Classics Corner: The Enchanted World Series by Brendan Lahane, Tristam Potter Coffman, and The Editors of Time-Life Books Pt. 1: Wizards and Witches, The Book of Christmas, The Fall of Camelot, Dragons, and The Lore of Love; One of the Most Definitive Beautiful Collections of Myth, Legends, and Fairy Tales
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: Before I begin, I want to use the age old tradition of the Power of Three, by giving two thanks and a warning:
Thank you to Kathleen Krieger and Brandy Von Zellen for giving me the final books to add to my collection: The Lore of Love and The Secret Arts from Kathleen and Tales of Terror from Brandy. It had been a long cherished dream to get the entire collection and thanks to both of you I have.
Thank you to those who read my original posts on my Facebook page and the FB Groups Library Think Tank #ALATT and The Pagan Bookshelf for changing the focus of this review. I was originally going to list this review as a Forgotten Favorites, but when I mentioned this series there was a huge outpouring of Readers who remembered, had, and still have the volumes and loved them. Between the two groups alone, I had over 200 likes and several responses. So I realized that this series is anything but Forgotten so it is now a Classics Corner.
This is going to be a four part series in which I will summarize all 21 books, give a review and summary of each volume and reveal the plots and analysis of my favorite stories and characters in the volumes. I have all of it written down and read all the books, so I will try to post a review of five except the final part will be six books, each month. So there's a lot of reading but hopefully not at once.
Ready good? On we go!
If you grew up in the '70's-'00's chances are you remember Time-Life Books. These were series of books that were sent by mail order in which a person can receive a new volume of a certain series every month. You may remember the commercials which were repeated ad nauseam ("Call now and you can receive the first book for free….Cancel anytime you like…"). The books covered various topics including photography, gardening, cooking, history, true crime, home improvement, careers, technology, transportation, and geography.
Among the most fascinating and best remembered titles in these extensive book series is that of The Enchanted World.
The Enchanted World is a series that was published in 1985-1987 with Brendan Lahane and Tristram Potter Coffman as Chief Series Consultants. The focus was on myths, legends, folklore, and fairy tales. The books were arranged by subjects such as Wizards and Witches, Tales of Terror, Gods and Goddesses, Legends of Valor, Lore of Love among others. Other Time-Life Book series that covered similar topics but took different approaches were Mysteries of the Unknown, which took a more scientific focus on unexplained phenomena and supernatural themes and Myth and Mankind, which explored myths and legends in a cultural context including Celtic, Native American, Egyptian, African, and Chinese Myths to name a few.
The Enchanted World books contain some of the most wonderful stories of myth and legend. Adventures, quests, romance, fairies, dragons, heroes, gods, goddesses, tests, magic spells, curses, scares, ghosts, demons, and everything in between is in this series. Chances are if you are interested in the original fantasies, they're there.
The writing is for a teen to adult audience (with a slight nudge for mature Tweens 9-12.) The series is long out of print but is available in public libraries and most volumes can easily be found for affordable prices on Amazon, Goodreads, and other used book sites.
The Enchanted World is not only remembered for the engaging stories but also the beautiful illustrations. Some are well known prints of works that are hung in museums and galleries. Others were done by Time-Life Books' team of artists and illustrators. The results are a series in which each volume is a beautiful work of art and literature.
The ad campaigns were notable at the time. One commercial featured Vincent Price speaking of the volumes in his familiar sinister demeanor. Then at the end of the commercial, his face glowed green thanks to the magic of special effects. Another featured Susan Hammett, who described herself as a descendant from a long line of witches, looking directly at the camera and saying "How can you be sure witches don't exist if you don't know what one looks like?"
It's interesting that these books and the ad campaign spoke directly to our collective fascination with the magic and mystery of other worlds and characters and were released in the 80's during the time of the Satanic Panic.
At a time when supposedly rational adults and fundamentalist Christians warned about Satan's power over the entertainment industry. A time when daycare workers were arrested and charged for satanic ritual abuse because of nothing more than rumor. A time when Geraldo got rich hosting Satan in Suburbia documentaries. When Pagans were forced back into the Broom Closet for fear of losing their jobs, custody of their children, or lives. When fear of Satanism became ever present and lucrative to some.
While the release of the Enchanted World at the same time as the Satanic Panic could be a coincidence, it could also be a way of acknowledging and accepting these fantastic aspects of a shared culture. The Editors could have been saying, "Now hold off. These legends and myths are not to be feared. These are archetypes and are a part of us. People like to be scared and to imagine. Let's celebrate it."
Now since these books were published in the '80's, the focus is very Eurocentric. The majority of the stories are set in Europe including Greece, France, Germany, Russia, and The British Isles.
This is rather unfortunate because the series leaves huge gaps in what could be a more international reading experience.
They don't all focus on European stories but the focus is centralized. There are some Asian stories set in China, Japan, and India for example. The Middle East has a few stories set in Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and other places of course mostly known by earlier names like Palestine, Persia, Babylon, Mesopotamia and so on.
However, there are only a handful of indigenous stories set in North, Central, and South America. With the exception of Egypt and a few scattered stories set in Northern Africa, most of the African continent is left out. Australia gets a mention in only one book.
Because of these omissions, major parts of this shared collective are missing. The Tricksters, Coyote, Raven, and Anansi played huge hands in the creations of their worlds and should have definitely gotten shout outs in The Book of Beginnings and other volumes. The Book of Christmas has a chapter celebrating a return of the light and fails to mention Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.
The Legends of Valor could introduce the Readers to legendary heroes from all over the world noted for their courage and bravery, not just ones from Ireland, Greece, and England. What about the wealth of lore from the Americas like Native American myths, Tall Tales, Ghost stories, urban legends, and folklore that may have begun in other countries and cultures but are continued with very distinct American touches?
Religion is featured, particularly the Abrahamaic faiths as well as the early Pagan and polytheistic cultures. The Book of Christmas is the most notable in that sense. However, religious figures are referred to in a cultural, literary, and thematic context, not necessarily pushing one faith over any other.
There is a fairly even portrayal of men and women in different roles and archetypes. In these reviews, I will make notice of the many stories in which the female characters in particular stand out.
In many stories, they are the strongest and most memorable characters.
There is some implied sexuality and the books are very upfront about the more salacious details in the stories. The more adult aspects to these stories are not glossed over and are told very frankly. (Same with violence. These stories can get very dark and disturbing
Despite being fairy tales, they are not recommended for very young children.)
There are some LGBT pairings and one of those pairings will be prominently referred to in that review.
