The story of Robin Hood is from the old English ballads of the courteous outlaw, whose feast, in Scotland, fell in the early days of May. His alleged date varies between the ages of Richard I. and Edward II., but all the labours of the learned have thrown no light on this popular hero. A child can see how _English_ Robin is, how human, and possible and good-humoured are his character and feats, while Arthur is half Celtic, half French and chivalrous, and while the deeds of the French Roland, and of the Celtic Diarmid, are exaggerated beyond the possible. There is nothing of the fairylike in Robin, and he has no thirst for the Ideal. Had we given the adventures of Sir William Wallace, from Blind Harry, it would have appeared that the Lowland Scots could exaggerate like other people. The story of Wayland the Smith is very ancient. An ivory in the British Museum, apparently of the eighth century, represents Wayland making the cups out of the skulls. As told here the legend is adapted from the amplified version by Oehlenschläger. Scott's use of the story in 'Kenilworth' will be remembered. All the romances are written by Mrs. Lang, except the story of Grettir the Strong, done by Mr. H. S. C. Everard from the saga translated by Mr. William Morris. A. LANG. * * * * * _CONTENTS_ PAGE _The Drawing of the Sword_ 3 _The Questing Beast_ 9 _The Sword Excalibur_ 14 _The Story of Sir Balin_ 16 _How the Round Table began_ 25 _The Passing of Merlin_ 31 _How Morgan Le Fay tried to kill King Arthur_ 33 _What Beaumains asked of the King_ 38 _The Quest of the Holy Graal_ 64 _The Fight for the Queen_ 102 _The Fair Maid of Astolat_ 113 _Lancelot and Guenevere_ 132 _The End of it All_ 160 _The Battle of Roncevalles_ 177 _The Pursuit of Diarmid_ 215 _Some Adventures of William Short Nose_ 253 _Wayland the Smith_ 293 _The Story of Robin Hood_ 323 _The Story of Grettir the Strong_ 359 * * * * * _ILLUSTRATIONS_ _COLOURED PLATES_ _Lancelot bears off Guenevere_ (p. 153) _Frontispiece_ _Arthur meets the Lady of the Lake_ _to face p_. 14 _Lancelot at the Chapel_ " 77 _Guenevere and Sir Bors_ " 106 _Lancelot brings Guenevere to Arthur_ " 132 _Alix kisses Rainouart_ " 275