Chapter Koppenberg to Kyrie Elyson de Montalban of K by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Hilda. In due time Hilda has a daughter, who is called by the same name, and at a marriageable age becomes the wife of Hedel king of Friesland.

Kudrun. Hilda’s daughter Kudrun becomes affianced to Herwig, but, while preparing the wedding dresses, is carried off by Hartmut, son of Ludwig king of Normandy. Her f ather goes in pursuit, but is slain by Ludwig. On reaching Normandy, Gerlinde the queen-mother treats Kudrun with the greatest cruelty, and puts her to the most servile work, because she refuses to marry her son. At length, succour is at hand. Her lover and brother arrive and slay Ludwig. Gerlinde is just about to put Kudrun to death, when Watt Long-beard rushes in, slays the queen, and rescues Kudrun, who is forthwith married to Herwig her affianced lover.—Author unknown (one of the minnesingers).

Kwasind, the strongest man that ever lived, the Herculês of the North American Indians. He could pull up cedars and pines by the roots, and toss huge rocks about like playthings. His wondrous strength was “seated in his crown,” and there of course lay his point of weakness, but the only weapon which could injure him was the “blue cone of the fir tree,” a secret known only to the pygmies or Little-folk. This mischievous race, out of jealousy, determined to kill the strong man, and one day, finding him asleep in a boat, pelted him with fir cones till he died; and now, whenever the tempest rages through the forests, and the branches of the trees creak and groan and split, they say, “Kwasind is gathering in his fire-wood.” (See Hercules, p. 485.)

Dear, too, unto Hiawatha
Was the very strong man Kwasind;
He the strongest of all mortals.
   —Longfellow: Hiawatha, xv. and xviii.

Kyrie Elyson de Montalban (Don) or “don Quirieleyson de Montalvan,” brother of Thomas de Montalban, in the romance called Tirante le Blanc, author unknown.

(Dr. Warburton, in his essay on the old romances, falls into the strange error of calling this character an “early romance of chivalry.” As well might he call Claudius king of Denmark a play of Shakespeare’s, instead of a character in the tragedy of Hamlet.)

A large quarto dropped at the barber’s feet … it was the history of that famous knight Tirante le Blanc. “Pray let me look at that book,” said the priest; “we shall find in it a fund of amusement. Here shall we find the famous knight don Kyrie Elyson of Montalban, and his brother Thomas…. This is one of the most amusing books ever written.”—Cervantes: Don Quixote, I. i. 6 (1605).