Legends That Every Child Should Know

rained, the sun never shone upon a fairer boy; his skin was like roses and lilies, and as clear as glass; and he was as brave as he was handsome. At fifteen years old hi

and one of them, Athulf, was the best of the company

lying in the offing. It was the heathen Vikings who had come from Northland, bent on plundering Christian lands. When these saw the three Norsemen, they sw

might be preserved from the malice of his enemies, at whose mercy he and his comrades lay. At first they thought to have slain him, but one of their leaders was touched by his glorious beauty, and so he said to the boy, "Horn, you are a fair stripling and a bold, an

hey were driven; but when the morning of the second day broke, Horn sprang up from where he sat in the forepart of the skiff, crying, "I hear the birds sing, and I see the grass growing green-we are at the land!" Then they sprang right gladly on shore, and Horn calle

I seen so well-favoured a company"; and Horn answered proudly, "We are of good Christian blood, and we come from Southland, which has just been raided by pagans, who slew many of our people, and sent us adrift in a

d the boy answered. "Horn, at your pleasure, my Lord King;

g, "you bear a mighty name

valleys oft th

alace long the

O Hornchild, throug

wondrous beauty in a

h him, nor yet with his companions; but well trained as they all were, Horn was far ahead of them both in stature and noble bearing. Even a stranger looking at him could g

nights at the great feasts, but day and night she bore his image in her heart. One night she dreamed that he entered her apartments (and she wondered much at his boldness), and in the morning she sent for Athelbrus, the house-steward, and bade him co

hted room, stretched out her hand to him, crying, "Oh,

f, as unlike him as may well be. Horn's little finger is fairer than my whole

Athelbrus, you wicked man, out of my sight, or I shall hate you for everm

you why I brought Athulf. The King entrusted Horn to my care, and I dre

the deceiver, and said to him, "Come with me, instead of Horn, to the

imself, "To make my peace with her I must now send her the true Horn." He found him in the hall presenting the wine cup to the King, and whispered to him, "Horn, you are wanted in the Princess's apartments"; and when

Lady!" said he. "The house-steward

dawn, and told him of her love; and Horn took

" he said. "I am but a foundling, and the King's servant to boot-i

floor; but Horn lifted her up, and advised her to request her father that he migh

id, "Take my ring here to Master Athelbrus, and b

; I counsel thee to admit Horn to knighthood." And the King was pleased, and said, "Good! Horn is well wo

, and she said she would trust him evermore, and she gave him a gold ring with her name graven on it, which would preserve him from all evil. "Let this remind

e went. Down to the seashore he galloped, singing joyously and praying God soon to send him the chance to do some deed of knightly daring, and there he met a band of pagen marauders, who had just landed from their p

he looked on his ring and thought of Riminild, and dashed among the pirates, laying about him right and left, till, I warrant you, there were few

slain the invaders, and "Here," he said, "is the head of the

. And Figold spoke to the King out of his wicked heart and said, "I warn thee, King Aylmer, Horn is plotting to di

d there, sure enough, he found Horn, as Figold had said. "Out of my land,

ll and entered Riminild's apartments for the last time. "Lady," he said, "I must go forth to strange lands for seven years; at the end of that time I

he other which I gave you, or if you grow weary of them, fling them both away, and watch to see if its tw

under a tree in the garden-go there daily and look for my shadow in the water. If you s

a ship bound for Ireland. When he landed there, two of its King's sons met him, and took him to their father, good K

" said Horn boldly, and t

n crying, "Guests, O King! We are besieged by five heathen chiefs, and one of them procl

Horn spoke up from his seat at the table, "If these pagans are ready to fight, one against three, what may not a Chri

o they rode on together in the twilight, till they came to the green meadow, where a giant was waiting for them. Horn greeted him with a blow that brought him to the ground at once, and ran another giant through the heart with his sword; and when their followers saw that their lea

th high honours in the vault under the church. Afterwards the King called his knights together and said to Horn, "Good Courage, but for you we were a

man to know his secret, and consequently Riminild was in great sorrow on his account, not knowing whether he was true to her o

questioned said, "I come from Westland, and I seek the Knight Sir Horn. Riminild the maiden is in sore h

ll knew my heart that you would keep your troth with me, Riminild," said he to himself, "and that never would that stone grow red; but this paling one bodes ill. And you doubtless have often looked in the garden pool

iminild and tell her that she shall indeed wed a King next Sunday

coming in his helmet and shield to deliver her; but none came, save her own messeng

