“The Story of the Fairy Horn.” Fairy Gold : A Book of Old English Fairy Tales Chosen by Ernest Rhys, Ernest Rhys, London: J.M. Dent & Co.; New York : E.P. Dutton & co., 1907, pp. 39-40.
![The Story of the Fairy Horn](/projects/fairy-tales/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/article-image/fairygoldbookofo00rhysuoft_0059.jpg?itok=Q6CMjJNu)
Tale Summary
Once upon a time, there was a knight who bore a wyvern (a type of dragon) on his shield, and who one day was riding past Gloucester when he heard of a magical fairy mound. It was a place where tired knights and hunters could climb up to and get relief. The knight met a wood-cutter, who told him that he had to ascend alone, and that when he reached the top, he must say “I thirst!,” and a cup-bearer would appear to him with a richly decorated gold drinking horn adorned with gems and jewels. The cup will be full of a nectar which will heal and revive him, and the cup-bearer will be courteous and quickly take leave after attending to him. The knight decided to steal this drinking-horn, thinking it would be foolish to give it up once it is in his hands. That day, he went to the mound and did what the wood-cutter said. After saying “I thirst!,” the knight was met with a cup-bearer who handed him the beautiful drinking-horn. He took his drink of nectar, then made off with it. The Earl of Gloucester, who often visited the fairy-knoll, heard of this robbery and killed the knight, taking back the horn. He did not return it to the mound, however, and instead gave it as a gift to his lord, King Henry the Elder.
Fairy Tale Title
The Story of the Fairy Horn
Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)
Ernest Rhys
Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)
Common Tale Type
Tale Classification
Page Range of Tale
pp. 39-40
Full Citation of Tale
“The Story of the Fairy Horn.” Fairy Gold : A Book of Old English Fairy Tales Chosen by Ernest Rhys, Ernest Rhys, London: J.M. Dent & Co.; New York : E.P. Dutton & co., 1907, pp. 39-40.
Original Source of the Tale
Tale Notes
The narrator tells us that because of the events in this story, you may stand all day at the fairy mound
Research and Curation
Kaeli Waggener, 2023
Book Title
Fairy Gold : A Book of Old English Fairy Tales Chosen by Ernest Rhys
Book Author/Editor(s)
Ernest Rhys
Illustrator(s)
None listed
Publisher
J.M. Dent & Co., E.P. Dutton & co.
Date Published
1907
Decade Published
1900-1909
Publisher City
London, New York
Publisher Country
United Kingdom, United States
Language
English
Rights
Public Domain
Digital Copy
Book Notes
A collection of stories split up into three categories: "Fairy Tales and Romances," "Mother Jack's Fairy Book," and "Later Fairy Tales and Rhymes"