The Portland daily press., 1876-09-28
The Dead City Of Is.

The story of Is may be found IN one form or
another,in almost every book on Brittany, all
giving substantially the same accounts, resting
principally on the popular traditions.
Built in the vast basin which to-day forms
the bay of Douenenez, and separated from the
sea by dixie, was the ancient city Of Is. In
the dixie were sluices which from time to time
were opened sufficiently to admit enough water
for the cleaning of the drains and otherwise
purifying the city. King Graulon, well-be-
loved monarch, ruled here, and once each
month presided in person at the opening OF the
sluices; the principal one was opened by Sill
yer key, which the king always wore fastened
about his neck.
1t was splendid court that King. Gradlon
presided over, and the magniicence OF his cap.
ital was the wonder of the country Inc royal
palace was place such as we dream OF. In IL
marble cedar and gold replaced the oak, gran
lite and iron, ordinarily used in building.
The bopors of the kings court were done by
his daughter Dahut, or Ahes-a princess
shamefuIly known as the Honoria of Brittany.
Like that other VIGOROUSLY wicked woman
"She had for a crown the vices, and for pages the
seven deadly SINS"
This woman was accused of the most heinous
crimes. Complaints were made TO Gradlon
time and again, and he always promised TO
mete out speedy punishment to his daughter,
uub pdtcIudl iuuuiStuCc was stronger III us
heart than royal duty, and SO Dahut went on In
her wicked ways. His leniency was repaid by
the basest ingratitude. His wicked child
formed plot against him, by which she meant
to secure for herself the royal power. The sill
yer key was the symbol of the kings authority,
and Dahut soon possessed herself of it--steal-
ing it from her fathers neck while the old man
slept.
The king. when be found that the key was
gone, was in the greatest CONSERVATION, and,
L. II. e e
retired to his palace, that the people who re-
garded the key with supersttious reverence
might not know of his loss At night he was
awakened from troubled slumber by the ap-
pearance of St. Guenole before him, who said:
Rise up. king, and hasten to leave the
city with your faithful servants; for Dahut has
opened the sluices by means of the silver key,
and the unbridled sea is in the city"
1t was true. Dahut going to meet one of her
lovers who was also conspirat0r with her
against the old king, had by mistake opened
the gate of the sea instead Of the gate Of the
city. The first thought OF the king on hearing
this dreadful intelligence was the preservation
of his daughter. He sought her out, took her
behind him on bis feetest horse and fed away
from the encroaching wall Of sea- as fast as the
spur could drive. The sea followed him with
fearful rapidity, but Dahut's cries of fright
were louder in his ears than the noise of the
waves. still not so loud as supernatural voice
beside him, which said:
s'Gradlon, if you would not perish yourself,
rid yourself of Of the demon who rides behind
you"
Dahut also heard the voice, and became
almost frantic with terror; she chung convul-
sively to her father: but, he, recognizing in the
voice a warning from Heaven, shook her off in
10 the wave that followed them. Then the
king rode on safely to Quimper, and fixed there
his court. making that city the capital of an
cient COrnouailles.
Thus ends the story of Dahut and of the
city of Is The spirit of the wicked princess is
supposed to inhabt still the city that she sacri-
feed.
There may or may sot be truth in the story
there certninly is poetry and tragedy in it.
and this much certainly admits of no question
there is drowned city there was king Grad
lon and there may have been a Dahut.-W. M.
E. Round in Appleton's Journal.