Produced by Al Haines [Illustration: Cover art] [Frontispiece: SLAGFID PURSUES THE WRAITH. _See p._ 60.] TALES OF ROMANCE BASED ON TALES IN THE BOOK OF ROMANCE EDITED BY ANDREW LANG WITH 4 COLOURED PLATES AND 15 OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS By H. J. FORD AND LANCELOT SPEED _NEW IMPRESSION_ LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON FOURTH AVENUE & 30TH STREET, NEW YORK BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, AND MADRAS 1919 CONTENTS. The Story of Robin Hood Wayland the Smith Some Adventures of William Short Nose The Sword Excalibur How Grettir the Strong Became an Outlaw Death of Grettir the Strong ILLUSTRATIONS. COLOURED PLATES. Slagfid pursues the Wraith over the Mountain . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ The Chariot of Freya Alix kisses Rainouart Arthur meets the Lady of the Lake and gets the Sword Excalibur ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT. Robin Hood's meeting with Little John The Knight repays the Four Hundred Pounds When the Sheriff saw his own vessels, his appetite went from him Friar Tuck upsets Robin Hood "There is pith in your arm," said Robin Hood Robin Hood shoots his Last Arrow The Three Women by the Stream Wayland mocked by the Queen and Banvilda The Merman warns Banvilda in vain Vivian's Last Confession The Captives--William Short Nose rides to the Rescue The Lady Alix stays the wrath of William Short Nose The Lady Gibourc with Rainouart in the Kitchen Rainouart stops the Cowards Grettir overthrows Thorir Redbeard THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD. PART I. Many hundreds of years ago, when the Plantagenets were kings, England was so covered with woods, that a squirrel was said to be able to hop from tree to tree from the Severn to the Humber. It must have been very different to look at from the country we travel through now; but still there were roads that ran from north to south and from east to west, for the use of those who wished to leave their homes, and at certain times of the year these roads were thronged with people. Pilgrims going to some holy shrine passed along, merchants taking their wares to Court, Abbots and Bishops ambling by on palfreys to bear their part in the King's Council, and, more frequently still, a solitary Knight, seeking adventures. Besides the broad roads there were small tracks and little green paths, and these led to clumps of low huts, where dwelt the peasants, charcoal-burners, and ploughmen, and here and there some larger clearing than usual told that the house of a yeoman was near. Now and then as you passed through the forest you might ride by a splendid abbey, and catch a glimpse of monks in long black or white gowns, fishing in the streams and rivers that abound in this part of England, or casting nets in the fish ponds which were in the midst of the abbey gardens. Or you might chance to see a castle with round turrets and high battlements, circled by strong walls, and protected by a moat full of water.