Eglamour of Artoys, Sir
Eglamour of Artoys, Sir
An English magic legend of medieval French origin. The story tells of the winning of Christabell by Eglamour. Christabell's father agrees to their union if Eglamour will fulfill three tasks. He must conquer the giant Sir Maroke, bring from a distant land the head of an enormous boar, and kill a powerful dragon that has been devastating the country around Rome. In these adventures he is successful, but is kept in Rome by illness. In the meantime, Christabell has given birth to a son and is banished by her angry father. Her son is stolen from her by a griffin and taken to Israel, where he is adopted by the king and named Degrabell.
Many years afterward, Eglamour and Degrabell meet in a tournament for the hand of Christabell. Eglamour is successful, and eventually their identities are revealed. Eglamour and Christabell are married and return to their native country with their son.
Versions of this legend survived in the English ballad of Sir Lionel (Child No. 18) and in modern times in the American ballad "Old Bangham." It has been suggested that the conquest of the giant boar has an ancient origin in the Hindu myth of Lord Vishnu in the form of the gigantic boar Vahara, who created the mighty Himalayan mountain range in his battle with a demon.