and unscrupulous, although brave and high-spirited, he deemed it
wisest to delay his part of the compact until he should see how
it fared with his uncle, the king, and then, upon his defeat, to
climb to certain victory.

He therefore sent to his uncle promises instead of men, and when
summoned by the Roman governor to assist in putting down the
revolt, he returned loyal answers, but sent his aid to neither
party.

King Coel after his first successes knew that, unaided, he could
not hope to withstand the Roman force that must finally be
brought against him. Though urged to constant action by his wise
young daughter, he preferred to do nothing; and, satisfied with
the acknowledgment of his power in and about his little kingdom
on the Colne, he spent his time in his palace with the musicians
that he loved so well, and the big bowl of liquor that he loved,
it is to be feared, quite as dearly.

The musicians--the pipers and the harpers--sang his praises, and
told of his mighty deeds, and, no doubt, their refrain was very
much the same as the one that has been preserved for us in the
jingle of Mother Goose:

"O, none so rare as can compare
With King Cole and his fiddlers three."


But if the pleasure-loving old king was listless, young Helena
was not. The misty records speak of her determined efforts, and