The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 4: Heroes and heroines of chivalry
Children's literature
"Sir," answered the page, "I have a message for one Sir Horn from Sir
Athulf in Westerness, where Aylmer is king. The Lady Rimenhild is to
be wedded on Sunday to King Modi of Reynes, and I am sent to bring
tidings thereof to Sir Horn. But I can find him nowhere, nor hear
even so much as his name, though I have wandered far and wide."
At this heavy news Horn hid his name no longer. He told the page who
he was, and bade him go back with all speed, and say to Rimenhild that
she need no longer mourn: her lover would save her ere Sunday came.
The page returned blithely with this message. But he never delivered
it, for as he went back he was by chance drowned; and Rimenhild,
hearing no word of Horn, despaired. Athulf, too, watching long for
Horn each day on a tower of Aylmer's palace, gave up hope.
But Horn was not idle or forgetful. When he had despatched the page,
as he thought, safely back to Athulf and Rimenhild, he went straight
to King Thurston, and without more pretence told him his true name and
all the story of the adventures.
"Sire," he said, at the end, "I have served you well. Grant me reward
for my service, and help me to win Rimenhild. See, you offered me the
hand of your daughter Reynild; that I might not accept, for I was
pledged already; but perchance my comrade Athulf might be deemed an
honourable suitor. If you will but help me, Athulf shall be Reynild's
husband; that I vow. Sire, give me your aid."
"Be it so," said Thurston, loath to lose Horn, but glad to hear of a
knight waiting to wed the lady Reynild. Straightway a levy of knights
was made, and Horn set forth in a ship with a brave body of fighting
men. The wind blew favourably, and ere long they came to Westerness.
Even as they touched the shore, the bells ceased ringing for the
marriage of Rimenhild to King Modi.
Horn saw how late they had arrived, and that he must needs act warily,
if he would save Rimenhild in the midst of the rejoicings over her
wedding. He left his men on board ship, and landed alone, setting out
to walk to the palace, where the wedding-feast was about to be held.
As he walked thus, he met a palmer [Footnote: A pilgrim], clad in
pilgrim's weeds. "Whither go you, sir palmer?" he asked.
"I have just come from a wedding," he answered, "from the wedding of
Rimenhild, the king's daughter; and sad and sorrowful she seemed to
be, in truth, on this wedding day."
"Now Heaven help me, palmer, but I will change clothes with you. Take
you my robe, and give me your long cloak. To-day I will drink at that
wedding feast, and some shall rue the hour that I sit at the board
with them."
Without more ado he changed clothes with the palmer, taking also his
staff and scrip, and staining his face till it was like that of a
toil-worn traveller. Then he set out for the palace once more.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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