The Danes had been driven away and now (it was early in the eleventh century) another Saxon king, Edward the Confessor, was on the throne. But Edward was not expected to live long and he had no children. The circumstances favoured the ambitious dukes of Normandy.
丹麦人终于被赶走，一个撒克逊人做了国王，他被叫做忏悔者爱德华。他身体不好，看起来活不了多长时间，也没有后裔继承王位。这样的情形对野心勃勃的诺曼底大公当然是非常有利，他悄悄积蓄力量，等待发难的时机。
In 1066 Edward died. Immediately William of Normandy crossed the channel, defeated and killed Harold of Wessex (who had taken the crown) at the battle of Hastings, and proclaimed himself king of England.
公元 1066年，爱德华去世，继承英格兰王位的是威塞克斯亲王哈洛德。诺曼底大公率军渡海，开始了征服英格兰的战争。他在黑斯廷战役中击败了哈洛德，自封为英格兰国王。
In another chapter I have told you how in the year 800 a German chieftain had become a Roman Emperor. Now in the year 1066 the grandson of a Norse pirate was recognised as King of England.Why should we ever read fairy stories, when the truth of history is so much more interesting and entertaining?
你们在上一章已经看见过了，在公元800年时，一个日尔曼酋长摇身一变，成为了伟大的罗马帝国皇帝。现在到公元1066年，一个北欧海盗的子孙又被承认为英格兰国王。历史上的真人真事如此有趣，远胜过荒诞不经的神话，我们还有什么必要去读神话故事呢？