CHAPTER II.
A NEW FAIRY TALE.
Once upon a time, on a far island of the sea, there lived a King with seven sons.

The three eldest were tall and dark, with eyes like eagles, and hair like a crow's wing for blackness, and no princes in all the land were so strong and fearless as they.

The three youngest sons were tall and fair, with eyes as blue as cornflowers, and locks like the summer sun for brightness, and no princes in all the land were so brave and beautiful as they.
But the middle son was little and lorn; he was neither dark nor fair; he was neither handsome nor strong.

So when the King saw that he never won in the tournaments nor led in the boar hunts, nor sang to his lute among the ladies of the court, he drew his royal robes around him, and henceforth frowned on Ethelried.
To each of his other sons he gave a portion of his kingdom, armor and plumes, a prancing charger, and a trusty sword; but to Ethelried he gave nothing.

When the poor Prince saw his brothers riding out into the world to win their fortunes, he fain would have followed.