The Ballad of the White Horse - This is the full text of G K Chesterton's epic poem about King Alfred the great and the battle of Ethandune or Edington in May 878 AD. This edition of Ballad of the White Horse has been heavily annotated with explanatory notes to help the reader get a true insight into the poem's meaning and key characters. Chesterton believed The Ballad of the White Horse to be his best work and it was the only work he felt was suitable to be dedicated to his wife. The text has been preserved as Chesterton's original manuscript for the Ballad of the White Horse.