Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-01-21
King Henry and the Miller.

King Henry and the Miller.
1t has been all the fashion with story
tellers ana ballad makers to represent
favorite Kings as putting on various
DISCUSSES, and playing clever. good
humored jokes upon the humblest OF
their subjects. Nearly all of the En-
glish Kings are so represented, and
there were no stories that the people
loved better to tell than these. They
were the old Christmas stories, told by
the Yule-log in the bleak old days OF
the English barons, when swords and
helmets were thick and books were few.
Thus We have the tales of King Henry
VIII. and the Miller of Dee j.; of good
Duke Philip of Burgundy and Sly the
tinker of James L. and the tinker
of William III. and the forester. and
SO on all through the reigns of the Scot
fish James and English Georges. Some
of these stories were fiction, like that OF
"Old King Cole,
That jolly old soul.-
But most of them were true. The wan
dering harpers used to relate them in
verse; and as delightful as the bringing
in of the Yule-log and the mistletoe, the
fiery sport of ''snap dragon" or the
rollicking play of "blind mans buff, u
were the holiday tales of the funny
doings of these merry old English
Kings.
One of the oldest of these ballad sto-
ries relates To- King Henry and the mill
er, and starts off briskly with
"Henry, our royal King, would ride hunting,
To the green forests so pleasant and fair"
The forest was Sherwood, where once
lived Robin Hood and his merry men.
King kenny (PlantaganeD was young
then, and he took with him a great reti-
nue. of young Princes and mobiles. So
the horses cantered over the hills OF
Nottingham, and plume after plume
danced ont of sight among the green
leaves. The King separated himself
from the gay party, and dashed off with
spirit into the heart of the forest.
At last the day began to decline and
the shadows grew long and thick in all
the forest. The King blew his horn.
There was no answer. He was lost.
He rode on. AS the forest grew dark,
he heard the flow of water, and discov-
cred cool stream just rejecting the
light OF the rising moon. Presently he
heard mill-wheel. Then his heart took
courage. He soon reined his horse be-
fore the door of the mill.
"Good miller" said the King, "is
this the road to Nottingham ?"
guess you knows as well as l."
answered the miller. "You look as
though you had been there before"
"Who do you take me for?' asked
the King in establishment.
For some gentleman thief or other /;
no honest man, sure"
But 1 must lodge with you tonight.
have gold at hand"
At the word 'gold, themiller began
to prick up his ears. Just then the
miller's wife-a large, fat, brawling
woman-looked over her husband s
shoulder. She, too, had heard the
word "gold, but was still cautious.
She delighted in the sweet name of
Bymytroth. No one delights in that
name now.
Are you sure that you are no run
away?" piced Bymytroth.
II am no runaway" said the King.
Then show us your passport" said
Bymytroth, who had very logical turn
OF mind.
"From whom ?"
From the Kingl'
The King had no passport, but still
finding Bymytroth suspicious and def
apt he began to fatter her, and be
bowed So very politely thai she was al
last induced TO say:
You may come in"
Bymytroth became very much pleased
with the King, so much So that she
told him that, IT he was tidy enough, he
might sleep with her own son.
:" If the King v ould never hear of it,
1 would get you some vension for sup
per-" said Bymytroth. We do rob the
Kings forest of venison sometimes.
Will you promise ?"
"Yes, on my word" said the King
"the King shall never know any more
about it than he knows now"
The King was very hungry after his
anxiety and long ride, and as his poor,
week human nature was quite like that
OF some other men whose heads were
never toppled with a crown, he made
a large supper off the unlawful venison,
" You will never tell about this 2
said the cautious Bymytroth, looking
keenly at her guest.
"The King shall be none the wisel
for this from me-" said the King, look
ing very profound.
With hisstrong assurance, Bymytrotf
slept very comfortably that night, but
was awakened the next morning by 6
right royal retinue at the door. The
miller and his wife then began shaking
and quaking, " to use the graphic Ian
guage of the old song, and the poo
miller kneeled down and shut his eyes
J we suppose, in order to make his las