Hero-Myths & Legends of the British RaceEbbutt, M. I. (Maud Isabel)
General
Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race
Ebbutt, M. I. (Maud Isabel)
Heroes; Romances, English
This angelic message so gladdened Goldborough that she kissed, for the
first time, her unconscious husband, who started up from his sleep,
saying, "Dear love, sleepest thou? I have had a wondrous dream. I
thought I sat on a lofty hill, and saw all Denmark before me. As I
stretched out my arms I embraced it all, and the people clung to my
arms, and the castles fell at my feet; then I flew over the salt sea
with the Danish people clinging to me, and I closed all fair England
in my hand, and gave it to thee, dear love! Now what can this mean?"
Goldborough answered joyfully: "It means, dear heart, that thou shalt
be King of Denmark and of England too: all these realms shall fall
into thy power, and thou shalt be ruler in Denmark within one year.
Now do thou follow my advice, and let us go to Denmark, taking with us
Grim's three sons, who will accompany thee for love and loyalty; and
have no fear, for I know thou wilt succeed."
The next morning Havelok went to church early, and prayed humbly and
heartily for success in his enterprise and retribution on the false
traitor Godard; then, laying his offering on the altar before the
Cross, he went away glad in heart. Grim's three sons, Robert the Red,
William Wendut, and Hugh the Raven, joyfully consented to go with
Havelok to Denmark, to attack with all their power the false Jarl
Godard and to win the kingdom for the rightful heir. Their wives and
families stayed in England, but Goldborough would not leave her
husband, and after a short voyage the party landed safely on the
shores of Denmark, in the lands of Jarl Ubbe, an old friend of King
Birkabeyn, who lived far from the court now that a usurper held sway
in Denmark.
Havelok and Ubbe
Havelok dared not reveal himself and his errand until he knew more of
the state of parties in the country, and he therefore only begged
permission to live and trade there, giving Ubbe, as a token of
goodwill and a tribute to his power, a valuable ring, which the jarl
prized greatly. Ubbe, gazing at the so-called merchant's great stature
and beauty, lamented that he was not of noble birth, and planned to
persuade him to take up the profession of arms. At first, however, he
simply granted Havelok permission to trade, and invited him and
Goldborough to a feast, promising them safety and honour under his
protection. Havelok dreaded lest his wife's beauty might place them in
jeopardy, but he dared not refuse the invitation, which was pointedly
given to both; accordingly, when they went to Ubbe's hall, Goldborough
was escorted by Robert the Red and William Wendut.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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