Stories from the Faerie Queen, Told to the Children

y daughter called Cambina, and three

riamond, the second Diamon

hard. Diamond struck very hard, but he was little and t

fought on horseback. But Diamond could

ht with a battle-axe. But Priamond could fight just a

roud of her gallant sons, that she coul

t. She asked the Fates to let her sons have long, long lives. That they would not promise, but they promised that if Priamond died first, all hi

dearly. When they grew up and all fell in love with

s the cleverest lady in all that land. She knew all about birds a

e knights were so jealous of each other th

ng knight, who was sorry to see how often the k

bell told them that he had made a plan by which th

let her sons have lon

l think the bravest and the best fighters, and I shall fight them, one by

agic ring, and that, as long as he wore it, no matter how deep

l,' they said. 'We cannot k

ot fight, even

Priamond, Diamond, and T

Cambell,' they said, 'for

e field. Crowds of people came to watch the fight, and there were six judges to see that the knights fought fairly. Canacee, in a beautiful dress, sat on a

d, marching together, in splendid armour

e lady they loved, and the trumpe

ly, and Cambell and stou

rom the wound was terrible, not a single drop of blood fell from it. So they fought and fought, until Cambell's spear was driven through brave Priamond'

into his two brothers, as the Three

slight little Diamond, his battle-axe i

cut and gashed as if it had been rotten wood. No blood flowed from Cambe

his axe round with all his might. Had the blow reached Cambell it must have chopped his head in two, but Cambell swerved aside. Diamond had used so much forc

e Diamond fell dead on the ground. As he fell, all his strength, and

n he had ever been before, lightly sprang

thrust, he hewed, he hacked, till the sparks flew from his s

t although Cambell was covered with wounds the magic ring stopped his blood from flowing, so that he grew no less strong. W

rength that had belonged to his brother Priamond ebbed away

Triamond. Triamond, seeing this, thought that Cambell must be tired, and that he could easily beat him now. With that he whirled up his sword to give a fearful blow. But Cambell, quick as lightning, thrust his sword under Triamond's upraised ar

nd out of his wound all Dia

ey thought that the fight was at an e

e brave knight who loved her were slain. But in

e their eyes when they saw them be

hey knew that soon the knights must surely kill each ot

men and boys shouting a

t for an instant to listen and to look

towards them with the force of a storm. Two fierce lions drew the cha

who knew more about magic than al

huddled together like frightened sheep. Some laughed, most of t

she held a golden cup filled with a magic drink, that made those who drank of it forget

ff the watchers from the field where the knights ha

ons dashed in with Cambi

knights, and begged them to fight no more. But

em with tears to lay down their swords. When they still we

They were so hot and thirsty that they gladly drank. And, as they drank, all anger went out of their hearts, and l

ey shouted and cheered for g

ed Cambina, who had stopped the fearful fight a

lions galloped off to Canacee's palace. And all the people thought how beautiful were the

e a great feast that la

ll married Cambina, and they all lived