Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-01-26
SIR OMAR.

the hill, detaching the last December
leaf from the sycamore Oh 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 with
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 it's
edge, like tin disk, now whisked Up
to the level Of the first story windows.
A nurse, holding up 3-year-old' child
behind the pane, called out, pointing
after the leaf:
"Look-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
Portscathcir -Roseland and was buried.
when his time came, over the Mare, in
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 all old man be-
fore he had achieved single deed Of
note, as is to be shown.
For on 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 tho 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 Cnur Hardi, and spoke
to them Of riding from the court by
stealth, tfor," 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 Sancgrael?" So
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 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 st. Stephen
had all but escaped from the soldiers
who guarded him, 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, their
horses hoofs cracking the frozen under
growth beneath them, Sir Dinar was
aware Of bird s wing ruf1ling ahead and
let fly bolt without warning his COM
panions why he did this, who had forgot
ten what morning it was and drew rein
in their establishment.
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'1ifting their heads they saw green
glade before them, and in the midst Of
the glade three pavilions set, each Of
red sendal, that shine 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 samite, who, as they drew near
to accost her, inquired of them:
(Which Of you four has slain my
gerfalcon?"
And when Sir Dinar confessed and
began to make his excuse, 'Silly
knight" said she, "who couldst not
guess that my falcon, too, was abroad
to avenge the blessed Stephen Or dost
think that it was a hawk, of all birds,
that sang sweet melody in the ears of
his guards?'
With that she laughed, as if pacified,
and asked Of their affairs, and being
told that they rode in search of the
Sancgrael 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, I"
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 any tidings
to guide us9"
II have heard" said she, "that it
was seen latest in the land of Gore, be-
yond Trent water" And with her white
finger she pr nted down narrow glade
that led to the northwest. So they
thanked her and pricked on, none guess
ing that she herself was King Urience's