The series does a good job of gathering and putting together the stories in this tremendous series. However, so much more could be explored, especially within different cultures (which is probably why Myth and Mankind takes a wider look at different cultures by filling in the gaps that Enchanted World left out). It depends on where your interests lie.
That is something that should be taken into consideration when reading The Enchanted World: what the series includes, what representation is featured, how they are written, and what unfortunately is left out.
However, with the arrangement by topic, the brilliant way the stories are gathered, written, and shared, and the gorgeous illustrations makes The Enchanted World not the only definitive collection, but certainly among the most definitive collections of Myths, Legends, and Fairy Tales.
There are 21 books total. I am going to summarize the contents and review each one and also include my favorite stories with illustrations from the stories, in each volume.
Are you ready to dive into the Enchanting, the Magical, and the Mysterious? Then let's go with the first five books, Wizards and Witches, The Book of Christmas, The Fall of Camelot, Dragons, and The Lore of Love:
Wizards and Witches
Of the series, this is probably the most popular and well known volume because it was the first that subscribers received when they made the order, so the main one shouted out in the ads. To be honest, it's a great way to start the series. It builds the framework that the rest of the series lays on by dividing the stories into chapters that portray different sides and perspectives of the same topic.
Wizards and Witches tells of the eponymous figures in three distinct chapters and stages. The first Singers at the World's Dawn covers wizards and sorceresses from Ancient Myths. The chapter refers to characters like: Vainamoinen the Steadfast from Finland had the power to sing nature and weather into creation and to give an arrogant young upstart his comeuppance. Leminkanen and Ilmarien sorcerers, also from Finland (and allies of Vainamoinen),used their magic to wed the daughters of Louhi, a powerful sorceress in her own right. Circe from Greece could transform sailors into pigs and a romantic rival into a sea monster. Math the Ancient, a Welsh sorcerer who with his adopted son, Gwydion created a bride made out of flowers for Gwydion's adopted son, Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Ceridwen, a Welsh goddess whose shape shifting battle resulted in the birth of Taliesin, a bard noted for his song, memory, and wisdom. Of course, there is also Merlin, advisor to King Arthur. This volume covers his early years serving Vortigen, transforming Uther into Igraine's husband to seduce her and conceive Arthur, and his end by his lover Niniane or Nimue locking him inside a cave.
This chapter also includes many of the powers associated with such beings. Mostly because of their god-like powers, all they needed were a thought or a word. Some had connections to nature like the holly or the ash tree, but mostly all they had to do was say a name or utter a word and anything could happen.
The second chapter, Masters of the Forbidden Arts, moves forward to the Middle Ages when the Abrahamaic faiths, particularly Christianity, were the dominant belief system in the Western World. These beliefs brought a perception of order and a systematic hierarchy. Anything that was deemed as out of that structure was held under suspicion and feared. That included the pursuit and study of magic and sorcery.
This chapter showed a transition of wizards and sorceresses who possessed natural abilities, shaped the world around them, and even advised kings and heroes were now hidden in the shadows.
Many priests and scholars practiced magic in secret caverns and rooms. What once came naturally, were instead studied in books and through astrology and divination tools like through Tarot cards.
Many of the characters in this chapter include: Roger Bacon, a philosopher and theologian, who performed a display for King Edward I. Michael Scott had the command of innumerable demonic servants and possession of a powerful tome called, The Book of Might. Michel de Nostradamus's prophetic quatrains are still being read and analyzed to this day. Of course this chapter includes the tale of Johann Faustus, the infamous sorcerer, who sold his soul to the Devil for power. Then he used his power to commit petty revenge and satisfy his lustful debauched urges. We also learn of a Black School in which sorcerers learn their Art and a requirement in which the final student must give his soul to Satan.
The third chapter, The Shadowy Sisterhood, takes a female perspective as compared to the previous chapter which featured a largely male cast of characters. Instead of scholars and priests studying in private quarters, these witches lived in the rural areas among the outer fringes of society. (Fun fact: the term pagan used to mean country dweller.). In keeping with that, the majority of the characters in these stories aren't always named. Like in fairy tales, many characters are just identified by occupation or role in life.
One tale includes a farmer who catches a witch transforming from a hare and cuts off her foot, revealing a human woman with a wounded arm. Another story reveals a young girl who used a water dish to control a ship's movements. When her father asked where she learned such things, she said that her mother taught her.
Some stories show white witches who used their magic to help others like one who used her faith to exorcise a demon and another one who showed up an obnoxious priest by commanding a bag to move on its own accord. There are also fairy tale witches like Mother Gothel from Rapunzel and Baba Yaga.
We also get some insight into those who hunted and caught witches like The Hunter of the Hills, a Scottish hunter who attacked a witch called the Good Wife of Laggan until Death literally caught her at a nearby cemetery. Unfortunately, the Hunter was never safe from the Good Wife's coven sisters.
Just as interesting are the sections in this chapter that focus on the various tools and objects that witches used like broomsticks (as well as the ointment that they smeared over their bodies to provide them with energy to either fly or simulate flying), animal familiars including cats, hares, toads, crows, and spiders, plants and herbs like mandrake, monkshood, nightshade, hemlock, and charms like clay images, gemstones, witch's ladders, and an Abracadabra medallion.
Because of this being the first and one of the best volumes in the series, it is also my most frequently read. Also, each chapter is so distinct with how wizards and witches are portrayed, I chose three separate stories, one from each chapter that I feel reveal the distinct character of these magic users.
The Book of Christmas
Of the books, this one has the strongest connections to Christianity. The Nativity Story has not one but two chapters devoted to it.
The first chapter The Eternal Moment covers the story of Christ's birth from the angels' visitations to Mary and Joseph, to the family's arrival in Bethlehem, to the birth of Jesus,to the angel visiting the shepherds. The final chapter The Light Triumphant covers the Wise Men seeing the Star and delivery of Jesus' gift. Even though the series does different brilliant things with frequently told stories by making the Reader look at them in another light, they add nothing new to the Nativity Story. It's the familiar story that many know, especially those who have grown up in Christian households and know this story by heart. The only interesting addition to the story is that of Madelon, a little girl who wanted to give a gift for the infant but was too poor. So she gave, not a drum solo (though perhaps her story inspired that of The Little Drummer Boy) but a rose.
Much more interesting are the second and third chapters in the book. The second deals with the darkness of winter and how it is sometimes personified as disturbing destructive forces in various cultures. There is the hodening, which is still celebrated in some places like Wales and Cornwall, in which a person dresses up in the skull and skin of a horse and knocks on various doors to spread good luck. The Wren Boys in Southern England used to hunt wrens and sing carols to bring luck for the year. Kari, a frost giant, blew snow and ice into the Scandinavian skies. Cailleac Bheur, of the British Isles, trapped Brigit, the spirit of spring in her cave until it was her time to be released.
