in the tree, she lifted up her eyes, and saw it with the ring in its beak.  The woman, in great terror, called her brother, and told him what had happened, adding that she durst not approach the king if the raven took away the ring.  Gaspar, seizing his cross-bow and quiver, ran to the tree, where the raven was yet with the ring, and discharged an arrow at it, but, being in a great hurry, he missed it; with his second shot he was more lucky, for he hit the raven in the breast, which, together with the ring, fell to the ground.  Taking up the ring, they went on their way, and shortly arrived at Buda.  One day, as the king was walking after dinner in his outer hall, the woman appeared before him with the child, and, showing him the ring, said, “Mighty lord! behold this token! and take pity upon me and your own son.”  King Sigmond took the child and kissed it, and, after a pause, said to the mother, “You have done right in bringing me the boy; I will take care of you, and make him a nobleman.”  The king was as good as his word, he provided for the mother; caused the boy to be instructed in knightly exercises, and made him a present of the town of Hunyad, in Transylvania, on which account he was afterwards called Hunyadi, and gave him, as an armorial sign, a raven bearing a ring in his beak.

Such, oh young man of Horncastle! is the popular account of the birth of the great captain of Hungary, as related by Florentius of Buda.  There are other accounts of his birth, which is, indeed, involved in much mystery, and of the reason of his being called Corvinus, but as this is the most pleasing, and is, upon the whole, founded on quite as good evidence as the others, I have selected it for recitation.

Myself.  I heartily thank you; but you must tell me something more of Hunyadi.  You call him your great captain; what did he do?

Hungarian.  Do! what no other man of his day could have done.  He broke the power of the Turk when he was coming to overwhelm Europe.  From the blows inflicted by Hunyadi, the Turk never thoroughly recovered; he has been frequently worsted in latter times, but none but Hunyadi could have routed the armies of Amurath and Mahomed the Second.

Myself.  How was it that he had an opportunity of displaying his military genius?

Hungarian.  I can hardly tell you, but his valour soon made him famous; King Albert made him Ban of Szorenyi.  He became eventually waivode of Transylvania, and governor of Hungary.  His first grand action was the defeat of Bashaw Isack; and though himself surprised and routed at St. Imre, he speedily regained his prestige by defeating the Turks, with enormous slaughter, killing their leader, Mezerbeg; and subsequently, at the battle of the Iron Gates, he destroyed ninety thousand Turks, sent by Amurath to avenge the late disgrace.  It was then that the Greeks called him Achilles.

Myself.  He was not always successful.