Anonymous

“ Two years and three months after the death of his father, Brunswik called to mind the excellence of his father, and what good he had done and won for the land of Bohemia in his lifetime. Then he said to his wife: “My Neomenia! I give thee to know this, that I intend to ride forth and seek honour for my nation, for it is not seemly for any brave man to die without doing something that shall be memorable after him. My father won an eagle in his lifetime, and, please God, I intend to win a lion. ”

“ Stilfrid sprang from his horse, wrathfully drew his sword, and going up to Zibrid began to give him great buffets, till the pearls began to spring on high. Zibrid recovered himself and began to stand on his defence, and a strong battle began between them; from noon to vespers they smote each other till sparks flew from their swords. The kings and princes marvelled thereat and gazed intently upon the battle. “Alas,” said they, “for those young knights! they cannot remain alive.” The King of England encouraged Zibrid, saying: “Recollect thyself, O thou that art our trust! ”

“ Beneath the mountain there is nothing save a very beautiful island, named Zelator, which word signifieth pleasant and delightful.
Brunswik, finding himself on this with his company, began to be very sorrowful. And he saw on the island many decayed ships and likewise great heaps of bones of men and other animals. Brunswik, seeing these things, began to be very downcast, yet partly cheered himself, saying: “He who sits at home in his chamber meets with misfortunes; neither can any man speak of aught, unless he experiences adventures, which he afterwards relates to others.” ”

“ If thou knewest how much power that sword hath, thou wouldst marvel thereat.” Saith Brunswik: “Dear damsel! thou canst tell me; thou hast it all the same in thine own power.” Saith the damsel Africa: “If thou desirest to know, I will tell thee that sword hath these powers: if any one were to draw it from the sheath and say: ‘Off with one, ten, twenty, thirty, a hundred, a thousand heads!’ the heads would immediately fall to the ground.” Brunswik laughed thereat, but bore it in mind. ”

“ And when Brunswik had done this, and the Lord God had aided him to kill them, he marvelled thereat, and began with great fear to traverse those desolate mountains, for there was neither bird nor beast there. And when Brunswik had wandered thence nine days and nine nights and had always come to greater and more desolate mountains, it came to pass that he entered into a deep valley. There he heard a noise and great tumult, and stopped, listening how the tumult continually increased. And approaching nearer he saw a lion and a dragon fighting together. ”

“ And when they pecked the hide around him, Brunswik, knowing no other counsel, drew his sword and leapt out and cut off their heads. Here Brunswik played the part of a valiant man, for it was very needful for him so to do. And it is written in other books of these birds, that each of them is so strong, that he can take up a horse on each talon, and so large, that he steps from one mountain to another; and on each foot he has three talons. And there are not many of these birds, for they slay and eat each other. ”

“ So drawing his sword, he rushed up to the dragon and began to fight with it, defending the lion, for the lion was in great straits. The dragon had nine heads, from each of which fire issued, as from a forge. Again was Brunswik in great danger, for the dragon burned him greatly, and on the other hand he feared the lion also, and thus thought himself in two-fold danger. The lion, seing the great faithfulness of Brunswik, fell on the ground and rested, for the dragon had greatly wounded it; while Brunswik so fought with the dragon, that he had hewn off six of its heads. ”

“ I believe that thou must abide with us perforce; nevertheless, if thou wilt bind thyself to one thing and recover my daughter Africa, who hath been imprisoned three years by the dragon Basiliscus in a castle named Arabia on a desolate sea three hundred miles hence, know that I will help thee to thy country and let thee go through the iron gate,”—over which King Olibrius had power, but in no other way was it possible for Brunswik to go save through that gate. ”

“ This kind of creature at the present day, if it contends with anyone, fights with one horn, and lays the other on its back; and if one is wearied, it puts it back and fights with the other. This beast fears nought save the colour red, and is as strong and valiant in the water as on land. With these again Brunswik had a hard labour, nevertheless, drawing his sword, he began again to fight with them so vehemently that the castle quaked. Here again the lion was grateful to him, for it again fiercely tore them in pieces ”

“ It will be remarked at once, that the names of the heroes are German rather than Bohemian. This is to be accounted for by the fact, that during the latter part of the long reign of the Emperor Charles IV. in Bohemia (1346–1378) and also during part of that of his son, King Wenceslas IV., Prague was the capital of the whole German empire. It being the aim of Charles IV. to constitute it such permanently, every exertion was made to render the German language fashionable and general, and many purely Bohemian places and families received German names, which they bear at the present day. ”

“ The dragon Basiliscus, seeing that he was slaughtering his servants, then approached himself with great wrath, eager to avenge them, wearing a golden crown, and being as thick as a ladder, and having eighteen tails and scions of serpents, which were so sharp that at one blow he could cut a beam in twain. Then first in the combat did Brunswik have great pain, for the dragon smote him mightily, so that ofttimes he fell to the ground on his face. Then the lion defended him and fought strongly with the dragon. Brunswik rose up and went to the aid of the lion ”

“ HE Romances of Stilfrid and his son Brunswik belong to the class of chivalrous stories, of which the best known example in our own language is the ‘Morte d’ Arthur’ of Sir Thomas Malory. That of Stilfrid appears worthy to have formed an episode in that beautiful work, while the history of Brunswik, though exceedingly amusing, is fitter company for some of those committed to the flames by the friends of Don Quixote. ”

“ Then they made divers attempts with great art, endeavouring to depart, but their art availed them little; if they sailed half a mile away, in a moment they found themselves back again at the island. Then, as they knew not what to do and were in great want of provisions, they began to eat their horses, hoping always that God would shew them mercy. Afterwards, when there were no more horses, they began to eat each other, always hoping that God would have compassion upon them. ”

“ And after dinner they brought drink in gold and silver cups, and observing Brunswik, gave him to drink out of the golden cup, out of which prince Cleofas and princess Neomenia drank. Brunswik took the ring from his finger and put it into the golden cup, and immediately did them reverence and went out of the castle. But, as he went out of the castle, he wrote on the gate, that he who had departed seven years ago, had been in the castle. They began to talk together, asking who it could be. ”

“ Now the mountain possesses this power: whatever is within fifty miles of it on every side, whether people, birds, fish, logs or sea-creatures, it draws to it in a moment, and every thing must stay for ever beside the Yak-stone mountain. ”

“ He also says that Wratislaw received a white (some MSS. say red) lion to bear on his shield instead of a black eagle. ↑ S. Wenceslas is the tutelary saint of Bohemia, of which he was king. He was murdered by his brother Boleslas the Cruel in 936. ↑ Leopold. ↑ Rudolf. ↑ Perhaps Merseburg, which in modern Bohemian is Mezibor. Bor is a corruption of burg, which in Bohemian is hrad. ↑ Does this mean London? ↑ New moon, an appropriate name for the daughter of King Astronomus. ”

“ Having thus gained the first gate, they proceeded further. And when they came to the second gate, again they saw two stronger beasts, which were called Glato; each had two horns two ells long and as sharp as razors. ”