Laboulaye's Fairy Book

rovince. It was a great Gothic castle, with a groined roof and walls, covered with carving, that looked at a distance like a vine clim

ue eyes, and clasped hands, might have been taken for six Madonnas in an azure niche. At evening, when the sun declined and the baron returned homeward, after riding round his domains, he perceived from afar, in the windows looking toward the west, six so

at his departure, and at evening, on his return, the baron always found Yvon waiting on the threshold to embrace him. With his hair falling to his waist, his graceful figure, his wilful air, and his bold bearing,

and, bending one knee to the ground, "My lord and father," said he to the baron, "I come to ask your blessing. The house of Kerver is rich in knights,

ear. "I will not keep you back; I have no right to do so; but you are very you

rds of the country. I have not forgotten that our arms are a unicorn ripping up a l

his brothers, embraced his sisters, bid adieu to all

; a forest, he made his way through it with the sun for a guide. "On-the Kerver!" he cr

, when he received an offer to go to fight the heathen of Norway. To kill unbelievers and to conquer a kingdom was a double pleasure. Yvon

one which cast its trembling light on his father's castle. All at once the vessel struck upon a rock; a terrible cra

ly the moon was rising. Yvon saw, at a little distance, a black speck among the silvery waves-it was land. He approached it, not without difficulty, and finally succeeded i