The San Francisco call., 1903-12-13
HOwdrd Pyle Uith
Pen and Pencil
Pictures Arthur

n long as the Anglo-Saxon loves
III highland God grant many
years Of thst-there are certain
Old stories that viii live down through
the centuries. one Of these is the green
old tale Of King Arthur and the table
round. For over = thousand years this
recountal OF the raw fighting DAYS back
in the raw times Of England has passed
down through the generations as folk
song. romance and poetic epic. Now
in the heyday OF books comes Howard
Pyle and gives Us the old story again
furnished up in twentieth century
garb
A chiid's tale, say you-a yarn fit TO
be told over the nursery fire along with
the diverting adventures OF Robin Hood
and the brave knights at Chevy Chase.
Granted, a good story for children IS
that Of. King Arthur, but what have
been all the folk stories Of our Iitera-
ture but the twilight tales recounted
BY the father 10 the little ones? OF all
the literature OF the people who read
not the haad-printed books Of those
dim and dusty ages but a few precious
remnants remain. For the few who can
appreciate, Tennyson has immortalized
this persistent fragment about the
mythical king; Tor the many who can
not Pyle has reproduced the old min
strels' lay IN a quaint semblance OF it's
hosry self
AS IN the case Of the cycle OF Robin
Hood and the bard or bards who first
sung that spirited lay Of greenwood
lights and springtime roysterings the
q - -
King Arthur has passed these many
centuries unhonOred and unsung. 1t is
an odd study TO trace our great English
epic, now rejuvenated again in popular
form, through the many varying rami-
hcations OF growth and change which
II has experienced
Away back in the time OF William the
Conqueror. when wandering Nor
man "trouveres" or minstrels jour
neyed from castle 10 castle, the
songs Of Arthur. the great king,
were sung before the banquet
boards Of the conquering mobiles.
Nameless 70 US are the minstrels, for it
was not until the time Of a certain
great liar. Geoffrey OF Monmouth by
name. that the many accounts Of the
mythical monarch were greatly elabor-
ated upon and by him incorporated in
his fabulous History Of British
Kings
Then it crossed over into France and
was there told hy the Norman trouvere,
Geoffrey Gsiuiar. with the addition of
the Breton legend Of Tristram and
Isolde. Back TO England il came. when
Walter Map. a brilliant Welshman at
the court Of Henry II, added to the
growing collection OF tales the story Of
Sir Launoelot and the Holy Grail. All
these versions had been in the Norman
French Of the court and it was not until
a gentle soul by the name of LayamOn
translated the cycle Of tales into the
Saxon Of the common people that the
story which had sprung from the people
found its way back 10 them again.
In the version which Howard Pyle
has presented TO modern readers he
has with much quaint humOr adopted
the stiltec style of the old chroniclers
as the model FOR his diction. With all
seriousness he announces in his fore
word that he is able by the grace Of
God 10 write this work with such pleas
ure of spirit that. II il gives but a part
OF the Joy that IL hath afforded me,
i shall be very well content with what !
have done" Under this cOurtly style
OF language the stories Of Lady Guine-
we're, Sir Pelias and all the rest Of those
brave old knights and ladies roll out
as II from the mouth OF court bard in
old Whitehall.
Perchsnce Pyle wrote the text for
the chance offered by the Illustrations.
Certain IL is that in the decorative fig
ure work by which il is adorned there
is merit enough 10 commend the buying
OF the book. Nothing like it could come
from any artist but Pyle.
(Charles Scribner's Sons. New York:
llustrated)