A chilling story from the British Isles said that on Christmas Eve the dead would travel on the chilling winds led by Berchta who inspected farmhouses for cleanliness or selfishness. Sometimes she cursed those who dwelled inside with pestilence but she also blessed those who were good with gold and gifts.
This connection between the supernatural and Christmas never really died as it is still echoed in Hamlet and The Christmas Carol, two popular works of literature featuring ghosts and set during the Yule season. Also other stories like The Nutcracker add a strong sense of dark fantasy and magic to the holiday season.
The third chapter Summoning the Sun involves the opposite. If the previous chapter showed the darker spirits of winter, this one shows the efforts to welcome the sun and light. Much of the chapter talks about the Medieval tradition of dubbing a peasant the Lord of Misrule and where the participants have fun and play opposite roles. Royals and nobles served their servants. Men and women swapped clothing. They often had loud raucous fun. This celebration dates back to pre-Christian Saturnalia and Yule which involved people having bacchanalian celebrations to honor the return of the Light.
This chapter also covers various parts of Christmas celebration including carols, trees, light, and Yule logs. It also reveals the different gift giving figures around the world and how they are perceived by the people in their countries.
It's a good book in the collection but is very myopic in its look at Christmas. While the title is The Book of Christmas, other celebrations could at least get a mention like Hanukkah. It's a pleasant book but it is not my favorite.
Favorite Stories
The Midnight Battle/The Nutcracker
Illustrations by Roberto Innocenti
Of the stories told during the Holiday season, one of the most beloved is that of The Nutcracker. Many know of E.T.A. Hoffman's enchanting story because of the Peter Tschaikovsky ballet which is performed by various companies in December. They may know the compositions like "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy", "Dance of the Reed Flutes", or "Waltz of the Flowers." Disney fans may also fondly remember the segment from Fantasia which featured fairies, mushrooms, flowers, fish, thistles, leaves, and snowflakes dancing through the passages of the seasons as the music plays (though no Nutcracker. As host Deems Taylor explains "Nothing exists of him except the title"). It's a beautiful story that captures the magic and whimsy of the Holiday season with just the right amount of darkness to remind us that the Holidays aren't just gooey sweetness.
On Christmas Eve, a clockmaker called Herr Drosselmeyer attended a party at the home of his godchildren, Fritz and Marie. Drosselmeyer showed the children a miniature castle in which figures were made to move by themselves. The children were amazed and asked if a child could live in that small world or can the toys come to this one. Drosselmeyer only said patterns were set and could not be altered. The clockmaker gave Fritz a set of toy soldiers and Marie, a nutcracker. Even though she considered herself too old for toys, Marie caressed and danced with the nutcracker and fed it nuts. She grew to love the little figure but Fritz became very demanding. The boy naughtily took the nutcracker from Marie's hands and broke it. Upset Marie was led to her bedroom in tears.
Later that night, Marie reentered the parlor where a creepy figure of Drosselmeyer hovered over the clock leering at her. She heard clicking, and squeaking and saw little lights all over the room. Marie was terrified as the room was filled with rats. At their head was a seven headed Mouse King (I apologize to anyone with musophobia). As Marie shrank, the Mouse King and his servants hissed and tried to attack the young girl who was now small enough for them to eat.
Suddenly, a shout rang out and at Marie's side was the Nutcracker, now human and in the appearance of a tall handsome young man. The Nutcracker called the toy soldiers who had also come to life to battle the sinister Mouse King. Chaos ensued as the armies shed blood. It seemed that the Nutcracker was defeated. The Mouse King raised its seven heads and lunged at Marie who screamed while the figure of Drosselmeyer laughed a sinister laugh.
The next morning, Marie awoke in a parlor that was now a mess with tables and chairs overturned, porcelain broken, and toys scattered about the floor. When Marie tried to tell her parents the events of the previous night, they didn't believe her.
At first neither did Drosselmeyer. He taunted Marie by saying that her presumed hero was nothing more than a stick of wood. Marie kept insisting that he was real and that she loved him.
When they were alone, Drosselmeyer told her the truth: The Nutcracker was a Faerie Prince who was cursed to remain a motionless nutcracker until he could slay the Mouse King and that a woman would love him no matter the form. Marie said that she loved him and that she wanted to join him in his world. Drosselmeyer gave her three chances to refuse but Marie said no she would rather be with the Nutcracker.
That day, Marie disappeared. No one knew where she had gone. Some believe that she ran away. Others believed that she ran off with a boyfriend. Others who heard her rambling from Christmas Day thought that she found her Faerie Prince and became his bride.
Drosselmeyer returned to his business making clocks, toys, and other things. However inside his shop was the enchanted castle. In that castle was a handsome young man who resembled a nutcracker that he once made. By the man's side was a doll of a beautiful young woman who resembled Marie.
Favorite Characters, Illustrations by Barry Moser-Because this book covers one topic, I chose characters rather than stories.
Merlin's birth is shrouded in mystery. His mother was human, but his father was unknown. Some accounts said that he was of the Faerie Folk. Others said that he was an incubus, a male demon. What is known is because of this unique birth, Merlin had acquired magical abilities and a gift of prophecy.
The previous volume, Wizards and Witches, revealed that Merlin first attracted the attention of King Vortigern, when he was a boy. Vortigern had a fortress that kept getting knocked down. He was told to find a boy who had no mortal father. When he found Merlin, the young wizard foresaw two dragons with a red one attacking and defeating a white one. The red dragon symbolized Vortigern's rival and eventual conqueror, Uther Pendragon. After Uther defeated Vortigern, Merlin became Uther's advisor.
Uther fell in love with the Duchess of Cornwall, Igraine wife of Gorlois. Gorlois had his wife sequestered in the impregnable fortress of Tintagel. Uther was maddened by his obsession with the Duchess so Merlin agreed to help him under one condition: that he would take any child born of that union. Merlin transformed Uther into Gorlois and himself into Gorlois' aide.
Under the guise of the Duke of Cornwall, Uther slept with his wife. Gorlois was killed in battle and Uther married his widow. Even though the child that they conceived was considered his by their quick and legal marriage, Merlin still took him. He was named Arthur and cared for by Sir Ector, a friend of Merlin's, with Merlin educating him and watching Uther's kingship from the sidelines.
