He plundered and burned cities wherever he
went, and at last the emperor had to give him a large sum of money
and a portion of country south of the Danube.
This made peace, but the peace did not last long. In a few years
Attila appeared at the head of an army of 700,000 men. With this
great force he marched across Germany and into Gaul. He rode on a
beautiful black horse, and carried at his side the sword of Tiew.
He attacked and destroyed towns and killed the inhabitants without
mercy. The people had such dread of him that he was called the
"Scourge of God" and the "Fear of the World."
III
Attila and his terrible Huns marched through Gaul until they came
to the city of Orleans. Here the people bravely resisted the
invaders. They shut their gates and defended themselves in every
way they could. In those times all towns of any great size were
surrounded by strong walls. There was war constantly going on
nearly everywhere, and there were a great many fierce tribes and
chiefs who lived by robbing their neighbors. So the towns and
castles in which there was much money or other valuable property
were not safe without high and strong walls.
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