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The Tale of Gamelyn

From Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race, by M. I. Ebbutt

This reader is drawn from M. I. Ebbutt's collection Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race, published in the early twentieth century. The source itself is a work of literary history, tracing the influence of the medieval tale of Gamelyn through English literature. The tale is significant both as the ancestor of Shakespeare's As You Like It and as the earliest English example of the 'noble outlaw' figure. The text is worth a senior reader's time because it demonstrates how a single narrative pattern—wronged youngest brother, wicked elders, flight to the greenwood—can carry moral and imaginative force across centuries, shaping works as different as medieval outlaw ballads and the adventure fiction of Stevenson. This text reflects its era.

Band

Red · Complex language and analysisTypical starting range: ages 15–17

Length

long · about 1241 words in 3 sections · 2 pictures

Source

Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race, M. I. Ebbutt

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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