Zigzag Journeys in Europe: Vacation Rambles in Historic LandsButterworth, Hezekiah
General
Zigzag Journeys in Europe: Vacation Rambles in Historic Lands
Butterworth, Hezekiah
England -- Description and travel -- Juvenile literature; France -- Description and travel -- Juvenile literature
"One pleasant day in May, when the leaves were tender, and the ferny
hills were sunny and sprinkled with flowers, another Richard, the son
of Robert of Normandy, went to hunt in the New Forest. After a merry
time, he was accidentally shot by an arrow. Again a mournful retinue
came out of the forest, bearing the body of a prince, stained with
blood.
"August came, with its young deer and newly fledged birds. The Red
King, with his brother Henry and a great court-party, went to the New
Forest, to spend some days in hunting and feasting. The first day sped
merrily, and was followed by a banquet. It was held at a place called
Malwood-Keep, a famous lodge for royal hunting-parties.
"The next night, a man with a coal-cart was riding in the New Forest,
when he discovered a body lying by the way, pierced by an arrow in the
breast. He laid it in his dirty cart, and jogged on. It was the Red
King.
"Many stories are told of the manner in which the king was killed.
Some say that he was accidentally shot by Sir Walter Tyrrel, a famous
hunter in those days.
"It is said that the king and Sir Walter came upon a stag. The king
drew his bow, and the string broke.
"'Shoot, Walter!' said the king.
"The arrow flew, struck a tree, glanced, and buried itself in the
king's breast. He died where the poor peasants had foretold he would
die, in the New Forest.
"We hope to visit Caen, and its cathedral, an edifice that was
founded by the Conqueror, and that has grown for nearly a thousand
years. The Conqueror's tomb is before the altar, but his bones were
scattered by the Huguenots in 1562."
* * * * *
Wyllys Wynn's story was applauded; and Master Lewis, amid the
applause, said audibly,--
"Excellent!"
Frank Gray followed:--
"Our President has told you the history of William the Conqueror and
of one of his sons, in his story of the New Forest. I will try to tell
you
THE STORY OF ROBERT OF NORMANDY.
"Robert of Normandy was the second son of the Conqueror, and succeeded
his father in the dukedom. He was unlike the rest of the Conqueror's
sons,--an easy, generous, pleasure-loving fellow; honest in heart, and
believing with wonderful simplicity that the world was all sunshine,
and that all the people in it were much like himself.
"I am sorry to say, however, that he once rebelled against his father,
whom he asked to give him the old Norman kingdom. 'I am not apt to
undress before I go to bed,' said the Conqueror.
"He began to rule independently, and William besieged him in the old
fortress of Gerberoi.
"In the midst of the battle, Robert unseated a tall knight, and was
about to despatch him, when he found him to be his father.
"He was greatly touched at the discovery, and kneeling down said, 'I
pray you forgive me.' He then raised his father, and they were
reconciled.
[Illustration: WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR REVIEWING HIS ARMY.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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