The Song of Roland is the oldest surviving French poem. Based in historical fact, the Song of Roland tells the story of the battle of Roncesvalles between the armies of Charlemagne and a contingent of Saracen princes from Spain. Between the time of the historical battle and the time the poem was written down nearly 300 years later, the legend of Roland grew.

H.E. Marshall’s Stories of Roland Told to the Children relates the tale of the Song of Roland. Take your children to the early Middle Ages when Christian Europe was battling against the Moors of Muslim Spain.

As a bonus, at the beginning of each chapter is a quote from C.K. Moncrieff’s translation of the Song of Roland presented so that students can get a sense of the full text.