kˈeɪbəl hæd ˈɪŋkjuːbˌeɪɾᵻd ɐ tɹˈuː vˈɜːʒən ʌvðə hˈæmlɪt stˈoːɹi fɔːɹ dˈɛkeɪdz, ænd bˈeɪst hɪz tˈeɪl ˌɔn sˈæksoʊ ɡɹæmˈæɾɪkəs, hˌuːz ˈɛpɪk sˈɑːɡɚ ɹᵻkˈaʊnts ðə stˈoːɹi ʌvðə hɪstˈɔːɹɪkəl hˈæmlɪt, pɹˈɪns ʌv dʒˈʌtlənd, hɪz mˈɜːdɚɹ ʌv hɪz fˈɑːðɚ hˈoːɹvəndˌɪl, ænd hɪz ɹˈaɪvəlɹi wɪð wˈɪɡlɛk, ðə pɹˈɪns ʌv dˈɛnmɑːɹk.
Cabell had incubated a 'true version' of the Hamlet story for decades, and based his tale on Saxo Grammaticus, whose epic saga  recounts the story of the historical Hamlet, Prince of Jutland, his murder of his father Horvendill, and his rivalry with Wiglek, the Prince of Denmark.