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ChildChristopherandGoldilindtheFair1ChildChristopherandGoldilindtheFairbyWilliamMorris1895ChildChristopherandGoldilindtheFair2CHAPTERI.OFTHEKINGOFOAKENREALM,ANDHISWIFEANDHISCHILD.Ofoldtherewasalandwhichwassomuchawoodland,thataminstrelthereofsaiditthatasquirrelmightgofromendtoend,andallabout,fromtreetotree,andnevertouchtheearth:thereforewasthatlandcalledOakenrealm.Thelordandkingthereofwasastarkman,andsogreatawarriorthatinhisyouthhetooknodelightinaughtelsesavebattleandtourneys.Butwhenhewashardonfortyyearsold,hecameacrossadaughterofacertainlord,whomhehadvanquished,andhiseyesbewrayedhimintolonging,sothathegavebacktothesaidlordthehavingshehadconqueredofhimthathemightlaythemaideninhiskinglybed.SohebroughtherhomewithhimtoOakenrealmandweddedher.Tellsthetalethatheruednothisbargain,butlovedhersodearlythatforayearroundheworenoarmour,savewhenshebadehimplayinthetilt-yardforherdesportandpride.Soworethedaystillshewentwithchildandwasnearhertime,andthenitbetidthatthreekingswhomarchedonOakenrealmbandedthemtogetheragainsthim,andhislordsandthanescriedoutonhimtoleadthemtobattle,anditbehovedhimtodoastheywould.Sohesentoutthetokensandbadeanhostingathischiefcity,andwhenallwasreadyhesaidfarewelltohiswifeandherbabeunborn,andwenthiswaystobattleoncemore:butfiercewashisheartagainstthefoemen,thattheyhaddraggedhimawayfromhisloveandhisjoy.Evenamidstofhislandhejoinedbattlewiththehostoftheravagers,andthetaleofthemisshorttotell,fortheywereasthewheatbeforethehook.Butashefollowedupthechase,amerethrallofthefleersturnedonhimandcasthisspear,anditreachedhimwhereashishawberkwasbroken,andstooddeepin,sothathefelltoearthunmighty:andwhenhislordsandchieftainsdrewabouthim,andcunningmenstrovetohealhim,itwasofnoavail,andheknewthathissoulwasdeparting.ThenheChildChristopherandGoldilindtheFair3sentforapriest,andfortheMarshalofthehost,whowasagreatlord,andthesonofhisfather'sbrother,andinfewwordsbadehimlooktothebabewhomhiswifeboreabout,andifitwereaman,tocherishhimanddohimtolearnallthatakingoughttoknow;andifitwereamaiden,thatheshouldlooktoherweddingwellandworthily:andheletswearhimonhissword,ontheedgesandthehilts,thathewoulddoevenso,andbetrueuntohischildifchildtherewere:andhebadehimhaverule,ifsobethelordswould,andallthepeople,tillthechildwereofagetobeking:andtheMarshalswore,andallthelordswhostoodaroundbarewitnesstohisswearing.ThereafterthepriesthouselledtheKing,andhereceivedhisCreator,andalittlewhileafterhissouldeparted.ButtheMarshalfollowedupthefleeingfoe,andtwobattlesmorehefoughtbeforehebeatthemflattoearth;andthentheycravedforpeace,andhewentbacktothecityinmicklehonour.ButintheKing'scityofOakenhamhefoundbutlittlejoy;forboththeKingwasbemoaned,whereashehadbeennohardmantohisfolk;andalso,whenthetidingsandtheKing'scorpsecamebacktoOakenrealm,hisLadyandQueentooksickforsorrowandfear,andfellintolabourofherchild,andinchildingofaman-bairnshedied,buttheladlived,andwasliketodowell.SotherewasonefuneralfortheslainKingandforherwhomhisslayinghadslain:andwhenthatwasdone,thelittlekingwasbornetothefont,andathischristeninghegattonameChristopher.ThereaftertheMarshalsummonedallthemthatwereduetheretotocomeandgivehomagetothenewking,andevensodidthey,thoughhewerebutababe,yea,andwhohadbutjustnowbeenakinglyinginhismother'swomb.Butwhenthehomagewasdone,thentheMarshalcalledtogetherthewisemen,andtoldthemhowtheKingthatwashadgivenhiminchargehissonasthenunborn,andtherulingoftherealmtillthesaidsonwerecometoman'sestate:buthebadethemseekoneworthieriftheyhadhearttogainsaythewordoftheirdyinglord.Thenalltheysaidthathewasworthyandmightyandthechoiceoftheirdearlord,andthattheywouldhavenonebuthe.Sothenwasthegreatfolk-motecalled,andthesamematterwaslaidChildChristopherandGoldilindtheFair4beforeallthepeople,andnonesaidaughtagainstit,whereasnomanwasreadytonameanothertothatchargeandrule,evenhaditbeenhisownself.NowthenbylawwastheMarshal,whohightRolf,lordandearlofthelandofOakenrealm.Heruledwellandstrongly,andwasafellwarrior:hewaswellbefriendedbymanyofthegreat;andtherestofthemfearedhimandhisfriends:asforthecommonalty,theysawthatheheldtherealminpeace;andfortherest,theyknewlittleandsawlessofhim,andtheypaidtohisbailiffsandsheriffsaslittleastheycould,andmorethantheywould.Butwhereasthatleftthemsomewhattogrindtheirteethon,andtheywerenotharried,theywerenotsoillcontent.SotheMarshalthrove,andlackednothingofaking'splacesavethebarename.ChildChristopherandGoldilindtheFair5CHAPTERII.OFTHEKING'SSON.AsfortheKing'sson,towhomthefolkhadoflatedonehomageasking,hewasatfirstseenaboutacorneroftheHighHousewithhisnurses;andtheninawhileitwassaid,andthetalenoted,butnotmuch,thathemustneedsgoforhishealth'ssake,andbecausehewaspuny,tosomesteadamongstthefields,andfolkheardsaythathewasgonetothestronghouseofaknightsomewhatstrickeninyears,whowascalledLordRichardtheLean.ThesaidhousewassometwelvemilesfromOakenham,notfarfromthenorthernedgeofthewild-wood.Butinawhile,scarcemorethanayear,LordRichardbrakeuphouseatthesaidcastle,andwentsouthwardthroughtheforest.Ofthisdeparturewaslittlesaid,forhewasnotamanamongsttheforemost.AsfortheKing'slittleson,ifanyremember