Because there were questions about Arthur's conception and Uther's subsequent death, many fought for the throne. Merlin kept Arthur hidden until he was ready and laid the sword, Excalibur, inside a stone until the rightful king pulled it out. While attending a tournament with his adopted brother, Kay, Arthur searched for a sword to replace the one he lost.
Seeing what he thought was a war monument, he easily pulled the sword out revealing that he was king. Kay at first lied saying that he pulled the sword from the stone. After questioning, Kay fessed up saying Arthur did it. Then he and Ector kneeled before the young boy to tell him the truth.
Merlin proved to be an adept friend and counselor. Even the sword itself was infused with magic. No enemy could withstand it and a touch of the scabbard could heal the most grievous wound. Despite this powerful sword, Merlin provided magical aid himself. During King Lot's rebellion, Merlin cloaked Arthur's allies with invisibility. The ghost army had the advantage and defeated Lot's army.
Merlin advised Arthur to not ruthlessly kill Lot and his men. Arthur showed mercy. Lot was married to Morgause, Arthur's half-sister. Arthur foolishly slept with Morgause, not knowing she was his sister. Merlin once again proved his wisdom as someone who wasn't afraid to tell Arthur what he didn't want to hear. When the High King was baffled by dreams of serpents, Merlin interpreted the dream by telling him of a woman who gave birth to a monster that would destroy his father. He then told him that the woman in the story was Morgause and that her child would one day kill his father, Arthur.
However, Merlin was not perfect and sometimes gave bad advice or allowed Arthur to do bad things of his own accord.
Nine months later, Merlin reported that the child was a boy born on the first of May but could not locate where. Arthur ordered that the boys born on the first of May and were unclaimed were to be gathered for some reason. Later accounts reported that they were taken on a boat and cast to the waters left to drown.
Merlin's only response to Arthur's guilt and remorse was to remind him that the human race was a fragile one and to think of the children that would have subsequently died of illness, starvation, and war. This unconscionable act would continue to haunt Arthur in more ways than one (see Mordred below).
Merlin began to feel his age and that his time would soon end. When Arthur wed Guinevere everyone was all smiles at the wedding except Merlin who said that Arthur's new bride would bring him sorrow. He buried his concern and at Guinevere's request drew on his Faerie powers to create an illusion performance. It consisted of a maiden and a youth on a hunt then making love before they were violently killed and restored to life. The Faerie powers cost Merlin dearly.
Shortly after Arthur and Guinevere were wed, some knights saw white stags and strove to chase them. Merlin recognized that the stags came from Faerie and were a warning of things to come. He uttered one name, "Niniane." That night he left and did not return.
Merlin's travels took him to Brittany to the enchantress, Niniane. He fell in love with the younger woman and with the fatalism of one who knew and could not fight their destiny, he approached her.
He showed her his magic including how to build castles, weapons, how to chant nature into being, and how to see into the future. Niniane learned much then one night, she invited him to see a display of her work. She created a wall and lured him inside. Then when he was inside, she used her new found powers to close the wall around him. There Merlin remained locked away from the mortal world and his friend, Arthur. His time as Mentor was done as it was for all Mentors and it was time for Arthur, the Hero, to face the world on his own.
To read more about Merlin, I highly recommend The Merlin trilogy: The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, and The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart.
Morgan Le Fay
Mordred-
Mordred is the third most interesting character in the Arthurian Legends. Sometimes the antagonistic characters can be fascinating. Mordred is a Trickster figure because he uses his words to create dissension. He is also seen as Arthur's Shadow, the secret sins that Arthur committed when he was younger staring at him in the face. He represents many of the darker aspects of the knights' personalities: greed, selfishness, pride, and so on. He also fits the profile of the Holly King, the shadow twin of Arthur's Oak King: the younger aspect who must rise up and strike the elder.
Of course in more modern times with more character analysis, there are questions towards Mordred's real thoughts and motivations. Why did he hate his father so much? Did he have any guilt or remorse or was simply raised as an instrument of vengeance? If he was destined to kill his father did he have much choice in the matter? Did Arthur and Merlin play a part in his choices later in life by setting their own fate at his birth? These questions are what makes characters like Mordred so fascinating and often leads to many novels and revisions to his character.
The character that we are given certainly did not come into the world in the easiest way. As previously stated, Arthur attracted the attention of Morgause of Orkney. To satisfy her need to be closer to the throne through her husband, Lot, and her insatiable lustful appetite beyond her marriage bed, Arthur and Morgause had an affair.
While Morgause knew they were siblings, she hadn't seen Arthur until he was an adult. As for Arthur, he did not know who she was at all and only saw her as the wife of his one time enemy on the battlefield, Lot of Orkney. Merlin revealed the truth of their relationship. Nine months later, he could only reveal that the child was a boy born on May 1 but could not see where he was born or who he was with.
Arthur made a fatal decision that would cost him dearly. He ordered all boys born on May 1 unaccounted for to be placed on a boat and carried out to sea. This King Herod-like move ended up coming to naught because as the boat was capsized, Mordred's coracle washed ashore where he was found by a fisherman and his wife. So Arthur's rash and hurtful decision ended up being all for nothing and was a black mark on his kingship for a long time to come.
Lot learned of Mordred's existence and retrieved the boy from his adopted parents. Even though he recognized him as Morgause's son, he did the math in his head and realized that Mordred could not be his biological son. However, he claimed that he was his to save face. Mordred was raised in Orkney and was treated as the brother to Gareth, Gaheris Agravain and Gawain.
In time all of Mordred's brothers entered King Arthur's court becoming knights and having many adventures. Gawain particularly had many famous tales connected to him such as Sir Gawain and The Green Knight and Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell (also known as The Wife of Bath's Tale). Mordred, being the youngest, joined the Round Table during the end. It was not the glorious kingdom of the younger days.
The adventures were coming to a close. The quest for the Holy Grail completed with many lives lost or exiled never to return.
Arthur and his knights were aging, their glory days fading. Former resentments that were once hidden in the name of comradeship were now returning. Lancelot and Guinevere remained lovers, reunited after a long separation.
Mordred arrived in Camelot with his mother. His older brothers had rule over the widowed Morgause and had her installed in a pretty hunting lodge that was to her liking. Within a week, she summoned Sir Lamorack to her bed. In a fury, Gaheris followed and slit his mother's throat.
When Sir Lamorack challenged Gaheris, Gaheris reminded him that his father, Sir Pellinore slew theirs but refrained from killing him as he was unarmed. Sir Gaheris was exiled for a time and Sir Lamorack fled to Wales.
