at he had picked
up in the corridor of the castle of Kerglas. Thus he made his way to the
city of Nantes, which at that moment was besieged by the French.

A little way off, Peronnik stopped and looked about him. For miles round
the country was bare, for the enemy had cut down every tree and burnt
every blade of corn; and, idiot though he might be, Peronnik was able
to grasp that inside the gates men were dying of famine. He was still
gazing with horror, when a trumpeter appeared on the walls, and, after
blowing a loud blast, announced that the duke would adopt as his heir
the man who could drive the French out of the country.

On the four sides of the city the trumpeter blew his blast, and the last
time Peronnik, who had ridden up as close as he might, answered him.

'You need blow no more,' said he, 'for I myself will free the town from
her enemies.' And turning to a soldier who came running up, waving his
sword, he touched him with the magic lance, and he fell dead on the
spot. The men who were following stood still, amazed. Their comrade's
armour had not been pierced, of that they were sure, yet he was dead, as
if he had been struck to the heart. But before they had time to recover
from their astonishment, Peronnik cried out:

'You see how my foes will fare; now behold what I can do for my
friends,' and, stooping down, he laid the golden bowl against the mouth
of the soldier, who sat up as well as ever. Then, jumping his horse
across the trench, he entered the gate of the city, which had opened
wide enough to receive him.

The news of these marvels quickly spread through the town, and put fresh
spirit into the garrison, so that they declared themselves able to fight
under the command of the young stranger. And as the bowl restored all
the dead Bretons to life, Peronnik soon had an army large enough to
drive away the French, and fulfilled his promise of delivering his
country.

As to the bowl and the lance, no one knows what became of them, but some
say that Bryak the sorcerer managed to steal them again, and that any
one who wishes to possess them must seek them as Peronnik did.

From 'Le Foyer Breton,' par Emile Souvestre.

The Battle of the Birds

There was to be a great battle between all the creatures of the earth
and the birds of the air. News of it went abroad, and the son of the
king of Tethertown said that when the battle was fought he would be
there to see it, and would bring back word who