than that "he could not help it."

There was a curious custom by which the princes bought wives from the
fathers of the princesses, giving cattle and gold, and bronze and iron,
but sometimes a prince got a wife as the reward for some very brave
action. A man would not give his daughter to a wooer whom she did not
love, even if he offered the highest price, at least this must have been
the general rule, for husbands and wives were very fond of each other,
and of their children, and husbands always allowed their wives to rule
the house, and give their advice on everything. It was thought a very
wicked thing for a woman to like another man better than her husband, and
there were few such wives, but among them was the most beautiful woman
who ever lived.




THE WOOING OF HELEN OF THE FAIR HANDS


This was the way in which people lived when Ulysses was young, and wished
to be married. The worst thing in the way of life was that the greatest
and most beautiful princesses might be taken prisoners, and carried off
as slaves to the towns of the men who had killed their fathers and
husbands. Now at that time one lady was far the fairest in the world:
namely, Helen, daughter of King Tyndarus. Every young prince heard of
her and desired to marry her; so her father invited them all to his
palace, and entertained them, and found out what they would give. Among
the rest Ulysses went, but his father had a little kingdom, a rough
island, with others near it, and Ulysses had not a good chance. He was