CHAPTER II.

A NEW FAIRY TALE.

Once upon a time, on a far island of the sea, there lived a King with
seven sons. The three eldest were tall and dark, with eyes like eagles,
and hair like a crow's wing for blackness, and no princes in all the
land were so strong and fearless as they. The three youngest sons were
tall and fair, with eyes as blue as cornflowers, and locks like the
summer sun for brightness, and no princes in all the land were so brave
and beautiful as they.

But the middle son was little and lorn; he was neither dark nor fair; he
was neither handsome nor strong. So when the King saw that he never won
in the tournaments nor led in the boar hunts, nor sang to his lute among
the ladies of the court, he drew his royal robes around him, and
henceforth frowned on Ethelried.

To each of his other sons he gave a portion of his kingdom, armor and
plumes, a prancing charger, and a trusty sword; but to Ethelried he gave
nothing. When the poor Prince saw his brothers riding out into the world
to win their fortunes, he fain would have followed. Throwing himself on
his knees before the King, he cried, "Oh, royal Sire, bestow upon me
also a sword and a steed, that I may up and away to follow my brethren."

But the King laughed him to scorn. "Thou a sword!" he quoth. "Thou who
hast never done a deed of valor in all thy life! In sooth thou shalt
have one, but it shall be one befitting thy maiden size and courage, if
so small a weapon can be found in all my kingdom!"