Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-08-23

If one is drifting off the coast of
Brittany on a calm sunny day, and the
imagination is good, one can see way
down in the waters the towers of
Dahut's castle and hear the tolling of
the bells of the submerged city of Is.
1t all happened in the good old legend
airy times, but so strong are the mem
cries of that beautiful city, that when
Paris came to be named, it was called
after this city of Is, city which to-
day is in truth par Is or the equal
of Is.
In former times the island was con-
nected with the mainland, and here it
was that King Gradlon had his palace
in the water tower, just over the gates
whose key he kept, for they were never
opened without his permission. But
Dahut often got possession of the key
in order to admit her lover, both those
of noble birth and the brigands of the
sea, for she tried her powers on all
impartially. Strange thing however,
her galley with the golden key never
brought the same lover twice. for all
of them died twelve hours after see
ing her. When they came to the land
ing place, they put on mask, which
she ordered them to, in order as she
said to conceal their indemnity, but in
reality to cause them to die, as the
mask was of deadly poison.
Thus she went on in her wickedness
until two brothers nobly born came
from the coast of Norway. The older
one was invited to her bower first, and
he died in his brothers arms, but not
before he was able to tell him about
the mask. Immediately the younger
returned and would have entered the
city, but Dahut, seeing that she was
discovered called upon the Druid of
Sein who had immediate dealings with
the prince of the air, and asked him
to raise storm which would sink all
the ships in the channel
The good St Gwenole in his hut on
his mountains, saw that his interview
ton would be useless on account of
the sins of Dahut, so he hurried to the
palace to warn King Gradlon. AS soon
as this latter perceived the dam
ger he hurried to the mainland
ordering his daughter to come with
him. Thinking that the princess was
following him. he drove inland. but
Dahut remained aloft on her tower,
watching the progress of the storm.
Inst at the moment when she thought
if would be well to slacken the tenn
nest she saw the boat of the Norseman
being driven against the sluice-gates
and urging on the demons of the air
she laughed with glee as his boat was
shivered into a thousand pieces
AS the Norseman chung for support
to the gates, he found the keyhole and
so he unlocked those gates, and the
ocean roared angrily in submerging the
city. The poor king Gradlon lamented
bitterly as he saw his beloved city dis
appearing, although st. Gwenole had
said to him, as he left the palace:
II will remain here and when the
sluice gates give way I will bless the
holy water, and will do no harm to the
city,. which will rise from it's baptism
cleansed from every evil thing
Everyone knows that three hundred
years later, it rose again, an island
out of tire deep, but ST. Gwenole had
changed it's name to Mont ST. Michel.
1t is a natural fortress, for mass of
solid rocks, it is surrounded by water
when the tide Is in, and when the tide
goes out the quicksands make it a
treacherous place for one to approach.
The enemy has assailed it in vain. 1t
has defied England ever since the
first fortress has crowned it's heights.
1t stands like giant which faunts
all enemies and watches over two Of
the most beautiful provinces, Brittany
and Normandy. Nature and art have
united in their efforts to make it the
marvel of the West. The lower part
is fianked by impregnable ramparts or
protected by steep rocks Scattered
here and there, sometimes behind the
walls other times just showing the
roofs are the houses Of the Bretons.
The summit is surrouned by a coronet