ceased to moan in his pain; then, thinking there was no more breath in him, the thief stole slowly up, and seeing the glitter of the hilt of Durendal, put forth his hand and drew it from its sheath. Roland lifted his eyes and saw 5 the thief bend over him with the sword in his hand. He seized the horn from beside him, and dealt the man a blow upon the crown that broke his skull. Then he took Durendal into his hands, and prayed that it might not fall into the power of his enemies. He said: 10"O Durendal, how keen of edge, how bright of blade thou art! God sent thee by his angel to King Charles, to be his captain's sword. Charles girt thee at my side. How many countries thou hast conquered for him in my hands! O Durendal, though it grieves me sore, I had rather break 15 thee than that pagan hands should wield thee against France." Then he prayed that God would now give him strength to break his sword; and lifting it in his hands, he smote mightily upon the topmost marble step. The gray stone chipped and splintered, but the good blade. 20 broke not, neither was its edge turned. He smote the second step; the blade bit it, and leaped back, but blunted not, nor broke. The third step he smote with all his might ; it powdered where he struck, but the sword broke not, nor lost its edge. And when he could no more lift the sword, 25 his heart smote him that he had tried to break the holy blade; and he said, "O Durendal, the angels will keep thee safe for Charles and France!" Then Roland, when he felt death creep upon him, lay down and set his face toward Spain and toward his ene mies, that men should plainly see he fell a conqueror. Beneath him he put the sword and horn. Then lifted he his weary hands to heaven and closed his eyes; and whilst he mused God sent his swift archangels, Gabriel and Michael, to bear his soul to Paradise. Gloom fell; the mists went up, and there was only death and silence in the valley. The low red sun was setting in the west. 5 Charles and his host rode hard, and drew not rein until they reached the mountain top, and looked down on the 10 Valley of Roncesvalles. They blew the trumpets, but there was no sound and there was no answer but the echoes on the mountain sides. Then down through the gloom and mist they rode, and saw the field; saw Roland dead, and Oliver; saw the Archbishop and the twelve valiant peers, 15 and every man of the twenty thousand chosen guard; saw how fiercely they had fought, how hard they died. There was not one in all the king's host but lifted up his voice and wept for pity at the sight they saw. But Charles the king fell on his face on Roland's body, with 20 a great and exceeding bitter cry. No word he spake, but only lay and moaned upon the dead that was so dear to him. Then the king left four good knights in Roncesvalles to guard the dead from birds and beasts of prey, and set out in chase of the pagans. In a vale the Franks overtook them, hard by a broad and swift river. There being hemmed in, the river in front, and the fierce Franks behind, the pagans were cut to pieces; not one escaped, save Marsilius and a little 25 band who had taken another way and got safe to Saragossa. Thence Marsilius sent letters to the king of Babylon, who ruled forty kingdoms, praying him to come over and help him. And he gathered a mighty army and put 5 off to sea to come to Marsilius. Now after this Marsilius and the king of Babylon came out to battle with King Charles before the walls of Saragossa. But Charles utterly destroyed the pagans there and slew the two kings, and broke down the gates of Sara10 gossa and took the city. So he conquered Spain and avenged himself for Roland and his guard. G. W. Cox: Popular Romances of the Middle Ages. HELPS TO STUDY I. 1. Who was Roland? 2. Who was Charlemagne? 3. When did they live? 4. How long did they live before the Norman Conquest? 5. What poem was composed within this time? 6. Who were the Moors? 7. Find Saragossa and Cordova on your map of Spain. 8. Where is Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), the capital of Charlemagne's empire? 9. At the beginning of the story, what was the state of the war between Charles and the Moors? 10. Tell of Blancandrin's stratagem. 11. Tell of the treason of Ganelon. 12. What post was assigned to Roland? II. 1. Trace on your map the march on which Charles started from Cordova to Aachen. 2. Describe the debate between Roland and Oliver. 3. With what weapon did Roland fight at first? 4. When did he draw his sword? 5. When did Roland sound his horn? 6. How many times did he sound it? 7. How far did its sound carry according to the story? 8. What effect did the horn have in Charles's camp? III. 1. Tell of the death of Oliver. 2. Who remained of the rear guard? 3. What answer did Roland's horn now receive? 4. What were Roland's final words to Oliver. 5. Where did Roland go to die? 6. Why did he try to break his sword? 7. Describe the return of 8. How did Charles avenge Roland's death? 10. Though this story is based on history, Charles and his army. 9. Where is Babylon? what parts are evidently not true? Proper Names: Roland (rō'land), Charlemagne (sharl'e-man), Marsilius (mar-sil'ius), Saragossa (sa-ra-gos'sa), Blancandrin (blan-kān'drin), Cordova (kor'do-va), Aachen (ä'ken), Ganelon (găn'e-lon), Roncesvalles (rons-val'), Turpin (tur'pin), Durendal (du-rěn-dal'), Faldrun (făl'drun). For Study with the Glossary: falcons, hostages, vanguard, forsooth, wax, shivers, peers. Topics for Oral and Written Composition: 1. Roland an Example of a True Knight. 2. The Traitor Ganelon. 3. The Fight of the Rear Guard. 4. The Death of Oliver. 5. Roland and Durendal. 6. Roland Compared with Horatius. in 800 A.D. 9. The Moors. 10. The Battle of Hastings. 7. Some Greek Heroes. Questions for Brief Oral Debates 1. Which was the greater hero, Horatius or Roland? 2. Are the ideals of chivalry needed to-day? 8. The World 3. Would you prefer to have lived in the time of Odysseus or the time of Charlemagne ? 4. Is blank verse easier to read aloud than rhymed verse? 5. Whom do you admire most, Nausicaa or Ruth? 6. Which is the better poem, "Young Lochinvar" or "Sir Patrick Spens" (the next selection)? SIR PATRICK SPENS This is one of the old ballads that was handed down by word of mouth through many generations. The old spelling is a guide to the pronunciation which was English as the Scots spoke it. Notice the old-fashioned words, many of which are Scotch. The king sits in Dunfermline town, O up and spake an eldern knight, That ever sailed the sea.' Our king has written a broad letter, And sealed it with his hand, To Noroway, to Noroway To Noroway o'er the faem The first word that Sir Patrick read, The next word that Sir Patrick read, The tear blinded his ee. |