. "And now, O King," said he, "I pray you to reward me for all my services by helping me to get possession of Rimin

in a few hours the ships cast anchor on the shore of Westland. Horn left his forces in a wood while he went on to learn what was doing. Well did he know the way, and lightly did he leap over the ston

and when he reached the gate of the palace, the porter was for turning him back, but Horn took him up and flung him over the bridge, and then went on to the hall where the feast was being held. He sat down among the lowest, on the beggar's bench, and glowered rou

"I am not come to drink jugs of beer, but goblets of wine. Fair Queen," he cried, "thou deemest me a beggar, but I am rather a fisherman, come to haul in my net, which I left seven years ago hanging fr

goblet, and ask no more who I am." The Queen withdrew into her bower with her four maidens, and when she saw the gold ri

her presence, and Horn, all unrecognised, appeared before her. "Te

Loudly he was bewailing himself and the lady of his heart, one Riminild, who should at this ti

o hath already caused thee so many tender pangs." She threw herself on

d staff, and wiped the brown stain from his face, and stood up before his love in his own fair countenance, asking, "Dear

e, but at last she could doubt no longer; she fell upon his neck, and

t! how could you pl

l tell you all. Now let me go and finish my work, an

or Athulf, who met her with a doleful countenance. "Athulf!" she

h an idle tale? Day and night have I stood here watching for hi

ore alive than ever. Go to the forest and find

armour at the head of his troops. Athulf rode to his side, and they returned together to the city, where Riminild was watch

roes burst, all unheralded, into the King's hall. Fierce and furious was the bridal dance that followed

God's care. King Aylmer and the bridegroom confronted him and the younger, the bridegroom King, asked him wh

ch, spake thus to King Aylmer: "I was born in Southland, of a royal race. The pagan Vikings slew King Altof, my father, and put me out to sea with my twelve companions. You did train me for the order of knighthood, and I have dishonoured it by no unworthy deeds, though you did drive me from your kingdom, thinking I meant to disgrace you through your daughter. But that which you credited me with

a right royal pair. Then King Aylmer spoke jestingly, "Truly I once did chide a young knight in my wrath, but never King Horn,

house-steward, Athelbrus, would have bent the knee to his former pupil, but Horn took the old

m, "thou hast helped me to win my bride here, now come with me to Southland and help me to make a home for her. And you, too, shall win a lady-I have already chosen her;

old he left behind. Truly it is ill knowing what to do with a t

er. On the way they came upon a noble looking knight asleep under his shield, upon which a cross was painted, and Horn cried to him, "Aw

ered why he does not bestir himself to return and fight for his own. God give him power so to do till he slay every one of these miscreants. They put him out to sea, a tender boy, with

told him, "for Horn

s; he embraced his son and bent the knee

have come to explore the land. Well, your mother still lives, an

aid Horn. "We will catch these heathen dogs, or else

pirate King. Then he went to church, with all his people, and an anthem was sung to the glory of God, and Horn gave thanks aloud for the restoration of his kingdom, after which he sought the place where his mother dwelt. How his heart wept for joy when he saw her! He placed a crown on her head, and arrayed her in rich rob

me Horn had a dream, in which he saw Riminild on board a ship at sea, which presently went to pieces, and she tried to swim ashore, steering with her lily-white hand, while Figold, the traitor, sought to st

his false heart spoke the traitor, "King Aylmer, Horn has sent me word that he would have his bride han

the King, "let h

hought of being put into the hands of Fig

she asked. "I know not the way to h

n bring thee thither, most beauteous queen."

not send Athulf, his faithful friend?" But this question

, and she set forth, w

e Riminild should be, looking out for him, but all was bare and empty. It seemed to him as though a star were missing from heaven; and as he crossed the threshold the ill news was told him how Figold had carried off Riminild. Horn had no mind to linger with the King. "Come, Athulf, true friend," said he, "and help me to search for her." So

out of a hole in the wall of the tower-it was that wicked knave Figold's; and Horn cast his line, and hauled the writhing traitor clean out of the tower. He whirled round the sea wolf at the e

s uncovered; at the second he could enter the tower; the third was heard as he led Riminild forth.

e will now go merrily home. And you, Athulf, my chosen and tried friend, shall now have your guerdon; I will bring you

fidy this false one wrought on you, my loving heart. Through him the goodly tale of my twelve followers is broken; now when they gathe

ere made to do aforetime. Let the waves bear away treachery as once they bore innocence-our ship