Folklore -- Ireland -- Juvenile literature; Folklore -- Wales -- Juvenile literature
Yet, even while they did this, Burstingboar upreared himself from the
water, dashed up the river-bank, and disappeared. Then all the host
followed, but they only came up to him when he had got well into
Cornwall. Then a desperate fight began. By harassing him all day
they managed to keep him from ravaging the land, and when he tried to
get into Devon they were too many for him. Over the moors, down the
coombs, up the hills, they chased him, till at length, being
desperate, he turned, and made for the sea. In he plunged, but,
though the pursuing horses stayed their feet at the water's edge,
those two good hounds, Raceapace and Boundoft, who had followed him
so long, could not hold themselves back, but plunged in after him
into the waves. For long the heroes watched his course, with those
two fierce dogs close behind him; but from that day to this nothing
more has ever been heard of either Burstingboar or the two hounds.
Now, all the Impossible Tasks had been fulfilled, and joyfully did
Prince Kilhugh ride to the giant's castle to claim his bride. But
Thornogre Thistlehair looked on in gloomy silence as the marvels were
spread out before him; he allowed himself to be shaven and combed;
but though he could not refuse to give the Prince his daughter's
hand, he openly said that he did it with no good will. Then the
herdsman's son stood forth, and cried: "O giant, three and twenty of
my brothers thou hast foully slain, and defrauded my father of his
heritage. For these things thou shalt surely die by my hand to-day."
So he dragged him by his hair to the castle battlements, and, being
very strong, he slew him there, and cut off his head. And the castle
was given to the herdsman; but Kilhugh married fair Olwen, and they
were happy ever after as long as they both lived.
_From the "Mabinogion," A Welsh Romance. Thirteenth century_ A.D.
The Lady of the Fountain
I. The Tale of Kynon
Kynon was the only son of his father and mother, and a very brave and
daring young knight. He thought there was nothing in the world too
mighty for him to do; and after he had achieved all the possible
adventures in his own country, he equipped himself with horse and
armour, and went forth to journey in desert and unknown lands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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