The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-06-14
The Dead City Of Is.

tongue.
The Dead City Of Is.
The story of Is may be found in one
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 sepa-
rated 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 Grad
Ion, a well-beloved monarch, ruled here,
and once month presided 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.
It was splendid court that King Grad
Ion presided over, and the magnifcence
Of his capital was the wonder of the coun-
try. The royal palace was palace such
as We dream of. In it marble, cedar and
gold replaced the oak, granite and iron
OIuludIlAy uScO III UulluluH.
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
uotoriously wicked woman
She had for crown the vices, and for pages
the seven deadly sins.
This woman was accused of the most
heinous crimes. It was her habit each
night to entice young men whom she
fancicd to chosen and secluded retreat,
where, when they ceased to amuse her,
they were dispatched by masked me
NAL, and their corpses borne away to the
mountains. One is shown near Huel
goat, gulf, at the bottom of which
rushed the mountain stream with sad,
strange murmurings, and through which
the winds are ever sighing-noises which
the old wives interpret as cries from the
souls of Dahut's lovers.
Complaints were made to Gradlon
time and again, and he always promised
to mete out speedy punishment to his
daughter, but patcrnal indulgence was
stronger in his heart than royal duty all
so Dahut went on in her wicked ways.
His leniency was repaid by the basest
ingratitude. His wicked child formed a
plot against him, by which she meant to
secure for herself the royal power. The
silver key was the symbol Of the kings
authority, and Dahut soon possessed her
self of Installing it from her fathers
neck while the man slept.
The king, when he found that the key
was gone, was in the greatest consterna-
| ton, and, under the ominous cloud of
coming misfortune, retired to his palace,
that the people, who regarded 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 10 leave
the city with your faithful servant; for
Dahut has opened the sluices 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, VINO IS also consp1ratol
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 in
telligence was the preservation of his
daughter. He sought her out, took hel
behind him on his t1eetest horse, and fled
away from the encroaching wall of sea a:
fast as spur could drive.
The sea followed him with fearful rap
idity, 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:
"Gradlon, if you would not perish
yourself; rid yourself OF the demon thai
rides behind YOU"
Dahut also heard the voice, and became
almost frantic with terror; she chung con
vulsively to her father; but he recognize
ing in the voice warning from Heaven
shook her off into the wave that followed
him. Then the king rode on safely te
Quimper, and fixed there his court max.
ing that city the capital of ancient Cor
nouailles.
Thus ends the story of Dahut and o
the city of Is. The spirit of the wicked
princess is supposed to inhabit still tn.
city that she sacrificed.
There may or may not be truth in tn,
story-there certainly is poetry and trag
edy in it, and this much certainly admit.
ofno question-there is drowned city
there was king Gradlon, and there ma,
may have been aDahut.-Appleton's Tour
nal