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Mythology The Gods, Heroes, and Monsters of Ancient Greece (Ologies)

The Illustrated A-Z Of Classic Mythology: The Legends Of Ancient Greece, Rome And The Norse And Celtic Worlds; A Visual Dictionary With 1000 Entries And More Than 600 Fine Art Images

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, 75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition

The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology: The myths and legends of the ancient worlds, from Greece, Rome and Egypt to the Norse and Celtic lands, through Persia and India to China and the Far East

100 Characters from Classical Mythology: Discover the Fascinating Stories of the Greek and Roman Deities

Bulfinch's Mythology: All Volumes

Bulfinch's Mythology:
All Volumes

Thomas Bulfinch's compendium of Greek, Norse and Anglo-Saxon myths and legends offers superb insight into the origins, themes and contexts of ancient stories.

This edition unites all volumes into a single, overarching text perfect for referencing, and inclusive of a lengthy, comprehensive glossary. Bulfinch's Mythology is a crucial text for enthusiasts of ancient myths and lore, as well as students and teachers of classics or ancient literature. It offers a well-researched, literate and comprehensive narration upon legends both renowned and obscure, with insight into the cultures and societies which birthed these stories plentiful.

After introducing the premise of the work, Bulfinch delves sequentially into the myths and legends of Ancient Greece. We witness adventures and follies of various Gods of the Greek pantheon, while mythic peoples such as the Myrmidons and beasts like the Chimaera and the Sphinx also appear.

Following a brief appearance of the Egyptian deities and Eastern myths originating from the Indian subcontinent, Bulfinch turns his focus upon the Nordic myths of antiquity. Valhalla and the Gods conceived by the Norse peoples are examined in depth, with the emergence of Thor and the origin of the Elves particular highlights.

A large portion of this work concerns the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. All the famous characters of Arthurian lore are present; Lancelot, Merlin, Queen Guinevere (Guenever), Tristham and Isolde, Percival and others make their due appearance. The famous quest for the Holy Grail - or Sangreal - forms a lengthy part of this section.

Following the Arthurian myths, Bulfinch turns to the Mabinogeon - the earliest Medieval prose writings of the British Isles. Traced to the 12th and 13th centuries, these stories concern the origins of the British people, the famed Lady of the Fountain, and other aspects of chivalric society.

The book concludes with the legends of Charlemagne, where we learn how the various invasions and battles the ancient Frankish king partook in were mythologised and romanticised. Aspects of mythic lore, such as the appearance of Orcs and magical enchanting, offer a profound look into the development of these legends.

Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 1, 2016)

BULFINCH'S MYTHOLOGY

VOLUME TWO

THE AGE OF CHIVALRY

OR

LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR

BY THOMAS BULFINCH

[1858]

Table of Contents

Glossary

Part I.

King Arthur and His Knights.

Chapter IV.

Caradoc Briefbras; or Caradoc with the Shrunken Arm.

CARADOC was the son of Ysenne, the beautiful niece of Arthur. He was ignorant who his father was, till it was discovered in the following manner: When the youth was of proper years to receive the honors of knighthood, King Arthur held a grand court for the purpose of knighting him. On this occasion a strange knight presented himself, and challenged the knights of Arthur's court to exchange blow for blow with him. His proposal was this,– to lay his neck on a block for any knight to strike, on condition that, if he survived the blow, the knight should submit in turn to the same experiment. Sir Kay, who was usually ready to accept all challenges, pronounced this wholly unreasonable, and declared that he would not accept it for all the wealth in the world. And when the knight offered his sword, with which the operation was to be performed, no person ventured to accept it, till Caradoc, growing angry at the disgrace which was thus incurred by the Round Table, threw aside his mantle and took it. "Do you do this as one of the best knights?" said the stranger. "No," he replied, "but as one of the most foolish." The stranger lays his head upon the block, receives a blow which sends it rolling from his shoulders, walks after it, picks it up, replaces it with great success, and says he will return when the court shall be assembled next year, and claim his turn. When the anniversary arrived both parties were punctual to their engagement. Great entreaties were used by the king and queen, and the whole court, in behalf of Caradoc, but the stranger was inflexible. The young knight laid his head upon the block, and more than once desired him to make an end of the business, and not keep him longer in so disagreeable a state of expectation. At last the stranger strikes him gently. with the side of the sword, bids him rise, and reveals to him the fact that he is his father, the enchanter Eliaures, and that he gladly owns him for a son, having proved his courage, and fidelity to his word.

