A third version of the story of Horn is the romance of Horn Childe and Maiden Rimnild, the only copy of which is the incomplete one contained in the famous collection of the Auchinleck MS. of the 14th century. (One leaf lost in the middle and one or two at the end.) Of this romance, which is composed in twelve-lined strophes, _rime couée_, there are preserved 1136 lines, that is to say, 96 strophes, not all complete. The story, very briefly summarized, is as follows:
Haþeolf, king of “_al Ingelond fram Humber norþ_,” has one son named Horn. To Horn Haþeolf gives eight companions and puts all under the instruction of Arlaund. Haþeolf annihilates a host of Danish invaders, but within nine months is again attacked, this time by three kings from Ireland, and after an heroic fight, in which he slays five thousand, is stoned to death, and “_an erle of Northumberland_” seizes the kingdom.
Herlaund conducts the nine boys “_fer souþe in Inglond_,” where they are received by Houlac the king. The king’s only daughter, Rimneld, loves him and asks Herlaund to bring Horn to her bower. As in the other versions, Arlaund first brings Haþerof, but the second time brings Horn to Rimneld, and the princess gives Horn rich presents, and promises to be his if he shall be dubbed knight. But Wikard and Wikel, two of Horn’s companions, calumniate Horn and Rimneld to the king, and Horn is banished. After vain attempts at a reconciliation with the king, he takes leave of Rimneld, who gives him a ring with a magic stone:
“_When þe ston wexeþ wan Þan chaungeþ þe þought of þi leman When þe ston wexeþ rede Þan haue y lorn mi maidenhed._”
Horn takes the name of Godebounde, has heroic adventure in the forest, wins a great tournament in Wales, then crosses over to Ireland, and delivers king Finlawe (Finlak) from his enemy, Malkan, the one who had slain Horn’s father. Atula, Finlak’s daughter, loves Horn, but he remains true to Rimneld, notices that the stone in his ring has turned pale, and with a hundred knights, crosses over into England in time to save Rimneld from marrying King Moioun, overthrows Moioun in the tournament, slays Wigard and smites out the eye of the false Wiȝel, Wigard’s brother. Horn marries Rimneld, and, after five days of feasting, makes ready a force to go into _North-Humberland_ to win back his father’s kingdom. The single MS. ends abruptly at this point.