Chapter Household Words to Hubberd of H by Brewer's Readers Handbook

(Sheridan’s comedy is The Relapse of Vanbrugh (1697), abridged, recast, and somewhat modernized.)

Hrasvelg, the giant who keeps watch on the north side of the root of the Tree of the World, to devour the dead. His shape is that of an eagle. Winds and storms are caused by the movement of his wings.—Scandinavian Mythology.

Where the heaven’s remotest bound
With darkness is encompassed round,
There Hrasvelger sits and swings
The tempest from its eagle wings.
   —Edda of Samundby Amos Cottle),

Hrimfaxi, the horse of Night, from whose bit fall the rime-drops that every morning bedew the earth.—Scandinavian Mythology.

Hrothgar, king of Denmark, whom Beowulf delivered from the monster Grendel. Hrothgar built Heorot, a magnificent palace, and here he distributed rings (treasure), and held his feasts; but the monster Grendel, envious of his happiness, stole into the hall after a feast, and put thirty of the thanes to death in their sleep. The same ravages were repeated night after night, till Beowulf, at the head of a mixed band of soldiers, went against him and slew him.—Beowulf (an Anglo-Saxon epic poem, sixth century).

Hrymer, pilot of the ship Nagelfar (made of the “nails of the dead”).—Scandinavian Mythology.

Hub of the Universe. A hub is the nave of a wheel, a boss or protuberance; hence the “boss of the world” is much the same as the “hub of the universe,” meaning the thing most prominent or important. Bayreuth [i.e. Wagnerism] was to be the “hub of the universe,” as far as dramatic music [is] concerned.—Nineteenth Century, September, 1896, p. 361.

Hubba and Ingwar, two Danish chiefs, who, in 870, conquered East Anglia and wintered at Thetford, in Norfolk. King Edmund fought against them, but was beaten and taken prisoner. The Danish chiefs offered him his life and kingdom if he would renounce Christianity and pay them tribute; but as he refused to do so, they tied him to a tree, shot at him with arrows, and then cut off his head. Edmund was therefore called “St. Edmund.” Alured fought seven battles with Hubba, and slew him at Abingdon, in Berkshire.

Alured … In seven brave foughten fields their champion Hubba chased,
And slew him in the end at Abington [sic].
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, xii. (1613).

Hubbard (Old Mother) went to her cupboard to get a bone for her dog, but, not finding one, trotted hither and thither to fetch sundry articles for his behoof. Every time she returned she found Master Doggie performing some extraordinary feat, and at last, having finished all her errands, she made a grand curtsey to master Doggie. The dog, not to be outdone in politeness, made his mistress a profound bow; upon which the dame said, “Your servant!” and the dog said, “Bow, wow!”—Nursery Tale.

Hubberd (Mother), Mother Hubberd’s Tale, by Edmund Spenser, is a satirical fable in the style of Chaucer, supposed to be told by an old woman (Mother Hubberd) to relieve the weariness of the poet during a time of sickness. The tale is this: An ape and a fox went into partnership to seek their fortunes. They resolved to begin their adventures as beggars, so Master Ape dressed himself as a broken soldier, and Reynard pretended to be his dog. After a time they came to a farmer, who employed the ape as shepherd, but when the rascals had so reduced the flock that detection was certain, they decamped. Next they tried the Church, under advice of a priest; Reynard was appointed rector to a living, and the ape was his parish clerk. From this living they were obliged also to remove. Next they went to court as foreign potentates, and drove a splendid business, but came to grief ere long. Lastly, they saw king Lion asleep, his skin was lying beside him, with his crown and sceptre. Master Ape stole the regalia, dressed himself as king Lion, usurped the royal palace, made Reynard his chief minister, and collected round him a band of monsters, chiefly amphibious, as his guard and court. In time, Jupiter sent Mercury to rouse king Lion from his lethargy; so he awoke from sleep, broke into his palace, and bit off the ape’s tail, with a part of its ear. Since which, all apes but half their ears have left, And of their tails are utterly bereft.