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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2024
- 'KING HORN' is likely the earliest 'English' romance to have survived, not drawing from Celtic or French sources. It was written around 1225 in a South Midlands dialect by an unknown poet, targeting soldiers, farmers, and townspeople rather than courtly readers. Attempts to link the characters and places to historical ones remain inconclusive. 'Suddene' could be the Isle of Wight or Sussex, while 'Westernesse' might be the Wirral in Cheshire or Cornwall. The 'saracens' referred to are probably Vikings, not Muslims, as Vikings had a stronger presence on the English coast. However, these lands and cultures are more symbolic than realistic.
The poem's theme is largely traditional, following the path of orphaned royal children fulfilling a prophecy by avenging their fathers' deaths and ascending the throne (similar to 'Havelok the Dane' and Hamlet). The episode where young Childe Horn survives at sea is found in various tales, like those of Herod and King Arthur.
Noteworthy elements include the magic ring from Rymenhild to Horn and the intriguing parallel between the two women who love the hero, Rymenhild and Reynild. This aspect might have been influenced by the Tristan myth, where Tristan couldn't marry his beloved Iseult and instead marries another Iseult with the same name ('Iseult White Hands'). The fact that Horn disguises himself with a blackened face, like Tristan, might also come from this source, as seen in the poem 'The Madness of Tristan'.
In this episode, there is a notable reference to the Odysseus story when the disguised Horn confronts his true love's suitors. This episode's popularity is evident through the existence of the ballad of 'Hynd Horn,' which survived in various versions and continued to be sung in Scotland until the nineteenth century. Extracts from the ballad below give an insight into how this aspect of the story captured people's imagination.
Hynd Horn, fair and free,
Where were you born and what country?
In good greenwood I was born,
But my friends have left me all forlorn.
I gave my love a gay gold wand
To rule over fair Scotland so grand,
And she gave to me a gay gold ring,
Which had virtue above everything...
So he sailed away to a distant land,
But looking into his ring, he understood
That she loved no other man.
So he sailed back home in haste,
To his own country, his familiar place.
The first person he met upon dry land
Was an old beggar man, wrinkled and tanned.
No news have I to give, said he,
Except tomorrow's our Queen's wedding day...
As in the tale, Horn disguises himself,Wearing the beggar's clothes to reach the wedding itself.
The bride came down the stair with grace,
Combs of yellow gold in her hair, her beautiful face.
With a glass of red wine in her hand,
She offered it to the old beggar man.
He drank the wine and dropped the ring inside,
She asked if he found it on sea, land, or from a drowned man's ride.
He replied, I didn't find it on sea or land,
Nor on a drowned man's hand.
It was a gift from you in my wooing gay,
And I'll give it to you on your wedding day...
Once again, the bride recognized the ring, and all was well.
The symbolism of the ring, the horn, and the fish in a net Infused the tale with a mythic dimension,
Elevating it from a mere prosaic convention.
John Spiers suggests the story conceals an ancient sun-god myth, with Horn's radiance and sea-crossing to dispel the dark's writhe.
The riddles of the horn and ring's interplay, And the dream of the fish caught in a net's array Lead Rymenhild to eventual recognition of The hero's name and the drinking horn in close connection.
King Horn's tale is not merely a tale of valor and might, But a fragment of an older, primal myth's insight
Preserved within one of the earliest medieval romances, A part of the Matter of England, a tale that entrances.
Now, listen well to my song,
A song of King Murry, brave and strong,
King of the West for a time he did reign,
His Queen, Goodhild, fair without a stain.
Their son, called Horn, was a sight to behold,
Fair as a flower, with rose-red hue, bold,
Fifteen winters old, youthful and bright,
With twelve rich comrades, their hearts alight,
All fair youths, together they'd play,
In a kingdom where none matched his display.
a another great story thank you
Thanks for listening
That was a wonderful tale. Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Good one 👍
Thanks ✌️
Good to be able to hear a tale once more. Thank you kind Sir! ~♡
My pleasure!
Hello my friend. Been a while.
I will be using this account .
Now to catch up on your latest tales.
Was very happy to see there are few.
Cheers🤗⚘
Great!
Thanks.
I love these legends. i’ve never heard them before and they’re just full of adventure. poor princess 👸🏻- to be used any way her father wanted to. it’s no wonder a prince or knight in shining armor was so needed in legends and fairy tales.
(i’m sure many girls liked the idea.)
Ah, the age-old tale of damsels in distress and knights in shining armor. It's funny how these stories have shaped our perception of love and heroism. But hey, who wouldn't want a knight in shining armor to come to their rescue every now and then? Just make sure they bring a sense of humor along with that shiny armor!