Early English Hero Tales

in monasteries, where the life was a religious life. In the Great Palace of English Literature there is a pretty story told about Ealdhelm, who was a young man

ridge and sing songs to them in the English tongue, persuading them thus to come to hear the word of God. Living at this same time-t

iver which flows into the Tweed. There Cuthbert did not keep the flocks of his father as did David, yet, like

sports. And when all the others were tired he would ask whether there was not some one who could go on playing. Then suddenly a swelling came on his knee and the poor little boy could play no longer, and had to be carried in and out, up and down, by attendants. T

en a great wind came up from the west and drove the rafts out[Pg 43] toward the sea. There were five of them, and so quickly did they drift away that it was not more than a few minutes before they began to look in the distance as small as five little birds. Those upon the rafts were in much danger

eak evil of those you see hurried away to death.

ey took away our old worship, and you

d to the ground. And the winds were turned around and br

m heaven. Cuthbert was on a remote mountain with other shepherds, and keeping not only his sheep, but also the vigil of prayer, when a

saw at some distance, and entered the house of a very good woman. He wanted to rest himself. But even more he wanted to get

d a long journey is before you, nor can you possibly accomplish it before sunset. Wherefore, I beg of you t

roughly thrown together in the summer. He entered one of these to pass the night there, tied his horse to the wall, and set before the horse a bundle of hay to eat. Suddenly Cuthbert noticed that his horse was raising his head and

r, then but fifteen years old, appeared before the gates of the monastery of Melrose. For

but there were places so rough and wild they were not to be reached on horseback. These places along the coast he visited in a boat. Cuthbert thought nothing of hunger and thirst and cold. From

the guest-chamber, [Pg 46]he found a young man seated there. He welcomed him with the usual forms of kindness, gave him water to wash his hands, himself bathed his feet and wiped them with a towel and warmed them. He begged the young man not to go forward on his journey until the third hour, when he might

eturn with some new bread, for I ex

ground, and Cuthbert looked for his footprints, none were to be found. On entering the room again, there came to h

ot to be fed. These are such loaves as the earth cannot produce, for

he cold water of the sea till it was up to his arms and neck. And there in praises, with the sound of the waves in his ears, he spent the night. When dawn was drawing near he came out of the water and finished his prayer upon the shore. While he was doing this two seals came from ou