July 12, 2007
1066 Jackdaw
The Legend
King William blocked yet another blow from a Saxon battle-axe. He and many other men from both Normandy and France had come to claim England from the barbaric Saxons.
Things were not going so well for William and his men. The Saxons where winning. William was trying to think of what to do next when he saw an arrow coming straight towards him.
He tried to dodge it, but his horse wouldn’t move fast enough. The arrow pierced him in the chest, followed be many others. Some just bounced off his armor, but with other arrows, he wasn’t as lucky.
William gasped in both surprise and agony. He grasped his horse’s reins, tying not to fall off his horse.
The men who had shot the arrows, those villainous Saxons, shouted with joy when they saw that their arrows had hit their mark. Soon, the other Saxons heard what had happened and cried out, saying they had won, thinking that the brave king William had died.
When William’s men heard that their courageous king was dead, they cried out in sorrow for their leader. They were immensely weakened by the news.
It seemed like it was raining arrows when William heard his men’s cries. He sat as tall as he could and, arrows still hitting him left and right, he prayed to his Lord God that no arrows would hit his face. William tore off his helmet.
When William’s men saw his face, on top of his horse shouting words of strength and still pulling arrows out of every part of his body, they thought he looked like a true leader, a true king! With sudden strength, William’s men attacked the vile Saxons who where still celebrating their false victory.
Today that battle is called The Battle of Hastings and William is called “The Conquer,” king of England.
