Tales of the Enchanted Islands of the AtlanticHawthorne in his "Wonder Book" has described the beautiful Greek myths and traditions, but no one has yet made similar use of the wondrous tales that gathered for more than a thousand years about the islands of the Atlantic deep. Although they are a part of the mythical period of American history, these hazy legends were altogether disdained by the earlier historians; indeed, George Bancroft made it a matter of actual pride that the beginning of the American annals was bare and literal. But in truth no national history has been less prosaic as to its earlier traditions, because every visitor had to cross the sea to reach it, and the sea has always been, by the mystery of its horizon, the fury of its storms, and the variableness of the atmosphere above it, the foreordained land of romance.-- Thomas Wentworth Higginson |
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adventure Antillia Arab archbishop asked Atlantic avecq bade bard beautiful birds bishop boat Bran Brandan brothers brought called castle coast demon Don Alonzo dwelt Elphin enchanted islands Erik the Red father femme fled floating Fountain of Youth Freydis gold GROSSET & DUNLAP hand Harald head heard horse hundred Hy-Brasail Ireland Irish Isle King Arthur knew knight ladies land legend says looked Luis Maelduin maiden Manawydan maps Marguerite Marguerite of Navarre Merlin Modred monks Morgan le Fay narrative never Niam Norsemen Norumbega ocean once Oppas palace priest Pryderi queen reached Rhiannon Roberval rode sailed sailors sea of Moyle seemed seen sent ships shore Sieur de Roberval silver singing Sir Lancelot Skrælings Spain squires stone story supposed sword tale Taliessin thou thought told took tree Usheen vessel Vignan voyage wild Winsor's wood young