Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-10-31
\ WELSH LEGEND.

after tie other kings came to court her,
but Ler only answer was, No; | will
never marry un'il II king &c mes who can
con Iler all the X ngs; then | shall be
the wife of the king of the world, and
no one can hold herself higher than / u
At last, one morning, bugle played
at the gate of the castle. and scme one
asked for admi ,sion.
Who is there?' asked tho who
guarded the gate.
The king who conquers all kings,
answered n voice, "and he comes to
conrt the king daughter
Then the drawbridge was let down.
and they flung the gates wide open
expecting IL king to enter with q
graf ietinue of attendants. but
instcal. one mighty figure entered
alone, dressed in armor, with the vi, OF
closed, 80 that his face could not he
seen. He bowed low before the king
who d. sired to know Ii s name and
country"
"My name YOU know, sire" replied the
armed figure MY face you shall soon
see am king of all kin IS. for never
yet have l met king l could rot con
quer. l have heard of the fame OF
your beautiful, proud princess. and am
here to claim her hand, for | make nc
empty boast, lis she shall acknow edge.
The old harpers sitting at the foot OF
the throne struck their harps and be
gan to play: but in spite of themselves
the harl began to wall, and the notes
were the notes of funeral song.
The king reproved them, but the
ghost, who stood there in his armor,
waved his hand to them.
"~ad music suits me best" he said
"Go on"
And they played, Icing unable to
stop, so that listener would have be-
Eeved that some great grief had come
to the royal family, and to these notes
the princess entered, at her father S
summons, all in white, with gems in the
hair; beautiful as fairy, pa.e as a
pearl.
She looked at the newcomer; he re-
gar,ed her from beneath his vizor.
The king who has never iai ed to
conquer any king he has met, and who
VIII continue to conquer all kim has
come to offer you his hand he said
will you be his queen, beauti. u
princess?"
Til princes looked at him gra ely.
at was not beautiful king whom
you desired to marry, but one who
could conquer all other kings" he said
"You will see my face soon enough"
The princess shuddered, but she held
her head high.
"Assuredly," she answered, you are
right { My prove that what you say l.
true. and ! will marry you, though you
are hideous as ever man can be; but
give the proofs
The figure in armor shook with a
deep laugh.
Marry me, princess" he sad, "and
will lead you to tie spot where are
those kings whom l have LAID low.
Marry me, and we will go with tie
k ng, your father, the queen, your
mother, the harpers, the soldie s. and
all the court, and see the s. ecta le.
If l show it not to you. You may break
your wedding-ring and take back your
vow, and return to this earth free of
me for evermore."
His words carried belief with them.
IL will marry you," said the pr ncess
sand take You at your word"
Then the harpers played, and the
maidens brought the wedding veil, and
the marriage ceremony was performed,
and the great procession set forth from
the castle to see if tie king in armor
had spoken truth and was really con-
IF o1l h h. L.
great white horse, such as no man had
ever seen with his princess behind him
on pillion.
On she rode, er the hills ard away
but they saw no castle, ard cay faded,
and night came, and still they did not
hat, but at last, when the moon was
up, the armed rider led the way down
into q deep valley, and there com
manded them to halt
Il am come to my kingdom" he said,
"and all is as i said"
saw on every siIe only tombs ard vaults
and graves.
what does this mean?" she cried.
where is your great palace, your
mighty towers, your conquered kings %
As she spoke the harp in the harpers
hands began to play again of themselves
"a wailing tune, never heard before
that froze the blood of the listeners
and the Bridegroom answered:
Behold These are the tombs oi
kings! l have conquered them, every
one. but touched them and they fel
before me-. SO kings will fall until
there are no more. Beautiful princess
you desired for Your husband the con
queror of all other kings. There is
non, but myself. l am your bride
groom. Behold me! l am DEATH"
He lifted his vizor; all saw his awful
face. He rode toward the old king and
took his hand.
Il salute my brides father" he said
and the old man dropped lifeless in the
saddle. Il pay my duty to my brides
mother" he said, and stopped to kiss
her hand. She stirieked and fell into
her ladies' arms.
Kings and queens!" cried the bride
groom; 81, Death, conquer them all
Come to my arms, my bride; / have
won you fairly"
He clasped her to his breast
where she dropped like a crushed
lily, and spurred his white horse
towa: d the tombs. A storm, black and
terr .ble, swept up the valley and
queached the moonlight, and the court
iers and the soldiers. bearing their dead
king and queen, rode back to the castle
while tie rain | eat upon them, and the
hands OF the harpers, still moved by
some unknown power, played dirgt
never heard before.
As for the proud princess no one
ever saw her again. Only when certain
long, white clouds sweep across tn,
8. y, ,oun ~ reo lie will whisper o eacl
tncr: Tat is the wedding veil of tn,
proud princess"
| A HOming Pigeon.
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