critic.)

He preferred literature to the plaudits of the nobility and the
sedentary life on a big white-oak throne. On the night before his
coronation his pillow was wet with tears.

And in the midst of it all here came the Danes wearing heavy woollen
clothes and introducing their justly celebrated style of honest sweat.

Alfred fought as many as eight battles with them in one year. They
agreed at last to accept such portions of the country as were assigned
them, but they were never known to abide by any treaty, and they put
the red man of America to shame as prevaricators.

Thus, by 878, the wretched Saxons were at their wit's end, and have
never been able to take a joke since at less than thirty days.

Some fled to Wales and perished miserably trying to pronounce the names
of their new post-office addresses.

[Illustration: ALFRED, DISGUISED AS A GLEEMAN, IS INTRODUCED TO
GUTHRUN.]

Here Alfred's true greatness stood him in good stead. He secured a
number of reliable retainers and camped in the swamps of Somersetshire,
where he made his head-quarters on account of its inaccessibility, and
then he made raids on the Danes. Of course he had to live roughly, and
must deny himself his upright piano for his country's good.

In order to obtain a more thorough knowledge of the Danes and their
number, he disguised himself as a harper, or portable orchestra, and
visited the Danish camp, where he was introduced to Guthrun and was
invited to a banquet, where he told several new anecdotes, and spoke in
such a humorous way that the army was sorry to see him go away, and
still sorrier when, a few days later, armed _cap-a-pie_, he mopped up
the greensward with his enemy and secured the best of terms from him.

While _incog._, Alfred stopped at a hut, where he was asked to turn the
pancakes as they required it; but in the absence of the hostess he got
to thinking of esoteric subjects, or something profound, and allowed the
cakes to burn. The housewife returned in time to express her sentiments
and a large box to his address as shown in the picture.

[Illustration: ALFRED LETTING THE CAKES BURN.]

He now converted Guthrun and had him immersed, which took first-rate,
and other Danes got immersed. Thus the national antagonism to water was
overcome, and to-day the English who are descended from the Danes are
not appalled at the sight of water.

As a result of Guthrun's conversion, the Danes agreed to a permanent
settlement a