Britons and Celts

Stubbornness of a Virgin King

“Constrained rather than overcome by the entreaties of his mother, that he might not distress her, he yielded a seeming compliance. Joyously attending on her son when he had retired to bed, she placed by his unresisting side a beautiful and noble virgin.” […]

Viking

A Tense Standoff

“Then Bjorn made a clever move, taking the knife and walking quickly over towards them. With one hand he grabbed Snorri’s cloak-sleeve when he came up to them, and with the other he grasped the knife and held it as if he were ready to plunge it into Snorri’s chest if he felt like it.” […]

Humor

Brave as a Lion… or Not

“The Cid leaned on his elbow and rose to his feet, and leaving his cloak over his shoulder he walked towards the lion. When the lion saw him, it was so taken aback that it hung its head and nosed the ground. Don Rodrigo took it by the neck, let it along with his right hand and put it in the net.” […]

Human Affairs

Facial Hair Diplomacy

“The adult men of the land of Gog and Magog are beardless. When a man with a full beard enters their country, the king, who is of the line of Gog and Magog, orders his beard plucked out.” […]

Violence

The King Turns the Tide

“With this he took up his shield and the sacred lance, and putting himself at the head of the horsemen he turned against the enemy, fulfilling the functions both a very brave soldier and a very great commander.” […]

Britons and Celts

The Regicide Monster

“When he had used all his weapons against her without effect, she rushed at him with her jaws wide open and swallowed him up as though he had been a tiny fish.” […]

Viking

A Sleeping Giant

“Sigurd woke up from the wound, as Guttorm was leaving by the door. Sigurd then took the sword Gram and cast it after Guttorm. It struck him in the back and cut him into two at the waist. His lower body fell one away and his head and arms fell back into the room.” […]

Human Affairs

Forbidden Love and Swan Abuse

“Milun and his beloved maintained this way of life for twenty years. The swan acted as messenger. They had no other intermediary and they starved it before releasing it. Whoever received the swan fed it, of course. They came together on a number of occasions.” […]

Britons and Celts

Fear the Cats of Night

When the sheep was cooked and he thought to eat it there came in a cat and she sat by him, and said in Irish, ‘Shane foel’, which is ‘give me some meat’. He, amazed at this, gave her the quarter that was in his hand, which immediately she did eat up, and asked for more.” […]

Humor

Medieval Friendly Fire

“On being struck so, Roland studies him, then asked him in a soft and gentle voice: “My lord companion, did you mean to do that? It’s Roland, who has been your friend for so long. You gave no sign that you had challenged me.”” […]