Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-11-16
SIR OMAR.

the hill, detaching the last December
leaf from the sycamore on its summit,
and swooped like wave upon the roofs
and chimney stacks below. The smoke
ascending through the chimneys was
caught midway and driven back will
showers of SCOT and wood ash, discom.
fitting the townsmen who fingered by
their hearths to read the morning pa
per. The blast, its strength thus broken,
fell fiat upon the macadam Of the main
street, scattering its fine dust into fan
shaped figures, then died away west
ward in eddies Among these eddies the
sycamore leaf danced and twirled, now
shooting along the ground upon its
edge, like tin disk, now whisked up
to the level of the first story windows.
A nurse, holding up a 5-year-old child
behind the pane called out, pointing
after the leaf:
'Iook-there goes Sir Dinar!''
Now the legend Of Sir Dinar is as old
as the round table, though later
touches, easily detected, have been add
ed to it. And this is how they tell it:
Sir Dinar was the first son and come
lest of King Geraint, who had left Ar
thurs court for his own castle above
Portscathoin-R oseland and was buried,
when his time came, over the Mare, III
his golden boat, with his silver oars be-
side him. To fill his seat at the round
table he sent, in the lads sixteenth
year, this Dinar, who, in two years,
was made knight by King Arthur, and
in the third was turned al I'D man be-
fore he had achieved a single deed OF
note, as is to be shown.
For OH the fifth day after he was dub
bed knight, upon the feast of Pentecost,
there began the great quest of the Sane
grael, which took Sir Lancelot from the
court, Sir Perceval, Sir Bors, Sir Ga
waine, Sir Galahad and the flower OF
Arthur's knights. And because, after
their going, it was all sad cheer at
Camelot, and heavy, empty days Sir
Dinar took two Of his best friends aside,
both young knights, Sir Galhaltin and
Sir Ozanna lie Cceur Hardi, and spoke
to them Of riding from the court by
stealth, ''for," he said, eve have many
days before us, and no villainy upon
our conscience, and besides are eager.
Who knows. then. but we may achieve
this adventure of the Sancgrael?' Sc
they listened and impaired it to another,
Sir Sentrail, and the four rode forth
privily one morning before the dawn
and set their faces northward.
Now, the day Of their setting out was
that next after Christmas and is tho
feast Of Stephen the Martyr, and as they
rode through thick wood it care into
Sir Dinar's mind that upon this day it
was right to kill any bird that flew III
remembrance that, when st. Stephen
had all but escaped from the soldiers
who guarded him, q small bird had
sung in their ears and awakened them.
By this the sky was growing white with
the morning, but nothing yet clear to
the sight, and while they pressed for
ward under the naked boughs, theil
horses heofs cracking the frozen under
growth beneath them, Sir Dinar was
aware of bird S wing ruffiing ahead and
let fly bolt without warning his com
panions why he did this, who had forgot
ten what morning it was and drew rei1
in their establishment
But pressing forward in minute
they came upon gerfalcon lying, witt
long lunes hanging about his feet an(
through his breast the hole that Sil
Dinars bolt had made. While they
stopped over this bird the sun got up
and lifting their heads they saw greer
glade before them, and i'll the midst O.
the glade three pavilions set, each O.
red sendal, that shone at the first toucl
of the morning. In the first pavilion
slept seven knights, and in the second {
score of damsels, but by the door Of the
third stood lady, fair and tall, in {
robe of samite, who, as they drew neal
to accost her, inquired Of them:
(Which of you four has slain m,
gerfalcon?"
And when Sir Dinar confessed ant
began to make his excuse, ''Sill,
knight said she, ''who couldst no
guess that my falcon, too, was abroad
to avenge the blessed Stephen! Or dos
think that it was hawk, Of all birds
that sang a sweet melody in the ears O.
his guards?''
With that she laughed, as if pacifed
and asked of their affairs, and being
told that they rode in search of tn,
Sancgrael she laughed again, saying:
'tSilly knights all, that seek it befor,
you be bearded! For three of you mus
faint and die on the guest, and you, sir, ,
turning to Sir Dinar, ''must man,
times long to die, yet never reach neare
by foot
''Let it be as God will" answered
Sir Dinar "But hast thou any tiding
to guide u.s."
81 have heard said she, 'that i
was seen latest in the land of Gore, be
yond Trent water - And with her whit,
finger she pointed down narrow glad.
that led to the northwest. So the,
thanked her and pricked on, none guess
ing that she herself was King Urience'l
wife Of Gore. and none other than Queer
Morgan le Fay, the famous enchantress
who for loss OF her gerfalcon was light
~ sending Sir Dinar to his ruin.
So all that day they rode, two an
two, in the strait alley that she ha
pointed out, and by her enchantinent
she made the winter trees to move wit
them, serried close on either hand, S
that, though the four knights visit moth
ing Of it, they advanced not a furlon
for all their haste. But toward nightfal
there Appeared close ahead a blaze Q
windows lit and then tall castle wit
dim towers soaring up and shaking t
the din of minstrelsy. And finding
great company about the doors they Ii
down from their horses and stepped int
the great hall, Sir Dinar leading then,
For awhile their eyes were dazed, seein
that sconces flared in every window
and the place was full of knights an
damsels brightly clad, and the foe
shone. But while they were yet blink
ing a band of maidens came and III
buckled their arms and cast shinin
cloak upon each, which was hardly don
when lady came toward them out c
the throng. and though she was trul
the Qneen Morgan lie Fay they kneN
her not at all, for by her necromanc
she had altered her countenance.
sCome, dance" said she. for in q
instant the musicians will begin. -