United States or French Guiana ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Now there is naught to tell of either Havelok or myself for a little while, for we went on in our new places comfortably enough. One heard much of Havelok, though, for word of him and his strength and goodliness, and of his kindness moreover, went through the town, with tales of what he had done. But I never heard that any dared to ask him to make a show of himself by doing feats of strength.
But Havelok answered gravely, "He has been a king, and I have not heard that he was altogether a bad one. All else was between him and me, and that is paid for by his death. Think only of the twelve years in which you have owned him as lord, and then you will know that it is right that he should be given the last honours. You had no feud as had I."
Now Leva bathed Havelok in the great tub, and with the warmth and comfort of the hot water he waked and was well content, so that straightway, when he was dressed in Withelm's holiday clothes, which fitted him, though he was but seven years old at this time, and Withelm was a well-grown boy enough for his ten winters, he asked for food, and they gave him what was yet on the board; and we lived well in Denmark.
You may be sure that Havelok, who was so strong and yet so gentle, was kind to his beautiful young wife. But Goldboru was unhappy, for she could not forget the disgrace that had come upon her. She could not forget that she was a princess, and that she had been forced to wed a low-born kitchen knave.
We think, of course, immediately of Havelok the Dane. Deutschbein has shown that Havelok is founded on historical events that occurred in the first half of the tenth century. The gist of the story is that an heir to the Danish throne is deprived of his heritage, suffers deep humiliation, but finally regains his heritage and, through marriage, the crown of Norfolk in England in addition.
We used to call him that at times for it means "the quiet" in our old tongue seeing how gentle and courtly he was in all his ways. So the name was well fitting in either way. "Silent and thoughtful should the son of a king be," says the Havamal, and so it was with Havelok, son of Gunnar.
Now that same night, after he had gone to bed, Ubbe awoke about midnight and saw a great light shining from the chamber where Havelok and Goldborough lay. He went softly to the door and peeped in to see what it meant. They were lying fast asleep, and the light was streaming from Havelok's mouth. Ubbe went and called his knights, and they also came in and saw this marvel.
I should be armed at least, and with comrades to help if Havelok needed me; though all the while I thought myself foolish for thinking that any harm could come to him who was so strong. Nevertheless, what my father had laid on us all was to be heeded, and I was to be his helper in arms.
But, indeed, if I told all the stories I should like to tell this book would have no end. So we must leave them and pass on. The Story of Havelok the Dane, rendered into later English by Emily Hickey. The Lay of Havelok the Dane, edited by W. W. Skeat in the original English. BESIDES the metrical romances, we may date another kind of story from this time. I mean the ballads.
She was very pale, but she was not weeping, and her hands did not shake as she went to work. "This is my dream," she said. "Was that the voice of Griffin that I heard? It does not seem possible; but there is none other who speaks in the old tongue of Britain here, surely." "There is no more fear of him," said Havelok, looking tenderly at her. "Your dream has come true so far, if he was in it.
Word Of The Day