Humor
A Fate Worse Than Death
“He turned him over to a hundred comrades, the best and worst together, from the kitchen. These men plucked out his beard and moustache, and each one hit him four times with his fist.” […]
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Humor
The Bell of Justice
“And behold the iron fell out of the middle, right on the head of the cheating brass founder, killed him on the spot and passed straight through his carcass and crashed to the ground, carrying his bowels and genitals with it.” […]
Human Affairs
Noble Thieves; Just Deserts
“When Hading came home from his Swedish campaigns he found that the treasury in which he usually stowed the proceeds of his warfare and plundering had been broken into and riffled. He immediately hanged his guard, Glumer, and devised a cunning scheme. ” […]
History
Enemies (and Friends) in Unusual Places
” “Tell me, what have I done to you, Infantes of Carrion? I have kept faith with you and in return you have plotted my death. If I did not forbear for the sake of the Cid, Rodrigo of Vivar, I should exact such vengeance as would startle the world.” […]
Britons and Celts
Corineus the Giant-Killer
” Once, when [the king] was celebrating a day dedicated to the gods in the port where he had landed, this creature, along with twenty other giants, attacked him and killed a great number of the Britons.” […]
Human Affairs
Sigurd the Eloquent
“He could speak at length, and with such eloquence, that when he took it upon himself to press a matter, everybody agreed even before he was finished speaking that no course other than the one he advocated was possible.” […]
Britons and Celts
Gawain the Virgin
“Good morning, Sir Gawain,” said the graceful lady, “You sleep so soundly one might sidle in here. You’re tricked and you’re trapped! But let’s make a truce, or I’ll besiege you in your bed, and you’d better believe me.” […]
Violence
The Rage of a Violent Man
“When Roland hears this, God! Is he enraged! He spurs his horse and lets him run all out and goes to strike the count with all his force; he breaks his shield and lays his hauberk open and pierces through his chest and cracks the bones and cuts the spine completely.” […]
History
A Failed Surprise Gift
“Now Charles had no guess of what was coming; and, though he could not refuse what seemed to have been divinely preordained for him, nevertheless he received his new title with no show of thankfulness.” […]
History
The Bear-Killin’ King
“He had asked the guardians who were bringing him up conscientiously for permission to go and see the hunting when he encountered a bear of unusual size.” […]