The Ballad of the White Horse

by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton

"The Ballad of the White Horse" by G. K. Chesterton is a poem published in 1911. Written in traditional epic ballad form, it tells the story of Saxon King Alfred the Great's struggle against invading Danes. Hiding on a river island after near-defeat, Alfred receives a vision from the Virgin Mary. He gathers Catholic chieftains, infiltrates the enemy camp disguised as a minstrel, and leads his outnumbered forces to the climactic Battle of Ethandun, where faith and valor collide.