Within a month the brothers except Gareth found Lamorack. They circled him and killed his horse. He fought them for three hours until Mordred sneaked behind him and stabbed him in the back.
Mordred was considered a courageous but inexperienced warrior. He had been a knight no longer than two years when he accompanied Lancelot to a forest in Wales. Mordred amazed the older knight with his vigor and canny fighting.
The two came upon an old man. The man called them the two most unfortunate knights in the world. He said that Mordred would kill his father. Mordred, believing that Lot was his father, said his father was dead.
The old man said that the High King was his father and that Arthur dreamt that a serpent would destroy his kingdom. Mordred was the serpent. Angry at the truth, Mordred slew the old man.
Lancelot lectured him about murdering an unarmed elder. He would have killed the younger knight then and there, but loyalty to Gawain stayed his hand.
Mordred did not go adventuring after that. Instead, he was shaken by the truth and remained within corners, sulking, and observing everything around him. Since Lancelot also heard the old man's words, Mordred looked for a means to destroy the older knight. He observed Lancelot and Guinevere from afar and began talking to anyone who would listen to him: cadets, his brothers, servants, anyone. He sowed dissent with his brothers. He said that the queen and knight cuckolded the king and that their betrayal was treason, endangering the kingdom. Gawain and Gareth ignored him but Gaheris and Agravain heard.
The rumors worked as knights argued taking sides in the argument, some defending Lancelot and others siding with Mordred and the brothers.
Guinevere greeted her accusers gracefully offering them apples. Gawain, who loved apples, was particularly pleased. One knight, Patrise of Ireland, ate one and fell over dead. Patrise's cousin, Mador accused her of murder. He offered to challenge anyone who would defend the queen. Guinevere practically had to beg Bors, Lancelot's cousin, to defend her. He was reluctant but he agreed.
On the appointed day another knight rode up offering to relieve Bors. Gawain recognized the newcomer as Lancelot by his riding style. He defeated Mador who retracted his accusation. The real poisoner turned out to be Sir Pyonel le Savage, cousin to Lamorack. He sought to poison Gawain as vengeance for his cousin's death.
Despite Guinevere being found innocent of murder, Agravain and Mordred did not cease their talk of the love affair. They accused her directly in front of Arthur. Arthur had been shown scenes of their affair by Morgan (see above) and demanded proof. Ironically, he acknowledged Mordred as his son and insisted that Lancelot was resolute.
The brothers caught the lovers and attempted to arrest them. Lancelot killed Agravain and several of their companions. Mordred was injured and managed to get away. Lancelot rode off leaving Guinevere to face the trial alone.
Just as she was about to be executed, Lancelot rode to her rescue. In the rush to rescue the queen, Lancelot hastily killed Gareth and Gaheris earning Gawain's hatred. Guinevere returned to the king and Arthur reluctantly declared war on Lancelot.
Perhaps feeling some paternal affection towards Mordred and wanting to instill some responsibility in the young man, Arthur appointed Mordred as regent.
On Benwic, Lancelot and Gawain faced each other. As Gawain lay dying, a messenger reported that Mordred spread fake news that Arthur was dead. He insisted that Guinevere marry him. The Queen refused and locked herself in her chambers to send word to Arthur. This news outraged Gawain and he restored amends with Lancelot before he died.
Arthur returned to battle against Mordred. Gawain appeared to him warning that Arthur would die on the battlefield the next day. When the father and son approached each other, Arthur offered him kingship of Cornwall and Kent and all of Britain after his death. Despite everything that Mordred did, he was his only heir. Mordred shook his hand to accept the terms.
However, a knight rode up his arm to kill a striking snake. The knights saw it as a signal to fight and their nerves on edge and ready for a fight, they began to slaughter each other.
Finally, Arthur stood with his two surviving knights, brothers Bedivere and Lucan. Arthur and Mordred stood face to face. Arthur picked up the spear of a dying knight and attacked his son. Mordred did not flinch or lose his grip on his sword hilt. He pushed further into Arthur's spear shaft as it portrayed through his stomach and back. Mordred's broad sword hit the side of of Arthur's helmet. The blade built through mail and skull into his brain.
Mordred died instantly.
Bedivere threw Excalibur into the lake. Arthur was taken to Avalon by Morgan and other women. Mordred just died, remembered forever as the villain of the piece.
For more information on Mordred, I highly recommend The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart.
Dragons are similar to the Gift Givers in The Book of Christmas (see above). Their appearances, personalities, temperaments, connections to those around them, and status in Legends depend on who is telling the stories and what country and culture views them. This book covers dragons in their various forms: friendly and menacing, colorful and gray, tormentor and bringer of luck, hoarder and provider of treasure, a terrifying foe to defeat or a friendly ally to aid the Hero.
The first chapter, Chaos Incarnate introduces us to the dragons of early myths and legends. These showed that gods and goddesses sometimes took the form of dragons to demonstrate their power such as Tiamat in her battle with Marduk, a younger god. (Oddly enough no mention of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god who also took dragon form). Sometimes the dragon was seen in myths as magical enough to hold the world in its coils like Jormungandr did to Midgard, the mortal realm.
Sometimes the dragons themselves were a formidable opponent who did damage to the hero. The warrior Beowulf's final heroic duty was to slay a dragon but not before it delivered him a fatal wound. Fighting dragons could also be part of a task as Hercules learned when he had to fight (or conned the Titan Atlas into fighting for him) the dragon Laden to retrieve the golden apples as part of his twelve labors.
Cadmus also had to encounter a dragon on his way to build the city of Thebes. He and his warriors defeated the dragon and threw it in the air. Many believed that the dragon became the constellation, Draco.
Even gods like Ra were tested in their battles against draconian forces like Apep giving one an idea of the immense size and strength of a creature when a god has difficulties fighting it. The struggle between Ra who was the Sun God, and Apep, who was the Lord of Underworld and drew his strength from nightfall, occurred every night. It was the Egyptian mythology story to reveal the origins of night and day.
One of the final Titans left for Zeus to defeat was Typhon who had a hundred dragon heads. Zeus had to defeat him before he could ascend to his role as King of the Gods on Mount Olympus. Typhon was imprisoned in Mount Etna explaining the origins of earthquakes and volcanoes. There were also dragons who served gods like Anata who provided his long back as a couch for the god Vishnu when he needed to kick back and sleep.
