Of old there was a land which was so much a woodland, that aminstrel thereof said it that a squirrel might go from end to end, and allabout, from tree to tree, and never touch the earth: therefore was thatland called Oakenrealm.
The lord and king thereof was a stark man, and so great a warrior thatin his youth he took no delight in aught else save battle and tourneys.But when he was hard on forty years old, he came across a daughter of acertain lord, whom he had vanquished, and his eyes bewrayed him intolonging, so that he gave back to the said lord the havings he hadconquered of him that he might lay the maiden in his kingly bed. So hebrought her home with him to Oakenrealm and wedded her.
Tells the tale that he rued not his bargain, but loved her so dearly thatfor a year round he wore no armour, save when she bade him play in thetilt-yard for her desport and pride.
So wore the days till she went with child and was near her time, andthen it betid that three kings who marched on Oakenrealm banded themtogether against him, and his lords and thanes cried out on him to leadthem to battle, and it behoved him to do as they would.
So he sent out the tokens and bade an hosting at his chief city, andwhen all was ready he said farewell to his wife and her babe unborn, andwent his ways to battle once more: but fierce was his heart against thefoemen, that they had dragged him away from his love and his joy.
Even amidst of his land he joined battle with the host of the ravagers,and the tale of them is short to tell, for they were as the wheat before thehook. But as he followed up the chase, a mere thrall of the fleers turnedon him and cast his spear, and it reached him whereas his hawberk wasbroken, and stood deep in, so that he fell to earth unmighty: and whenhis lords and chieftains drew about him, and cunning men strove to healhim, it was of no avail, and he knew that his soul was departing. Then he sent for a priest, and for the Marshal of the host, who was a great lord, andthe son of his father's brother, and in few words bade him look to the babewhom his wife bore about, and if it were a man, to cherish him and do himto learn all that a king ought to know; and if it were a maiden, that heshould look to her wedding well and worthily: and he let swear him onhis sword, on the edges and the hilts, that he would do even so, and be trueunto his child if child there were: and he bade him have rule, if so be thelords would, and all the people, till the child were of age to be king: andthe Marshal swore, and all the lords who stood around bare witness to hisswearing. Thereafter the priest houselled the King, and he received hisCreator, and a little while after his soul departed.