The idiot hastily ran forward and hung the bowl round his neck from the chain which was attached to it , and took the lance in his hand . As he did so , the ground shook beneath him , and with an awful rumbling the palace disappeared , and Peronnik found himself standing close to the forest where he led the cattle to graze . Though darkness was coming on , Peronnik never thought of entering the farm , but followed the road which led to the court of the duke of Brittany . As he passed through the town of Vannes he stopped at a tailor 's shop , and bought a beautiful costume of brown velvet and a white horse , which he paid for with a handful of gold that he had picked up in the corridor of the castle of Kerglas . Thus he made his way to the city of Nantes , which at that moment was besieged by the French . A little way off , Peronnik stopped and looked about him . For miles round the country was bare , for the enemy had cut down every tree and burnt every blade of corn ; and , idiot though he might be , Peronnik was able to grasp that inside the gates men were dying of famine . He was still gazing with horror , when a trumpeter appeared on the walls , and , after blowing a loud blast , announced that the duke would adopt as his heir the man who could drive the French out of the country . On the four sides of the city the trumpeter blew his blast , and the last time Peronnik , who had ridden up as close as he might , answered him . ` You need blow no more , ' said he , ` for I myself will free the town from her enemies . ' And turning to a soldier who came running up , waving his sword , he touched him with the magic lance , and he fell dead on the spot . The men who were following stood still , amazed . Their comrade 's armour had not been pierced , of that they were sure , yet he was dead , as if he had been struck to the heart . But before they had time to recover from their astonishment , Peronnik cried out : ` You see how my foes will fare ; now behold what I can do for my friends , ' and , stooping down , he laid the golden bowl against the mouth of the soldier , who sat up as well as ever . Then , jumping his horse across the trench , he entered the gate of the city , which had opened wide enough to receive him . The news of these marvels quickly spread through the town , and put fresh spirit into the garrison , so that they declared themselves able to fight under the command of the young stranger . And as the bowl restored all the dead Bretons to life , Peronnik soon had an army large enough to drive away the French , and fulfilled his promise of delivering his country . As to the bowl and the lance , no one knows what became of them , but some say that Bryak the sorcerer managed to steal them again , and that any one who wishes to possess them must seek them as Peronnik did . From ` Le Foyer Breton , ' par Emile Souvestre . The Battle of the Birds There was to be a great battle between all the creatures of the earth and the birds of the air .
News of it went abroad , and the son XXXXX the king of Tethertown said that when the battle was fought he would be there to see it , and would bring back word who was to be king .
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