There is also a guide to a dragon's many forms such as Wyverns (coiling trunk, eagle legs, known for viciousness and pestilence), Guivres (legless wingless, and had very massive heads, liked to be near water). Heraldic (massive fangs,, four legs, ridge of sharp spines, stinging tail, very widespread and considered formidable). The guide also shows the dragons different habitats such as caves, mountains, water, and swamps and their divisions of labor as celestial guardians, treasure keepers, weather makers, and river lords.
Chapter Two, Glitter Gods of the East is the beginning of the cultural differences over how dragons are portrayed. In Eastern myths, dragons usually are not something to be feared. They were awesome, powerful, magical, and should be treated with respect of course but they are rarely seen as evil or antagonistic. Most of them are often kind and helpful, and provide the hero good luck or good fortune. (Think Falkor in the Neverending Story).
The chapter begins with a charming tale in which the dragons who lived near Ch'ang-an the capital of China's Tang Dynasty, were so loved and spoiled by a nobleman that they behaved more like very large lazy and pampered house cats.
There was a close connection between Eastern dragons and humans which their Western counterparts severely lacked. That is a common theme that plays over in the Eastern tales.
In one story, Yu, a young god and his companions, a giant black tortoise and a magnificent emerald scaled winged dragon helped shape the land after a large flood.
Another story involving dragons and their involvement in creationism concerns the goddess, Nu Kua who was part dragon herself. She made the first humans while her consort Fu Hsi taught them the essentials like weaving nets for fishing, handling fire, and playing music. Nu Kua meanwhile also created dragons who could change between human and animals shape although retaining their dragon nature. The dragon's connection to wisdom and ability to confer blessings was often seen as a
symbol of the Emperor.
Scholars were highly regarded in China, so dragons were frequently studied and categorized. The scholar's information provide interesting perspectives on how dragons lived. Such information included their births, years between childhood and maturity, and appearance.
This research also divided the dragons in categories such as celestial dragons, spiritual dragons, earth dragons, and subterranean dragons. Within these categories were subcategories possibly corresponding with the dragon's growth stages: serpentine, clawed, horned, and winged.
Even a dragon's color was used as a means of categorization, like azure, red, black, and yellow.
So for example, if you saw an azure serpentine spiritual dragon in the Eastern sky then you would know a young dragon would be creating a light rain in the dawning spring. By contrast, a red horned earth dragon by a river heralded an older dragon changing that river's course because a severe storm, maybe even a flood, was on the way.
This reverence and also the scholarly information allowed speculation about whether some humans were really dragons in another form. One of those stories involved a romance with a scholar named Liu Ye and a Dragon Princess in which he visited her dragon kingdom and faced the Dragon King and his volatile brother to win her hand in marriage.
In another story, a boy found a pearl and used it to help support his impoverished mother. Neighbors became suspicious and the land owner accused the boy of theft. The boy hid the pearl then swallowed it in confusion. He then transformed into a dragon.
This respect for dragons also appeared in art and images that people made of the dragons. Many emperor's had dragon symbols on their barges, beds, and thrones. Some images reflected nine specific dragons who were believed to protect the mortal objects in which they were depicted like musical instruments, temples, and gates.
Even parts of the dragon's body were useful for healing and illumination.
While China maintained a respect towards dragons, Japan portrayed their dragons with a much darker side. One story involves a lord who was sent into exile because he lost a pearl to be presented to the Japanese court. The pearl fell into the possession of a dragon. The lord's sweetheart fought the dragon to retrieve the pearl but died afterwards.
Another story involved a samurai's daughter who tried to find her exiled father. She fought a dragon to rescue a maiden who was about to be sacrificed and ended a curse on the Emperor so her father could be freed.
Chapter four, Rise of the Dragonslayer, covers a theme that is found in a lot of these books when they cover specific characters and creatures: the decline of their reputation.
They start out as awesome godlike beings with tremendous power and have many friends, allies, and defenders. Then they transform into something to be feared, fought, and kept away from human society. Finally, they descend into something that exists solely to be defeated, a one dimensional object of evil, cuteness, and sometimes ridicule. It appears in Wizards and Witches and will also reappear in Giants and Ogres, Dwarfs, Fairies and Elves, Magical Beasts, and Night Creatures. Now it's in Dragons.
This chapter covers that by depicting that in Europe with dragons seen as evil, many heroes' reputations were made because of their battles against dragons. They were considered dragonslayers.
Many heroes' adventures consisted of them battling and slaying dragons. Lancelot and the biblical Daniel's stories involved conquests against dragons. Perseus rescued his future wife, Andromeda when she was chained to a rock and offered as a sacrifice to a sea creature (believed to be a dragon not a kraken as Hollywood told us).
Not always were their encounters with dragons successful. An Irish warrior, Froech wanted to win the hand of Findabar, the daughter of Queen Maeve and King Aillil. Maeve wanted the handsome warrior for herself but he would have none of it. So she enticed him to obtain a rare Rowan branch. The branch was guarded by a dragon. The dragon killed Froech who had been manipulated by the scheming Queen Maeve.
One hero whose reputation was built on slaying dragons was St. George, playing on the previous chapter's theme of saints being the most likely antagonists against dragons. St. George was in Silena where the people were trying to appease a dragon who terrorized their village. Originally, they offered sheep but when that no longer pleased the dragon, they drew a lottery for a human sacrifice. The princess of Silena was selected as St. George arrived.
The princess offered to be a sacrifice for her people. St. George refused and rode to the dragon with a stride. There is some speculation about whether he killed the dragon right away or carved a cross on the dragon's chest, dragged him into town, and forced the people of Silena to convert to Christianity before he beheaded it. Either way, he was successful and the princess became his bride.
Another story in which love was the goal for slaying a dragon was that of Dobrynia Nikitich who battled a dragon who was thought of the terror of Kiev. The dragon, called Gorynych kidnapped a princess. Along with her were the people of Kiev who had also been taken. Dobrynia whipped off the dragon's tails and heads leaving them to wither. He brought the princess back to her home and married her.
Sometimes heroes killed dragons to get their hands on the treasure that they hoarded. One of those was Sigurd. He was recruited by Regin, an avaricious dwarf whose equally greedy brother, Fafnir inherited a stolen hoard of elfen gold. Fafnir turned his brother away and transformed into a dragon. Regin insisted that he only wanted to have Fafnir's heart as it was the source of all dwarven wisdom. Really he wanted the gold for himself.
Sigurd's mother gave her son his father's sword, Gram, and he set off to defeat Fafnir with Regin by his side. Regin cautioned that the hero had to slay the dragon the first time in the stomach. If not, it would merely wound him and he would strike Sigurd with venom. Sigurd did as he was told.
