In these days, many a mean village is in appearance a more important
place than were the royal cities wherein the ancient British kings kept
court; for these were merely large straggling enclosures, surrounded
with trenches and hedge-rows, containing a few groups of wattled huts,
plastered over with clay. The huts were built round the king's palace,
which was not itself a more commodious building than a modern barn, and
having neither chimneys nor glazed windows, must have been but a
miserable abode in the winter season.
At the period to which our story has now conducted us, it was, however,
a fine warm autumn day. King Hurdebras and his queen were therefore
dwelling in an open pavilion, formed of the trunks of trees, which were
covered over with boughs, and garlanded with wreaths of wild flowers.
Bladud and his master arrived during the celebration of a great
festival, held to commemorate the acorn-gathering, which was then
completed. All ranks and conditions of people were assembled in their
holiday attire, which varied from simple sheep-skins to the fur of
wolves, cats, and rabbits.
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