But the favor of enchanters is short-lived and uncertain. Eliaures fell under the influence of a wicked woman, who, to satisfy her pique against Caradoc, persuaded the enchanter to fasten on his arm a serpent, which remained there sucking at his flesh and blood, no human skill sufficing either to remove the reptile or alleviate the torments which Caradoc endured.

Caradoc was betrothed to Guimier, sister to his bosom friend Cador, and daughter to the king of Cornwall. As soon as they were informed of his deplorable condition, they set out for Nantes, where Caradoc's castle was, that Guimier might attend upon him. When Caradoc heard of their coming his first emotion was that of joy and love. But soon he began to fear that the sight of his emaciated form and of his sufferings would disgust Guimier; and this apprehension became so strong that he departed secretly from Nantes, and hid himself in a hermitage. He was sought far and near by the knights of Arthur's court, and Cador made a vow never to desist from the quest till he should have found him. After long wandering, Cador discovered his friend in the hermitage, reduced almost to a skeleton, and apparently near his death. All other means of relief having already been tried in vain, Cador at last prevailed on the enchanter Eliaures to disclose the only method which could avail for his rescue. A maiden must be found, his equal in birth and beauty, and loving him better than herself, so that she would expose herself to the same torment to deliver him. Two vessels were then to be provided, the one filled with sour wine and the other with milk. Caradoc must enter the first, so that the wine should reach his neck, and the maiden must get into the other, and, exposing her bosom upon the edge of the vessel, invite the serpent to forsake the withered flesh of his victim for this fresh and inviting food. The vessels were to be placed three feet apart, and as the serpent crossed from one to the other a knight was to cut him in two. If he failed in his blow, Caradoc, would indeed be delivered, but it would only be to see his fair champion suffering the same cruel and hopeless torment. The sequel may be easily foreseen. Guimier willingly exposed herself to the perilous adventure, and Cador, with a lucky blow, killed the serpent. The arm, in which Caradoc had suffered so long, recovered its strength, but not its shape, in consequence of which he was called Caradoc Briefbras, Caradoc of the Shrunken Arm.

Caradoc and Guimier are the hero and heroine of the ballad of the Boy and the Mantle, which follows.

The Boy and the Mantle.

In Carlisle dwelt King Arthur,

A prince of passing might,

And there maintained his Table

Beset with many a knight.

And there he kept his Christmas,

With mirth and princely cheer,

When lo! a strange and cunning boy

Before him did appear.

A kirtle and a mantle

This boy had him upon,

With brooches, rings, and ouches,

Full daintily bedone.

He had a sash of silk.

About his middle meet;

And thus with seemly curtesie

He did King Arthur greet:

"God speed thee, brave King Arthur,

Thus feasting in thy bower,

And Guenever, thy goodly queen,

That fair and peerless flower.

"Ye gallant lords and lordlings,

I wish you all take heed,

Lest what ye deem a blooming rose

Should prove a cankered weed."

Then straightway from his bosom

A little wand he drew;

And with it eke a mantle,

Of wondrous shape and hue.

"Now have thou here, King Arthur,

Have this here of me,

And give unto thy comely queen,

All shapen as you see.

"No wife it shall become,

That once hath been to blame."

Then every knight in Arthur's court

Sly glanced at his dame.

And first came Lady Guenever,

The mantle she must try.

This dame she was new-fangled⁸

And of a roving eye.

When she had taken the mantle,

And all with it was clad,

From top to toe it shivered down,

As though with shears beshred.