After Fafnir's death, Sigurd gave the heart to Regin who ate it. Sigurd was burned by the heart and found out Regin's real plan was to kill him and keep the gold. Sigurd beheaded the dwarf for his treachery.
A country well known for dragons and dragonslayers was Persia. The country was divided by a king who could assume dragon form. The king transformed to test the true characters of his son. One, the prudent, Salm, protested the folly of certain death and fled. He was given the western lands. The second Turn, bravely stood his ground and was given the eastern lands. The youngest, Iraj revealed his discreet courage and kindness. He recognized his father in the beastly form, called him by name, and advised him to flee. He was awarded Persia.
Iraj's descendants proved to be formidable against dragons. Gushtasp had been banished by his father in law, the Western Emperor, for marrying his daughter. He aided various suitors in hunting monsters so they could win the Emperor's other daughters. One of these tasks was to kill a six legged dragon. When the king learned that Gushtasp helped the men, he welcomed him back.
Gushtasp's son, Isfandiyar built a wooden carriage with sharp hooks and sword blades to slay a dragon that kidnapped his sister. His son, Shah Ardashir was not so fortunate. He entered the jaw of a dragon and never emerged. He was the only member of his family to be defeated by a dragon.
His descendant, Bahram Gur shot an arrow in a dragon's chest and another arrow at its head. When he gutted the beast, he found the body of a man inside. (Ardashir?)
One of Persia's most noted dragonslayers is Rustam. Rustam rode his favorite loyal horse, Rakhsh on a journey. While camping, a dragon crept towards them. Rakhsh whinnied to get its master's attention. Rustam looked and saw nothing. The dragon became invisible. Rakhsh did it twice and Rustam woke both times, annoyed.
The last time Rakhsh waited until the dragon was in reach of Rustam's sword. This time when Rustam awoke, he saw the dragon upon him. The horse and man worked together to defeat the their enemy. As it clasped Rustam in its coils, Rakhsh fastened its teeth on the dragon. Rustam freed himself and used his scimitar to slash the dragon to death.
The Tale of a Demon Bride/Shushuan and Lady White
Illustrated by Jennifer Eachus
This story is one of the many "Love Gone Wrong" stories because it focuses on the love between a mortal and immortal. Many times the immortal plays on and distorts the ideal of the perfect romantic partner by using those exact traits to lure and mock the unsuspecting mortal before they kill or drive them to insanity.
In China lived an orphan young man named Shushuan. He lived in Hangchow, the lakeside capital city. Mostly he worked in his Aunt and Uncle's flower market but during the Festival of the Dead, he performed rituals of remembrance on his parent's graves.
One year, he did this and was about to ask the boatman to return him to his Aunt and Uncle's home when he heard a female voice ask to be let on. Two young women, one dressed entirely in white and the other in blue. Shushuan fell in love with the woman in white and allowed them to come aboard.
The three new companions huddled together as the boat landed near the strange white walls of a city. They walked into a city where the roof posts were carved to resemble serpent's heads. While Shushuan was still besotted with his new companion but felt uneasy as she invited him over to his house for dinner.
The blue robed servant led him into a splendid room where Lady White waited. She poured him a cup of white rice and spoke.
She realized that he was a poor man and she a wealthy widow and that was a huge division in their society. Regardless, she fell in love with him. If he agreed to marry then she would give him everything she owned. Before he could answer, the lady gave him a small casket with silver pieces and said that she awaited his answer tomorrow.
When Shushuan returned to his uncle's market, he revealed his encounter and that he found the woman that he would marry. The uncle was wary but inspected the silver pieces. They were real but brand new. He was concerned that his nephew may have stolen money from the Imperial Mint. The punishment was death, so the Uncle brought him before the magistrate to hear his story.
When Shushuan told his story, the guards marched into the serpent carved home. They thought they saw a woman in white out of the corner of theIr eyes. But she was gone and in her place was a pile of silver coins.
Shushuan was put in jail. He was later released but banished from the city for consorting with demons for that's what the magistrate believed Lady White to be. He was resettled in Soochow.
In Soochow, Shushuan worked in a flower market. He was miserable but tried to forget Lady White. In the beginning of summer, their paths crossed once more. When Shushuan entered Lady White's carriage, his old feelings for her returned. She denied being a thief or a demon and insisted that she was not in the house when the guards came. The silver was hers, she said. She waited for him but now that they were together, she would not let him go.
He did not go to the market for two days. When he returned on the third day, he was in a sedan chair carried by porters and wearing a fine silk gown with gold serpents embroidered on it.
The couple lived in the splendid house in luxury. Lady White remained at home pampered by servants. Shushuan made new wealthy friends in taverns and teahouses. He lived a good life but began to grow homesick for his old home and his surrogate parents.
A friend suggested that they go visit the old village during the festival of the First of Tenth Moon. They decided to visit his parent's graves at the Temple of Awakening.
Lady White agreed reluctantly but told him not to enter the temple or to never talk to any monks. Shushuan promised.
When Shushuan arrived at the Temple, they found it crowded. The monks displayed all of their silks, tapestries, and rare objects. Forgetting his wife's words, Shushuan entered. He however remembered when he saw an aged abbot. Terrified, he ran.
Shushuan ran to a boat where Lady White and her servant beckoned him. Before he stepped on the boat he heard a command for the demons to begone. The boat sank faster and faster until it reached the bottom.
Shushuan was stunned as the abbot whom he ran from earlier talked. He was the voice who ordered Lady White and her servant to begone.
The abbot warned him that demons were not easy to be killed. He told him to dress as a beggar and go to his uncle's house. He gave the young man a robe and a beggar's bowl to complete the effect.
His disguise worked but when he approached his aunt and uncle, they asked how he could become a monk when his wife was there waiting for him.
When he stood face to face with his demonic wife, Shushuan's bowl shook. A dark glow flickered in her expressionless eyes. As she reached for him, Shushuan put the bowl on her head. The bowl sank downward as Lady White shrank. Finally, it moved to the floor still shaking from irate fury by the being trapped inside. Both Lady White and her servant vanished.
Shushuan put a lid on the bowl and gave it to the abbot. The monk recited an exorcism then lifted the lid. The bowl was not empty. Instead there lay a white serpent and blue fish. He ordered them to be buried on hallowed ground under a new pagoda.
Shushuan was reprieved by the magistrate and became a monk at the Temple of Awakening. Centuries later, the pagoda where the bowl was buried was destroyed in a fire. Wiggling away from the conflagration were a white serpent and a blue fish. Lady White and her servant were released and ready to find a new victim.
