Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-06-28
The dead City of Is.

form or another in almost every book
on Brittany, all having substantially
the same accounts, resting principally
on the popular traditions.
Built in the vast basin which to-day
forms the bay of Douenenez, and sep
arated from the sea by dyke, was the
ancient city of Is. In the dyke were
sluices which from time to time were
opened sufficiently to admit enough
water for the cleansing of the drains
and otherwise purifying the city King
Gradlon, a well beloved monarch,
ruled here, and once a month presi-
ded in person at the opening of the
sluices the principal one was opened
by silver key, which the king always
wore fastened about his neck.
1t was a splendid court that King
Gradlon presided over, and the mag
nifcence of his capital was the won-
der of the country. The royal pal
ace was a palace such as we dream
OF. In it marble, cedar and gold re.
placed the oak, granite and iron ordi-
naflly uSeu IN Dullulng.
The honors of the kings court were
done by his daughter Dahut or Ahes
"a princess shamefully known as the
Honoria of Brittany. Like that other
VIGOROUSLY wicked woman
She had for her crown the vices, and for her
pages the seven deadly sins.
This woman was accused of the
most heinous crimes. 1t was her
habit each night to entice young men
whom she fancied to chosen and Sc
cluded retreat, where, when they
ceased to amuse her, they were dis
patched by a masked mental, and their
corpses were borne away TO the
mountains One is shown near HueI-
goat, gulf, at the bottom of which
rushed the mountain stream with sad,
strange murmurings, and through
which the winds are ever signing
noises which the old wives interpret
as cries from the souls of Dahut's
lovers;
Complaints were made to Gradlou
time and again, and he always prom
ised to mete out speedy punishment
to his daughter, but paternal indul-
gence was stronger in his heart than
royal duty, and so Dahut went on IN
her wicked ways. His leniency was
repaid by the basest ingrattude. His
wicked child formed plot against
him, by which she meant to secure
the royal power. The silver key was
the symbol of the kings authority,
and Dahut soon possessed herself of
Installing 1T from her fathers neck
while he slept.
The king, when he found the key
was gone, was in tho greatest con-
sternation, and, under the ominous
cloud of coming misfortune, retired to
his palace, that the people, who re-
garded the key with superstitious
reverence, might not know of his loss.
At night he was awakened from a
troubled slumber by the appearance of
St. Guenole before him, who said:
"Rise up, oh, king and hasten to
leave the city with your faithful SER
want for Dahut has opened the sluic-
es by means of the silver key, and the
unbridled sea is in the city.
1t is true. Dahut going to meet
one of her lovers, who is also con-
spirator with her against the old king,
had, by mistake, opened the gate OF
the city. The first thought of the
king, on hearing this dreadful intelli.
gence, was the preservation OF his
daughter lie sought her out, took
her behind him on his fieetest horse
and fled away from the encroaching
wall Of sea as fast as 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 a
supernatural voice beside him, which
said:
"Gradlon, if you would not perish
yourself; rid yourself of the demon
that rides behind you"
| Dahut also hoard the voice, and be-
came almost frantic with terror; but
he, recognizing in the voice warn
| ing from Heaven, shook her off into
the wave that followed him. Then
the king rode on safely to Quimpet
and fixed there his court, making that
city the capital of ancient Cornou
allies.
Thus ends the story of Dahut and
| of the city of Is. The spirit of the
wicked princess is supposed still. t.
occupy the city which she sacrificed
There may or may not be truth il
the story-there certainly is poetry
and tragedy in it, and this much Ger
tainly admits of no question-there i
a drowned city; there was king
| Gradlon, and there may nave been I
Dahut.-Appleton's Journal.