_ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT._ PAGE _The Emperor carries William away_ 5 _The Werwolf's Visit to the Cave_ 19 _Hauskuld's Pride in Hallgerda_ 29 _How Gunnar slew Thorgeir, Otkell's Son_ 63 _Sudden Departure of Una's Parents_ 94 _In Archimago's Cell: the Evil Dream_ 100 _The Two Cups_ 132 _Sir Amyle arrives in time to save the Ladies_ 139 _Don Quixote belabours the Muleteer_ 175 _Don Quixote's Battle with the Wine-skins_ 203 _Huon defeats the Giant Agrapart_ 227 _Havelok presents Goldborough to the English People_ 247 _Aphrodite brings Cupid to Psyche_ 252 _Joyfully the Eagle bore back the Urn_ 265 _Ogier the Dane meets Morgane le Fay at last_ 293 _Apuleius changes into an Ass_ 302
_HOW WILLIAM OF PALERMO WAS CARRIED OFF BY THE WERWOLF_
Many hundreds of years ago there lived in the beautiful city of Palermo a little prince who was thought, not only by his parents but by everyone who saw him, to be the handsomest child in the whole world. When he was four years old, his mother, the queen, made up her mind that it was time to take him away from his nurses, so she chose out two ladies of the court who had been friends of her own youth, and to them she entrusted her little son. He was to be taught to read and write, and to talk Greek, the language of his mother's country, and Latin, which all princes ought to know, while the Great Chamberlain would see that he learned to ride and shoot, and, when he grew bigger, how to wield a sword.
For a while everything went on as well as the king and queen could wish. Prince William was quick, and, besides, he could not bear to be beaten in anything he tried to do, whether it was making out the sense of a roll of parchment written in strange black letters, which was his reading-book, or mastering a pony which wanted to kick him off. And the people of Palermo looked on, and whispered to each other:
But soon a terrible end came to all these hopes!
William's father, king Embrons, had a brother who would have been the heir to the throne but for the little prince. He was a wicked man, and hated his nephew, but when the boy was born he was away at the wars, and did not return till five years later. Then he lost no time in making friends with the two ladies who took care of William, and slowly managed to gain their confidence. By-and-by he worked upon them with his promises and gifts, till they became as wicked as he was, and even agreed to kill not only the child, but the king his father.