The Soldier and The Spanish Maid/Aucassin and Nicolette
Illustrated by Michael Hague
This story of "Love Gone Right" has many similarities with the story of Sir Eglamour and Lady Chrystobel also in Lore of Love. Both are set in Medieval France during the Crusades. Both involve the love between a maiden and a soldier or knight. Both of them involved domineering parents who don't want them to be together. Both involve the couple separated and going on adventures before they are reunited. Both are high adventures and are perfect tales in the Romantic tradition. They are highly recommended but I have a slight preference for the story of Aucassin and Nicolette.
One of the reasons is that the setting gives more precedence towards the Crusades. While Eglamour and Chrystobel's stories ends up in places like Egypt and North Africa, it is more a background event.
In Aucassin and Nicolette's story, the Crusades are much more direct with Aucassin representing the Christian side and Nicolette representing the Muslim. The events are not background. They are upfront.
The other reason is that while both stories feature lovers having adventures, Eglamour and Chrystobel's stories focus mostly on Eglamour's adventures. This story covers both characters. In an interesting twist towards how lovers are portrayed, Nicolette's adventures require more action and decision making from her than Aucassin's require from him.
The tale was told by a troubadour and this is the story that he told. One day in a busy Provincial market square, Aucassin, a French count's son's eyes met with Nicolette's. She was a Spanish girl who was once kidnapped from her home during the Crusades.
Nicolette had been brought to Beaucaire, the home of Aucassin and his father, Count Garin. She was raised in the home of a viscount but because of her background was still not considered a suitable wife for Aucassin.
Aucassin declared his love for the maiden but he was met with consternation. Garin insisted that he could have his pick among the many women but Aucassin refused to change his mind. The irate count had Nicolette locked in a tower and warned his son that if he pursued the girl, then his soul would be condemned to hell. Well alright, Aucassin insisted, to hell he would go.
He retreated to his room and refused to come out even when Count Bolgar of Valence invaded Beaucaire.
Garin ordered Aucassin to take the lead against the enemy promising that though he could not marry Nicolette, then he could be with her instead one final time.
Aucassin agreed and using his soldiering skills managed to unhorse ten knights and wound seven. Aucassin then charged towards Bolgar and the invading count fell to his knees.
Aucassin reminded his father of the bargain that he made. Garin reneged saying that he didn't make such a promise. Aucassin set Bolgar free only with the promise that he would never return to Beaucaire. The rival count agreed and was sent to safety by the young soldier. Aucassin was thrown into the dungeon after he returned.
Nicolette meanwhile knotted her bedsheets together and slid down from the high windows of the tower. She climbed over a portion of the wall that hadn't yet been repaired from the recent invasion and hurried into a nearby forest.
To make sure that Aucassin knew where she was, she made sure some boys grazing in the fields saw her. Then she created an arbor of flowers and branches as a sign.
Because Nicolette disappeared, Garin had his son released from his imprisonment. Aucassin immediately ran off on his horse to search for his beloved.
The boys told him that they had seen a woman fitting her description. He then saw the arbor and Nicolette waiting for him. He was so excited that he fell off his horse. Nicolette cradled his head in her lap and massaged his wounded shoulder.
They consummated their union and lived for all intents and purposes as husband and wife. They were able to hunt game and live on wild berries. Each night, they made love under the stars.
They spent many days in seclusion but when the weather grew cold, they knew that it was time to leave. Even though Aucassin had been released, he knew that his father would never accept Nicolette as his bride. Nicolette couldn't remember her own country because she had been away from it for so long.
Instead they traveled until they came to a seaport and requested passage on a departing ship. While at sea, a north wind emerged and attacked the tiny boat. The ship sailed far beyond familiar regions on the Captain's charts.
Finally, they were able to land.
The couple disembarked in a strange land called Torelore. Knights were not known and they lived in a pacifist society. Aucassin, trained as a soldier, felt out of place. He thought of becoming a mercenary but when he was told that a battle was under way the other men had only bottles, sticks, and rotten fruit.
Aucassin fought in the battle hoping to be praised as he would have been in Beaucaire. The king said that people in Torelore chose to settle conflicts without inflicting energy and killing for conquest was not their way.
Unfortunately, neighboring lands did not have the same ideals. Only two or three nights after the couple's arrival, a band of marauders attacked the capital and slaughtered many. They then took the young and fair women to sell as slaves or concubines.
Pirates burst into Aucassin and Nicolette's sleeping chamber. Aucassin reached for his sword but the two lovers were taken during the night and put on separate ships. The storms that brought the couple to Torelore now separated them again by moving the ships in opposite directions.
Aucassin's vessel had a stroke of luck for it ended up in Beaucaire. The people of Beaucaire welcomed him with open arms. While he was gone, Garin had died and they were worried about their new Count. Aucassin then declared himself Count of Beaucaire and ruled his lands justly and well. But his joy was gone. Deprived from his wife, Aucassin became morose and in despair.
Nicolette on the other hand had her own adventures. Her ship carried her to the pirate's home of Cartagena in Spain. The skyline of domes and minarets awakened lost memories in her mind. She realized that this was the city in which she once lived and had been taken from as a child. The pirates doubted her but took her to see the king.
The King of Spain realized that she was indeed his missing daughter whom he had long given up for dead. The two had a tearful reunion and Nicolette resumed her princesshood.
Nicolette was spoiled and loved by her father but he was concerned about her future. He told her that she must marry and put several suitors in front of her. When she refused them all, he became angry and declared that he would choose for her.
During this time, Nicolette learned to play the viol and got quite good at it. She altered her beautiful gowns and disguised herself.
When the formal declaration of Princess Nicolette's engagement to a suitor was to be announced, a smooth faced male minstrel made his way out of the palace and to the nearest seaport.
The minstrel spent many nights in rough tavern playing for bread and cheese or lodgings. He arrived in Beaucaire and heard about the newly installed count.
He sat on a staircase and began to play and sing. Aucassin came to hear such a beautiful voice with such skilled playing.
The melody stirred his memories of himself and Nicolette. He listened as the minstrel without asking, sang the name Nicolette. The singer then spoke of a girl who had been kidnapped by pirates, reunited with her family, and escaped as a minstrel. Now the minstrel sang, Nicolette is sitting right here.
Aucassin recognized his wife. The two were officially wed the next day and lived the rest of their lives in complete bliss as the Count and Countess of Beaucaire.
So that's it for now. Next time, we will take a trip to some Fabled Lands and encounter Gods and Goddesses and Giants and Ogres. Then we will meet some Seekers and Saviors who face Legends of Valor.
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