Chapter Elfenreigen to Elmo of E by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Elfenreigen to Elmo

Elfenreigen [el.f’n-rign] or Alpleich, that weird music with which Bunting, the pied piper of Hamelin, led forth the rats into the river Weser, and the children into a cave in the mountain Koppenberg. The song of the sirens is so called. (Reigen, a dance and the music thereof.)

Elfeta, wife of Cambuscan king of Tartary.

Elflida or Æthelflæda, daughter of king Alfred, and wife of Æthelred chief of that part of Mercia not claimed by the Danes. She was a woman of enormous energy and masculine mind. At the death of her husband, Elflida ruled over Mercia, and proceeded to fortify Bridgenorth, Tamworth, Warwick, Hertford, Witham, and other cities. Then, attacking the Danes, she drove them from place to place, and kept them from molesting her.

When Elflida up-grew…
The puissant Danish powers victoriously pursued,
And resolutely here thro’ their thick squadrons hewed
Her way into the north.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, xii. (1613).

Elfthryth or Ælfthryth, daughter of Ordgar, noted for her great beauty. King Edgar sent Æthelwald, his friend, to ascertain if she were really as beautiful as report made her out to be. When Æthelwald saw her he fell in love with her, and then, returning to the king, said she was not handsome enough for the king, but was rich enough to make a very eligible wife for himself. The king assented to the match, and became godfather to the first child, who was called Edgar. One day the king told his friend he intended to pay him a visit, and Æthelwald revealed to his wife the story of his deceit, imploring her at the same time to conceal her beauty. But Elfthryth, extremely indignant, did all she could to set forth her charms. The king fell in love with her, slew Æthelwald, and married the widow.

A similar story is told by Herodotus—Prêxaspês being the lady’s name, and Kambysês the king’s.

Elgin Marbles, certain statues and bas-reliefs collected by lord Elgin, and purchased of him by the British Government for £35,000, to be placed in the British Museum. Chiefly fragments of the Parthenon of Athens.

Elgitha, a female attendant at Rotherwood on the lady Rowena.—Sir W. Scott: Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Elia, the assumed name of Charles Lamb, author of the Essays of Elia, contributed to the London Magazine between 1820 and 1825.

Eliab, in the satire of Absalom and Achitophel, by Dryden and Tate, is Henry Bennet, earl of Arlington. As Eliab befriended David (1 Chron. xii. 9), so the earl befriended Charles II.

Hard the task to do Eliab right:
Long with the royal wanderer he roved,
And firm in all the turns of fortune proved.
   —Absalom and Achitophel, ii. 986–988 (1682).

Eliakim, in Pordage’s satire of Azariah and Hushai, was intended for James duke of York (James II.).

Elian God (The), Bacchus. An error for ’Eleuan, i.e. “the god Eleleus” . Bacchus was called Eleleus from the Bacchic cry, eleleu!

As when with crowned cups unto the Elian god
Those priests high orgies held.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, vi. (1612).

Elidure , surnamed “the Pious,” brother of Gorbonian, and one of the five sons of Morvidus (q.v.). He resigned the crown to his brother Arthgallo, who had been deposed. Ten years afterwards, Arthgallo died, and Elidure was again advanced to the throne, but was deposed and imprisoned by his two younger