THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT — CONCLUSION 213 



raising a great storm, which as suddenly vanished 

 again at their pleasure. Being required by the 

 Emperor to name his reward, Scot asked leave to 

 choose one of the company to be the champion of him- 

 self and his friend against certain enemies of theirs. 

 This being freely granted, their choice fell on Ulfo, 

 a German baron. As it seemed to Ulfo, they set 

 off at once on their expedition, leaving the coasts 

 of Sicily in two great galleys, and with a mighty 

 following of armed men. They sailed through the 

 Gulf of Lyons, and passed by the Pillars of Hercules, 

 into the unknown and western sea. Here they 

 found smiling coasts, received a welcome from the 

 strange people, and joined themselves to the army 

 of the place ; Ulfo taking the supreme command. 

 Two pitched battles and a successful siege formed 

 the incidents of the campaign. Ulfo killed the 

 hostile king, married his lovely daughter, and 

 reigned in his stead ; Michael and his companion 

 having left to seek other adventures. Of this 

 marriao;e sons and dauo-hters were beo-otten, and 

 twenty years passed like a dream ere the magicians 

 returned, and invited their champion to revisit the 

 Sicilian court. Ulfo went back w^ith them, but 

 what was his amazement, on entering the palace at 

 Palermo, to find everything just as it had been at 

 the moment of their departure so long before ; even 

 the pages were still going the rounds with water 

 for the hands of the Emperor's guests. This 

 prodigy performed, Michael and the other with- 

 drew and were seen no more, but Ulfo, it is said, 

 remained ever inconsolable for the lost land of 

 loveliness and the joys of wedded life he had left 

 behind for ever in a dream not to be repeated. 



