King Herla, part 2

After a year, Herla personally set out to fulfill his agreement. He had promised and, provisioned with enough to repay the other king in like kind, he followed his word.

Thereupon, Herla and his men went into a cave in a very high cliff, and after some time in the shadows, they crossed over into the light, which did not seem as sunlight or moonlight but from a multitude of lamps, and arrived at the homes of the pygmy, an honorable dwelling which appeared in every way like Ovid described the palace of the sun. Then, they celebrated the wedding there, and fittingly repaid the pygmy in like kind. After he had been given permission, Herla withdrew, burdened with gifts, gifts of horses, dogs, hawks, and all manner of items which seem of surpassing excellence for hunting or for fowling. The pygmy conducted them back to the shadows and presented Herla with a small lap dog, forbidding the entire band in all manner from descending from their horses until the dog that he was carrying leaps down. And having wished them well, he returned home. After a little while, Herla arrived at the threshold of the sunlight and, having regained his kingdom, he addressed an old shepherd, seeking news about his queen. The shepherd, looking at him with wonder, said, "Lord, I can scarcely understand your speech, for I am Saxon and you are a Briton. Moreover I have not heard the name of your queen, unless she is the the queen they have spoken of from the ancient Britons who was the wife of King Herla, of whom it is being told in stories that he disappeared with a pygmy into this cliff on day. Moreover he never reappeared on this earth. For one hundred years, the Saxons have possessed this kingdom, having expelled the inhabitants." Then, the king was astonished, who reckoned himself to have tarried but three days. Moreover certain of his party, forgetting the warning of the pygmy, dismounted before the little dog and were immediately dissolved into powder. The king, immediately understanding the reason for this, forbade his men to dismount, under menace of a similar death, before the dog's paws should touch the earth. Moreover the dog has not yet jumped down. One story tells that King Herla wanders forever in an infinite circuit with his army remaining the wild ones, without rest or home. Many men have frequently seen him with his army, as they swear. The last time, as they say, was on the first year of the coronation of our king Henry, Herla departed our kingdom as quickly as he visited before. Then they had seemed to many Waldensians to have plunged into the river Wye next to Hereford. Moverover this legendary band has been quiet from that hour, as if they gave up their wandering for us, for their own rest. But if you wish to consider how it was lamented, not only by ourselves but everyone, the silence is more pleasing to me and certainly it seems more just. Is it not agreeable to give ear to these deeds for a little while?

(considering the Waldensians were viewed as heretics, it is probably not a good thing that Map says they saw the Wild Hunt. It just highlights their being in a state of damnation. Mind you, without looking at another translation of this story, it could be he means people of the forests because 'wald' is German for forest. I believe Map has only been translated once into English and that is one very expensive Oxford edition.)

About King Herla, part one

Now that your nails are trimmed, it is time for a bedtime story from Walter Map. I am posting it in two parts because it is slightly long. Enjoy.

They tell of a similar story of our courts. They say King Herla of the most ancient Briton had been appointed on account of another king, who did not seem to be a pygmy, being of half height, who was not taller than a monkey. The manikin approached sitting on a great goat according to the story. The man was able to be described looking just like Pan, with a fiery face, large head, with a broad red beard, his chest was covered with a faun skin set with stars of great brightness, whose belly was shaggy and his legs ended with goat's feet. Herla was alone speaking with the man. The pygmy said, "I am a king of a great kingdom and a prince of an innumerable and infinite people, having been sent from them, I come to you willingly, indeed unknown to you, but having heard boasting about the reputation that you are above other kings, indeed, you are great and near to me in both place and blood, and it is fitting that you invite me as a glorious guest to your lovely wedding, when the King of the Franks gives his daughter to you, because it has been arranged with you not knowing, and (Behold!) the ambassadors come today. And let it be an eternal pact between us that I might first attend your wedding and you come to mine on the same day next year. " this having been said, he turned his back more swiftly than a tiger and vanished from his sight. Then, the king, returning from there with amazement, received ambassadors because he accepted their request. Whereby when settling down to the wedding feast, behold a pygmy appeared before the first course, with such a great multitude similar to himself that there were more reclining at full tables outdoors than inside in the pygmies' own tents which had been set up in a flash. Servants sprung up from among them with jars made of whole, precious stones and by inimitable arts. They filled up the palace and the tents with golden things which they carried. And everywhere they roasted eagerly, and the servants were not from the region but were strangers. All of the wine was served from their own stores, and everything they carried with them exceeded all prayers and vows. The things which Herla had prepared were spared, his servants sat in idleness, who were neither being sought nor served. The pygmies went around, followed by the esteem of all, lit up by costliness of clothes and of gems which were just as lights for the rest. No one was tedious in word or in deed either by their presence or by their absence. Therefore their king addressed King Herla in the middle of the ministering of his servants, "Best of Kings, Earthly Lord, I am present at your wedding according to our pact, if there are any greater arguments to be sought for you other than what you understand, I will supply them willingly. Now you must in turn honor me with what I sought." There was no response expected to these words, he suddenly returned the tents from whence they came and around break of day disappeared with his people.