That in our own days, the tradition of Fierabras continues to live, is evident from the fact, that copies of the Fierabras story, in the edition of the «Bibliothèque Bleue», still circulate amongst the country people of France.[7] There is even an illustrated edition, published in 1861, the pictures of which have been executed by no less an artist than Gustave Doré. And like Oberon, that other mediæval hero of popular celebrity,[8] Fierabras has become the subject of a musical composition. There is an Opera «Fierabras» composed by Franz Schubert (words by Joseph Kupelwieser) in 1823, the overture of which has been arranged for the piano in 1827, by Carl Czerny.[9] The different versions and the popularity of the present romance in France, Italy, Spain, and Germany, having been treated in the Introduction to «Sir Ferumbras», we need not repeat it again here.[10] As to the popularity of the «Fierabras» romance in the Netherlands, the following passage from Hoffmann, «Horæ Belgicæ» (Vratislaviæ, 1830), I. 50, may be quoted here[11]:— “Quam notæ Belgis, sec. xiii. et xiv., variæ variarum nationum fabulæ fuerint, quæ ex Gallia septemtrionali, ubi originem ceperunt, translatæ sunt, pauca hæc testimonia demonstrabunt:— . . . . in exordio Sidraci:—[12] ‘Dickent hebbic de gone ghescouden, die hem an boeken houden daer si clene oerbare in leren, also sijn jeesten van heeren, van Paerthenopeuse, van Amidase, van Troijen ende van «Fierabrase», ende van menighen boeken, die men mint ende daer men litel oerbaren in vint, [p-viii] ende dat als leghene es ende mere, ende anders en hebben ghene lere, danne vechten ende vrowen minnen ende lant ende steden winnen . . . . . .’— “Nec rarius tanguntur fabulæ de Carolo Magno, «Speculum Historiale», IV. 1. xxix (cf. Bilderdijk, «Verscheidenh», I. D. bl. 161–2):— ‘Carel es menichwaerf beloghen in groten boerden ende in hoghen, alse boerders doen ende oec dwase, diene beloghen van «Fierabrase», dat nie ghesciede noch en was . . . . die scone walsce valsce poeten, die mer rimen dan si weten, belieghen groten Caerle vele in sconen worden ende bispele van «Fierabrase van Alisandre», van «Pont Mautrible» ende andre, dat algader niet en was . .   . .’” That the «Fierabras» romance must have been well known and highly popular in England and Scotland, may be gathered from the numerous references to this poem in various Middle English works. Thus the whole subject of the «Fierabras» romance is found in the following passage, taken from «Barbour’s Bruce», ed. Skeat, 3, 435 ss., where the King is described as relating to his followers:—