The Book of Romance

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Mrs. Lang. The Book of Romance

PREFACE

Dicey and Orpus

THE DRAWING OF THE SWORD

THE QUESTING BEAST

THE SWORD EXCALIBUR

THE STORY OF SIR BALIN

HOW THE ROUND TABLE BEGAN

THE PASSING OF MERLIN

HOW MORGAN LE FAY TRIED TO KILLKING ARTHUR

WHAT BEAUMAINS ASKED OF THE KING

THE QUEST OF THE HOLY GRAAL

I. HOW THE KING WENT ON PILGRIMAGE, AND HIS. SQUIRE WAS SLAIN IN A DREAM

II. THE COMING OF THE HOLY GRAAL

III. THE ADVENTURE OF SIR GALAHAD

IV. HOW SIR LANCELOT SAW A VISION, AND REPENTED. OF HIS SINS

V. THE ADVENTURE OF SIR PERCIVALE

VI. AN ADVENTURE OF SIR LANCELOT

VII. AN ADVENTURE OF SIR GAWAINE

VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF SIR BORS

IX. ADVENTURE OF SIR GALAHAD

X. SIR LANCELOT MEETS SIR GALAHAD, AND THEY PART. FOR EVER

XI. HOW SIR GALAHAD FOUND THE GRAAL AND DIED OF. THAT FINDING

THE FIGHT FOR THE QUEEN

THE FAIR MAID OF ASTOLAT

LANCELOT AND GUENEVERE

THE END OF IT ALL

THE BATTLE OF RONCEVALLES

THE BATTLE

THE PURSUIT OF DIARMID

THE GREEN BOAR

SOME. ADVENTURES OF WILLIAM SHORT NOSE

WAYLAND THE SMITH

THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD

THE COMING OF LITTLE JOHN

LITTLE JOHN'S FIRST ADVENTURE

HOW LITTLE JOHN BECAME THE. SHERIFF'S SERVANT

HOW ROBIN MET FRIAR TUCK

HOW ROBIN HOOD AND LITTLE JOHN. FELL OUT

HOW THE KING VISITED ROBIN HOOD

ROBIN AT COURT

THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD

STORY OF GRETTIR THE STRONG

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It is to be supposed that children do not read Prefaces; these are Bluebeard's rooms, which they are not curious to unlock. A few words may therefore be said about the Romances contained in this book. In the editor's opinion, romances are only fairy tales grown up. The whole mass of the plot and incident of romance was invented by nobody knows who, nobody knows when, nobody knows where. Almost every people has the Cinderella story, with all sorts of variations: a boy hero in place of a girl heroine, a beast in place of a fairy godmother, and so on. The Zuñis, an agricultural tribe of New Mexico, have a version in which the moral turns out to be against poor Cinderella, who comes to an ill end. The Red Indians have the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice, told in a very touching shape, but without the music. On the other hand, the negroes in the States have the Orpheus tale, adapted to plantation life, in a form which is certainly borrowed from Europeans. This version was sent to me some years ago, by Mr. Barnet Phillips, Brooklyn, New York, and I give it here for its curiosity. If the proper names, Jim Orpus and Dicey, had not been given, we might not feel absolutely certain that the story was borrowed. It is a good example of adaptation from the heroic age of Greece to the servile age of Africans.

An' he play so long dat de groun' crummle (crumble) an' sink, an' nex' day, when de peoples look for Jim Orpus, dey no find um; oney big-hole in de lot, an' nobody never see Jim Orpus no mo'. An' dey do say, dat ef yo' go inter a darky's burial-groun', providin' no white man been planted thar, an' yo' clap yo' ear to de groun', yo' can hear Jim's fiddle way down deep belo', a folloin' Dicey fru' de lan' of de Golden Slippah.1

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Though Sir Gareth had left the tournament he found that there were as many fights awaiting him as if he had remained there. He overcame all his foes, and sent them and their followers to do homage to King Arthur, but he himself stayed behind. He was standing alone after they had gone, when he beheld an armed Knight coming towards him. Sir Gareth sprang on his horse, and without a word the two crashed together like thunder, and strove hard for two hours, till the ground was wet with blood. At that time the damsel Linet came riding by, and saw what was doing, and knew who were the fighters. And she cried 'Sir Gawaine, Sir Gawaine, leave fighting with your brother Sir Gareth.' Then he threw down his shield and sword, and ran to Sir Gareth, and first took him in his arms and next kneeled down and asked mercy of him. 'Why do you, who were but now so strong and mighty, so suddenly yield to me?' asked Sir Gareth, who had not perceived the damsel. 'O Gareth, I am your brother, and have had much sorrow for your sake.' At this Sir Gareth unlaced his helm and knelt before Sir Gawaine, and they rose and embraced each other. 'Ah, my fair brother,' said Sir Gawaine, 'I ought rightly to do you homage, even if you were not my brother, for in this twelvemonth you have sent King Arthur more Knights than any six of the best men of the Round Table.' While he was speaking there came the Lady Linet, and healed the wounds of Sir Gareth and of Sir Gawaine. 'What are you going to do now?' asked she. 'It is time that King Arthur had tidings of you both, and your horses are not fit to bear you.'

'Ride, I pray you,' said Sir Gawaine, 'to my uncle King Arthur, who is but two miles away, and tell him what adventure has befallen me.' So she mounted her mule, and when she had told her tale to King Arthur, he bade them saddle him a palfrey and invited all the Knights and ladies of his Court to ride with him. When they reached the place they saw Sir Gareth and Sir Gawaine sitting on the hill-side. The King jumped off his horse, and would have greeted them, but he swooned away for gladness, and they ran and comforted him, and also their mother.

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