ABOUT THE BOOK

The book is a children novel about the dark ages. It was first published in 1888. The book is as captivating and beautiful as a knight in shining armor tale can be. It’s a tale of love, courage, good and evil. The book centers around the life of Otto, the son of German warlord Baron Conrad. Otto becomes a respected statesman, marries his former captor’s daughter Pauline, and is known for his wise counsel and peaceful nature. His amputated swordhand is replaced by an artificial and immobile one made of silver. The emperor has castle, rebuilt for the couple and over the gatehouse is carved the motto. “A hand of Silver is better than a hand of iron”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Howard Pyle (1853-1911) was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy. In 1894 he began teaching illustration at the Drexel Institute of Art, science and Industry and after 1900 he founded his own school of art and illustration called the Howard Pyle school of Illustration Art. He illustrated historical and adventure stories for periodicals such as Harper’s Weekly and St. Nicholas Magazine. His novel Men of iron was made into a movie in 1954, The Black shield of Falworth. Pyle travelled to Florence, Italy to study mural painting in 1910, and died there in 1911 of sudden kidney infection.

CONTENTS

Chapter - I
The Dragon’s House .................................................................................... 11

Chapter - II
How the Baron went Forth to Shear ........................................................... 15

Chapter - III
How the Baron came Home Shorn ............................................................. 20
Chapter - IV
The White Cross on the Hill ....................................................................... 24

Chapter - V
How Otto Dwelt at St. Michaelsburg .......................................................... 31

Chapter - VI
How Otto Lived in the Dragon’s House ..................................................... 39

Chapter - VII
The Red Cock Crows on Drachenhausen ................................................... 47

Chapter - VIII
In the House of the Dragon Scorner ........................................................... 58

Chapter - IX
How One-eyed Hans came to Trutz-Drachen ............................................. 64

Chapter - X
How Hans Brought Terror to the Kitchen ................................................... 71

Chapter - XI
How Otto was Saved .................................................................................. 79

Chapter - XII
A Ride For Life ........................................................................................... 83

Chapter - XIII
How Baron Conrad Held the Bridge .......................................................... 88

Chapter - XIV
How Otto Saw the Great Emperor .............................................................. 94