nights. Thou wert the courtliest
Knight that ever drew sword, and the faithfulest friend that ever
bestrode a horse. Thou wert the goodliest Knight that ever man has
seen, and the truest lover that ever loved a woman.'

THE BATTLE OF RONCEVALLES

_THE BATTLE OF RONCEVALLES_

About twelve hundred years ago there lived an Emperor of the West
whose name was Charles the Great, or, as some called him, Charlemagne,
which means Carolus Magnus. When he was not making war he ruled well
and wisely at Aix-la-Chapelle, but at the time that this story begins
he had been for seven years in Spain, fighting against the Saracens.
The whole country had fallen before him, except only Saragossa, a
famous town on the river Ebro, not far from the outskirts of the
Pyrenees, which was held by the Moorish King Marsile, with a great
host.

One hot day Marsile was lying on a cool slab of blue marble which was
shaded by overhanging fruit trees, and his nobles were sitting all
round him. Suddenly the King sat up, and, turning to his followers, he
said:

'Listen to me, my Lords, for I have something of note to say unto you.
Evil days are upon us, for the Emperor of fair France will never rest
until he has driven us out of our country, and I have no army
wherewith to meet him. Then counsel me, my wise men, how to escape
both death and shame.'

At the King's speech there was silence, for none knew how to reply,
till Blancandrin, Lord of Val-Fonde, stood up.

'Fear nothing,' he said to the King, 'but send a messenger to this
proud Charles, promising to do him faithful service and asking for his
friendship. And let there go with the messenger presents to soften his
heart, bears and lions, and dogs to hunt them; seven hundred camels
and four hundred mules, loaded with gold and silver, so that he shall
have money to pay his soldiers. The messenger shall tell him that on
the Feast of St. Michael you yourself will appear before him, and
suffer yourself to be converted to the faith of Christ, and that you
will be his man and do homage to him. If he asks for hostages, well!
send ten or twenty, so as to gain his confidence; the sons of our
wives. I myself will offer up my own son, even if it leads to his
death. Better they should all die, than that we should lose our
country and our lands, and be forced to beg till the end of our
lives.' And the nobles answered, 'He has spoken well.'

King Marsile broke up his Council, and chose out those wh