rs. His anger was kindled, he
looked at his ring and thought of Rymenhild, and then, drawing his
sword again, he rushed at the heathen champion. The giant fell pierced
through the heart, and his companions fled to their ships, hotly
pursued by Horn and his company. Much fighting there was, and in the
hot strife near the ships the king's two sons, Harold and Berild, were
both slain.

Horn Refuses the Throne

Sadly they were laid on a bier and brought back to the palace, their
sorrowful father lamenting their early death; and when he had wept his
fill the mournful king came into the hall where all his knights
silently awaited him. Slowly he came up to Horn as he sat a little
apart from the rest, and said: "Cuthbert, wilt thou fulfil my desire?
My heirs are slain, and thou art the best knight in Ireland for
strength and beauty and valour; I implore thee to wed Reynild, my only
daughter (now, alas! my only child), and to rule my realm. Wilt thou
do so, and lift the burden of my cares from my weary shoulders?" But
Horn replied: "O Sir King, it were wrong for me to receive thy fair
daughter and heir and rule thy realm, as thou dost offer. I shall do
thee yet better service, my liege, before I die; and I know that thy
grief will change ere seven years have passed away. When that time is
over, Sir King, give me my reward: thou shalt not refuse me thy
daughter when I desire her." To this King Thurston agreed, and Horn
dwelt in Ireland for seven years, and sent no word or token to
Rymenhild all the time.

Rymenhild's Distress

In the meantime Princess Rymenhild was in great perplexity and
trouble, for a powerful ruler, King Modi of Reynes, wooed her for his
wife, and her own betrothed sent her no token of his life or love. Her
father accepted the new suitor for her hand, and the day of the
wedding was fixed, so that Rymenhild could no longer delay her
marriage. In her extremity she besought Athulf to write letters to
Horn, begging him to return and claim his bride and protect her; and
these letters she delivered to several messengers, bidding them search
in all lands until they found Sir Horn and gave the letters into his
own hand. Horn knew nought of this, till one day in the forest he met
a weary youth, all but exhausted, who told how he had sought Horn in
vain. When Horn declared himself, the youth broke out into loud
lamentations over Rymenhild's unhappy fate, and delivered the letter
which explained all her distres