Stories of the Olden Time Part 6

45. G.o.d save the king and bless this land With plenty, joy, and peace; And grant, henceforth, that foul debate 'Twixt n.o.blemen may cease!

_Old Ballad._

_XVIII.--VALENTINE AND URSINE._

1. When Flora 'gins to deck the fields With colors fresh and fine, Then holy clerks their matins sing To good St. Valentine.

2. The King of France, that morning fair, He would a-hunting ride, To Artois Forest prancing forth In all his princely pride.

3. To grace his sports a courtly train Of gallant peers attend, And with their loud and cheerful cries The hills and valleys rend.

4. Through the deep forest swift they pa.s.s, Through woods and thickets wild, When down within a lonely dell They found a new-born child.

5. All in a scarlet kerchief laid, Of silk so fine and thin, A golden mantle wrapt him round, Pinned with a silver pin.

6. The sudden sight surprised them all, The courtiers gathered round; They look, they call, the mother seek-- No mother could be found.

7. At length the king himself drew near, And, as he gazing stands, The pretty babe looked up and smiled, And stretched his little hands.

8. "Now, by the rood," King Pepin says, "This child is pa.s.sing fair; I wot he is of gentle blood, Perhaps some prince's heir.

9. "Go, bear him home unto my court, With all the care you may, Let him be christened Valentine, In honor of this day.

10. "And look me out some cunning nurse, Well nurtured let him be; Nor aught be wanting that becomes A bairn of high degree."

11. They looked him out a cunning nurse, And nurtured well was he; Nor aught was wanting that became A bairn of high degree.

12. Thus grew the little Valentine, Beloved of king and peers, And showed in all he spake or did A wit beyond his years.

13. But chief in gallant feats of arms He did himself advance, That, ere he grew to man's estate, He had no peer in France.

14. And now the early down began To shade his youthful chin, When Valentine was dubbed a knight, That he might glory win.

15. "A boon, a boon, my gracious liege, I beg a boon of thee: The first adventure that befalls May be reserved for me."

16. "The first adventure shall be thine,"

The king did smiling say.

Not many days, when lo! there came Three palmers clad in gray.

17. "Help, gracious lord," they weeping said, And knelt, as it was meet; "From Artois Forest we are come, With weak and weary feet.

18. "Within those deep and dreary woods There dwells a savage boy, Whose fierce and mortal rage doth yield Thy subjects dire annoy.

19. "To more than savage strength he joins A more than human skill; For arms no cunning may suffice His cruel rage to still."

20. Up then rose Sir Valentine And claimed that arduous deed.

"Go forth and conquer," said the king, "And great shall be thy meed."

21. Well mounted on a milk-white steed, His armor white as snow, As well beseemed a virgin knight, Who ne'er had fought a foe--

22. To Artois Forest he repairs, With all the haste he may, And soon he spies the savage youth A-rending of his prey!

23. His unkempt hair all matted hung His s.h.a.ggy shoulders round; His eager eye all fiery glowed, His face with fury frowned.

24. Like eagle's talons grew his nails, His limbs were thick and strong, And dreadful was the knotted oak He bare with him along.

25. Soon as Sir Valentine approached, He starts with sudden spring, And yelling forth a hideous howl, He made the forest ring.

26. As when a tiger fierce and fell Hath spied a pa.s.sing roe, And leaps at once upon his throat, So sprang the savage foe.

27. So lightly leaped with furious force, The gentle knight to seize, But met his tall uplifted spear, Which sank him on his knees.

28. A second stroke, so stiff and stern, Had laid the savage low; But, springing up, he raised his club, And aimed a dreadful blow.

29. The watchful warrior bent his head, And shunned the coming stroke; Upon his taper spear it fell, And all to s.h.i.+vers broke.

30. Then, lighting nimbly from his steed, He drew his burnished brand; The savage quick as lightning flew To wrest it from his hand.

31. Three times he grasped the silver hilt, Three times he felt the blade; Three times it fell with furious force, Three ghastly cuts it made.

[Ill.u.s.tration:

"_To court his hairy captive soon Sir Valentine doth bring, And, kneeling down upon his knee, Presents him to the king._"

32. Now with redoubled rage he roared, His eyeb.a.l.l.s flashed with fire, Each hairy limb with fury shook, And all his heart was ire.

33. But soon the knight, with active spring, O'erturned his hairy foe, And now between their st.u.r.dy fists Pa.s.sed many a bruising blow.

34. But brutal force and savage strength To art and skill must yield; Sir Valentine at length prevailed, And won the well-fought field.

35. Then binding straight his conquered foe Fast with an iron chain, He ties him to his horse's tail, And leads him o'er the plain.

36. To court his hairy captive soon Sir Valentine doth bring, And, kneeling down upon his knee, Presents him to the king.

37. With loss of blood and loss of strength, The savage tamer grew, And to Sir Valentine became A servant tried and true.

38. And, 'cause with bears he first was bred, Ursine they called his name-- A name which unto future times The Muses shall proclaim.

_Old Ballad._