The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-23
The LEGEND OF THE LEAF
Quaint Bit of Fiction Connected with
King Arthur's Court.
THE DOOM OF GAY SIR DINAR
From Lusty knight lie Is Transformed
Into Withered Leaf and All Be.
cause lie Shot an Enchant.
ress' GerfalcOn.

A puff of northeast wind shot over the
hill, detaching the last December leaf
from the sycamore on its summit and
swooped like a wave upon the roofs
and chimney stacks below. The smoke
ascending through the chimneys was
caught midway and driven back with
showers of SCOT and wood ash, discom-
fting the townsmen, who fingered by
their hearths to read the morning pa
per The blast, its strength thus brok-
on, fell flat upon the macadam of the
main street, scattering its fine dust into
fan-shaped figures; then died away
westward in eddies. Among these ed
dies the sycamore leaf danced and
twilled, now shooting along the ground
upon its edge, like tin disk, now
Whisked up to the level of the tirst-story
windows. A nurse, holding up 3-year-
old child behind the pane, called out.
pointing after the leaf:
'LoOk--there goes Sir Dinarw
Now, the legend of Sir Dinar is as
old as the Round Table, though later
touches easily detected, have been ad-
ded to it. And this is how they tell it:
Sir Dinar was the first son and come
Hest Of King Geraint who had left
Arthurs Court for his own castle above
POrtscathO-n-R RoSeland, 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 10Th year,
this Dinar, who in two years was made
knight by King Arthur and in the third
was turned an old man before he had
achieved single deed Of note, as is to
he shown.
For ON the fifth day after he was
dubbed knight, upon the feast of Pente-
cost there began the great quest of the
sancgrael, which took Sir Lancelot
from the court. Sir Percival, Sir Bors,
Sir GaWaine, Sir Galahad and the flow
er 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 Galhatin and
Sir O2anna lie Occur Hardi, and spoke
to them of riding from the court by
stealth, for, he said, 1--WE 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 Sancgraelw So they
listened and impaired it to another, Sir
Sentail, 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 the
feast of Stephen the Martyr. And as
they rode through thick wood it came
into Sir Dinar's mind that upon this
day it was right to kill any bird that
flew, in remembrance that when Saint
Stephen had all but escaped from the
soldiers who guarded him, a 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 forward under the naked
boughs, their horses hoofs cracking
the frozen underground beneath them,
Sir Dnar was aware of a birds wing
luffiing ahead and let fly bolt with
out warning his companions why he
did this, who had forgotten what morn
ing it was, and drew rein in ther as
tonishment.
But pressing forward in minute they
came upon gerfalcon lying with long
lunes hanging about his feet and
through his breast the hole that Sir
Dinar's bolt had made. While they
stopped over this bird the sun got up,
and lifting their heads they saw a green
glade before them, and in the midst OF
the glade three pavilions set, each of
red sendal, that shOne at the first touch
of the morning. In the first pavilion
slept seven knights and in the second a
score of damsels, but by the door of the
third stood lady, fair and tall, in a
robe of samte, who, as they drew near
To accost her, inquired of them:
Which of you four has slain my ger
falcon?"
And when Sir Dinar confessed and be-
gan to make his excuses, SILLY knight"
said she, who couldst not guess that
my falcon, too, was abroad to avenge
the blessed Stephen. Or dost think that
1t was a hawk, of all birds, that sang
sweet melody in the ears his guards?"
With that she. laughed, as if pacified
and asked of their affairs, and being
told that they rode in search of Sane
grael. she laughed again, saying:
Silly knights all, that seek it before
you be bearded! For three of you must
faint and die on the quest; and you,
sir" turning to Sir Dinar, must many
times long to die, yet never reach nearer
by foot
Let it be as God WILL" answered Sir
Dinar. But hast thou tidings to guide
us?"
Il haveheard," she said, that it was
seen latest in the land of Gore, beyond
Trent water" And with her white fin
ger she pointed down narrow glade
that led to the northwest. So they
thanked her and pricked on, none gues-
sing that she herself was King Uri-
ence's wife of Gore, and none other than
Queen Morgan lie Fay, the famous en-
chantress, who for loss Of her gerfalcon
was lightly sending Sir Dinar to his
ruin.
So all that day they rode two and
two, in the straight alley she had
pointed out; and by her entertainments
she made the winter trees move with
them, selried close on either hand, 50
that, though the four knights wist moth
Ing Of 1t, they advanced not furlong
for all their haste. But toward night
fall there appeared close ahead a blaze
of windows lit, and then tall castle
with dim towers soaring up and shak-
ing to the din of minstrelsy. And, find
Ing a great company about the doors,
they lit down from their horses and
stepped into the great hall, Sir Dinar
leading them. For awhile their eyes
da2ed, seeing that sconces flared In ev-
cry window and the place was full of
knights and damsels brightly clad,
ana the floor shone. But while they
were yet blinking band of maidens
came and unbuckled their arms and
cast shining cloak upon each, which
was hardly done when a lady came to-
ward them out of the throng, and though
she was truly the Queen Morgan lie
Fay, they knew her not at all, for by
her necromancy she had altered her
countenance.
Come, dance" said she, "for in an in
stant the musicians will begin.'
Now, the other three knights tarried
while, being weary, but Sir Dinar
stepped forward and caught the hand
of damsel, and she, as she gave it.,
laughed in his eyes. She was dressed all
In scarlet, with scarlet shoes, and the
hair lay on her shoulders like FURNISHED
gold. AS Sir Dinar set his arm around
her, with crash the merry band began,
and, floating out with him into the
dance, her red shoes twlnkling and her
tossed hair shaking spices under his
nostrils, she leaned back little in his
arms and laughed again.