which I advise him strongly to do; for I warn you, young lads

ndeed imposed on, by the cynical and worldly-wi

d, falteringly, "Then yo

some day, for or against him as he chooses, with such a host of Vikings' sons as Harold Hardraade himself would be proud of. By Thor's hammer, boys, I have been an outlaw but five years now, and I find it so cheery a life, that I do not care if I am an outlaw for fifty more. The world is a fine place and a wide place; and it is a very little corner of i

eared. Hereward knew to whom he was sp

you no ships: he will have enough to do to fight O'Brodar; a

here, who would go to any

come. Help me to fight O'Brodar. Then help me to another little adventure which I have on hand,-as pretty a one as ever you heard a minstrel sing,-and then we will fit out a longship or two, and go where fate leads,-to Constantinople, if you

protect us

ere ends the glory of the house of the bear;' and if you wish to make my words come false, then leave England to founder and rot and fall to pieces,-as all men say she is doing,-without your helping

the two lads. And wel