a guard at a little distance.

When she drew near, Havelok commanded that a flag of truce should be
waved, so that the fighting might cease. Then, taking his wife by the
hand, he led her forward, and told her story to them all, and how
Godrich the earl had wronged her. And the English fell on their faces
and did obeisance, and vowed to serve her faithfully all the days of
their lives.

'And what is the law of England respecting a traitor?' asked Havelok,
when Goldborough had been proclaimed queen with trumpets and shouting.

'That he be laid on an ass and burned at the stake,' cried they. And
this was done also.

After this, Havelok gave his two foster-sisters in marriage to great
lords, and made the cook to whom he had owed his good fortune earl of
Cornwall in place of the wicked Godrich. He left Ubbe to rule in
Denmark, while he and Goldborough remained in England, but every two
years he sailed across the sea to be sure that all went well in the
country of his birth.

And for sixty years Havelok and Goldborough lived happily together and
had many children, and wherever Havelok went, Goldborough went too.

[_The Lay of Havelok the Dane._ Early English Text Society.]

_CUPID AND PSYCHE_

Once upon a time there lived a king who had three daughters. The two
elder girls were very fair, and many were their suitors, but the
youngest was so beautiful that it was whispered in the city that the
goddess Aphrodite was not her equal in loveliness, and as she walked
through the streets men touched their foreheads, and bowed low to the
ground, as if Aphrodite herself had passed by.

Now it was not long since the shepherd Paris had given the goddess the
golden apple, in token that neither on the earth nor even on Olympus was
a woman to be found as fair as she. And when she heard of the honours
paid to Psyche, she rose up in her wrath and sent a winged messenger for
Cupid, her son.

'Come with me,' she said, when Cupid appeared before her, 'I have
somewhat to show you'; and without further speech the two flew through
the air together, till they reached the palace where Psyche was
sleeping.

'That is the maiden to whom men pay the homage due to me alone,' she
whispered, while her grey eyes darted gleams like fire. 'I have brought
you hither that you may avenge me by pricking her with an arrow that
will fill her heart with love for one of the basest of mortals. And now
I must depart in haste, for Oceanos awaits me.