“The Story of the Fairy Horn.” Fairy Gold : A Book of Old English Fairy Tales Chosen by Ernest Rhys, Ernest Rhys, London: J.M. Dent & Co.; New York : E.P. Dutton & co., 1907, pp. 39-40.

Tale Summary

Once upon a time, there was a knight who bore a wyvern (a type of dragon) on his shield, and who one day was riding past Gloucester when he heard of a magical fairy mound. It was a place where tired knights and hunters could climb up to and get relief. The knight met a wood-cutter, who told him that he had to ascend alone, and that when he reached the top, he must say “I thirst!,” and a cup-bearer would appear to him with a richly decorated gold drinking horn adorned with gems and jewels. The cup will be full of a nectar which will heal and revive him, and the cup-bearer will be courteous and quickly take leave after attending to him. The knight decided to steal this drinking-horn, thinking it would be foolish to give it up once it is in his hands. That day, he went to the mound and did what the wood-cutter said. After saying “I thirst!,” the knight was met with a cup-bearer who handed him the beautiful drinking-horn. He took his drink of nectar, then made off with it. The Earl of Gloucester, who often visited the fairy-knoll, heard of this robbery and killed the knight, taking back the horn. He did not return it to the mound, however, and instead gave it as a gift to his lord, King Henry the Elder.