Year: 1877

The story of Is may be found in one form or another in almost every book on Brittany, all having substantially the same accounts, resting principally on the popular traditions.

 Built in the vast basin which to-day forms the bay of Douenenez, and sepa- rated from the sea by dike, was the an- cient city of Is. In the dike were sluices which from time to time were opened sufficiently to admit enough water for the cleaning of the drains and otherwise pur- flying the city. King Gradlon, a well beloved monarch, ruled here, and once Q month presided in person at the opening of the sluices the principal one was opened by silver key, which the king always wore fastened about his neck.

 It was @ splendid court that King Gradlon presided over, and the magnifi- cence of his capital was the wonder of the country. The royal palace was place such as we dream of In it marble, cedar and gold replaced the oak, granite and iron ordinarily used in building.

 The honors of the kings court were done by his daughter Dahut, or Ahes-a princess shamefully known as the Hono- ria of Brittany. Like that other notori- ously wicked woman

 She had for crown the vices, and for pages the

 seven deadly sins.

 This woman was accused of the most heinous crimes. It was her habit each night to entice young men whom she fancied to chosen and secluded retreat, where, when they ceased to amuse her, they were dispatched by masked me nial, and their corpses borne away to the ~l@s. Il goat, gulf, at the bottom of which rushed the mountain stream with sad, strange murmurings, and through which the winds are ever sighing-noises which the old wives interpret as cries from the souls of Dahut's lovers

 Complaints were made to Gradlon time and again, and he always promised to mete out speedy punishment to his daughter, but paternal indulgence was stronger in his heart than royal duty, and so Dahut went on in her wicked ways. His leniency was repaid by the basest ingratitude. His wicked child formed plot against him, by which she meant to secure for herself the royal power. The silver key was the symbol of the kings authority, and Dahut soon possessed herself of it-stealing it from

 

 The king, when he found that the key was gone, was in the greatest consterna- tion, and, under the ominous cloud of coming misfortune, retired to his palace, that the people, who regarded the key with superstitious reverence, might not know of his loss. At night he was awakened from a troubled slumber by the appearance of St. Guenole before him who SniU

 "Rise up, oh king! and hasten to leave the city with your faithful servant; for Dahut has opened the sluices by means of the silver key, and the un- bridled sea is in the city"

 It was true. Dahut, going to meet one of her lovers, who is also a conspira- tor with her against the old king, had by mistake opened the gate of the sea in stead of the gate of the city. The first thought of the king on hearing this dreadful intelligence was the preserva- tion of his daughter He sought her out, took her behind him on his heetest horse, and fled away from the encroach- ing wall of sea as fast as spur could drive. The sea followed him with fear full rapidity, but Dahut's cries of fright were louder ill his ears than the noise of the waves, still not so loud as super natural voice beside him, which said

 "Gradlon, if you would not perish yourself, rid yourself of the demon that rides behind you"

 Dahut also heard the voice, and be- came almost frantic with terror; she chung convulsively to her father; but he, recognizing ill the voice a warning from Heaven, shook her off into the wave that followed him. Then the king rode on safely to Quimper, and fixed there his court, making that city the capital of an cient Cornouailles.

 Thus ends the story of Dahut and of the city of Is The spirit of the wicked princess is supposed to inhabit still the city that she sacrificed.

 There may or may not be truth in the story-there certainly is poetry and tragedy in it, and this much certainly ad- mits of no question: there is drowned city; there was king Gradlon, and there may have been a Dahut.-Applc- { ton's JOu3R0i