One while it was too long,

Another while too short,

And wrinkled on the shoulders,

In most unseemly sort.

Now green, now red it seemed,

Then all of sable hue;

"Beshrew me," quoth King Arthur,

"I think thou be'st not true!"

Down she threw the mantle,

No longer would she stay;

But, storming like a fury,

To her chamber flung away.

She cursed the rascal weaver,

That had the mantle wrought;

And doubly cursed the froward imp

Who thither had it brought.

"I had rather live in deserts,

Beneath the greenwood tree,

Than here, base king, among thy grooms,

The sport of them and thee."

Sir Kay called forth his lady,

And bade her to come near:

"Yet, dame, if thou be guilty,

I pray thee now forbear."

This lady, pertly giggling,

With forward step came on,

And boldly to the little boy

With fearless face is gone.

When she had taken the mantle,

With purpose for to wear,

It shrunk up to her shoulder,

And left her back all bare.

Then every merry knight,

That was in Arthur's court,

Gibed and laughed and flouted,

To see that pleasant sport.

Down she threw the mantle,

No longer bold or gay,

But, with a face all pale and wan,

To her chamber slunk away.

Then forth came an old knight

A-pattering o'er his creed,

And proffered to the little boy

Five nobles to his meed:

"And all the time of Christmas

Plum-porridge shall be thine,

If thou wilt let my lady fair

Within the mantle shine."

A saint his lady seemed,

With step demure and slow,

And gravely to the mantle

With mincing face doth go.

When she the same had taken

That was so fine and thin,

It shrivelled all about her,

And showed her dainty skin.

Ah! little did her mincing,

Or his long prayers bestead;

She had no more hung on her

Than a tassel and a thread.

Down she threw the mantle,

With terror and dismay,

And with a face of scarlet

To her chamber hied away.

Sir Cradock called his lady,

And bade her to come near;

"Come win this mantle, lady,

And do me credit here:

"Come win this mantle, lady,

For now it shall be thine,

If thou hast never done amiss,

Since first I made thee mine."

The lady, gently blushing,

With modest grace came on;

And now to try the wondrous charm

Courageously is gone.

When she had taken the mantle,

And put it on her back,

About the hem it seemed

To wrinkle and to crack.

"Lie still," she cried, "O mantle!

And shame me not for naught;

I'll freely own whate'er amiss

Or blameful I have wrought.

"Once I kissed Sir Cradock

Beneath the greenwood tree;

Once I kissed Sir Cradock's mouth,

Before he married me."

When she had thus her shriven,

And her worst fault had told,

The mantle soon became her,

Right comely as it should.

Most rich and fair of color,

Like gold it glittering shone,

And much the knights in Arthur's court

Admired her every one.

⁸ New-fangled,– fond of novelty.

The ballad goes on to tell of two more trials of a similar kind, made by means of a boar's head and a drinking-horn, in both of which the result was equally favorable with the first to Sir Cradock and his lady. It then concludes as follows:–

Thus boar's head, horn, and mantle

Were this fair couple's meed;

And all such constant lovers,

God send them well to speed.

--Percy's Reliques.

Table of Contents

Glossary

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The Complete World of Greek Mythology (The Complete Series)

The Library of Greek Mythology (Oxford World's Classics)

World Mythology: An Anthology of Great Myths and Epics

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BULFINCH'S MYTHOLOGY

VOLUME TWO

THE AGE OF CHIVALRY

ORLEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR

BY THOMAS BULFINCH

[1858]

Part I.

King Arthur and His Knights.

Chapter IV.

Caradoc Briefbras; or Caradoc with the Shrunken Arm.

The Boy and the Mantle.

Princess Bride 1987 Wallace Shawn (Vizzini) and Mandy Patinkin (Inigo Montoya)

Going Where Darwin
Feared to Tread

Communism's
45 Goals

Going Where Darwin
Feared to Tread

Ardipithecus
Ramidus

Human Genome
Project

OR

LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR