5. King Alfred and the Cakes

Long ago in England there lived a good king, whose name was Alfred. One day after a fierce battle with the Danes the English soldiers were scattered and every man had to save himself in the best way he could. King Alfred fled alone, in great haste, through the woods and swamps, coming late at night to a wood-cutter’s cottage. He was very tired and hungry, and begged the wood-cutter’s wife to give him something to eat and a place to sleep. The good woman, not knowing who he was, invited him into her hut. She was cooking some cakes and so she said: “My poor, ragged fellow, you shall have some supper if you will watch these cakes. I want to go out and milk the cow, and you must see that the cakes do not burn while I am gone.” King Alfred sat down to watch them, but as his thoughts were on his people and his plans for the next day, he forgot all about the cakes until the woman came in and saw that they were burned to a crisp. “You lazy fellow!” she cried. “How dare you let the cakes burn? See what you have done!” Some people think she even struck the king with a stick. But the king was good-natured, not caring for her angry words half so much as for the loss of the cakes. No doubt he had to go hungry to bed that night. Early the next morning soldiers loudly knocked at the door, and said, “We seek King Alfred!” Then she knew she had treated her king shamefully. Alfred was great and good enough to ask her forgiveness for burning the cakes.

Soon after that the king gathered his men together again, won a great battle, drove the Danes back to their own country, and all the rest of his days ruled his people wisely and well. But this story of King Alfred and the Cakes has never been forgotten in all the after years.