// ------ Controller ----------
public function loginAction() {
        // action body
        $userForm = new Application_Form_Login();
        $this->view->form = $userForm;
        if ($this->_request->isPost() && $userForm->isValid($_POST)) {

            $username = $this->getRequest()->getParam('username');
            $password = $this->getRequest()->getParam('password');

            $db = Zend_Db::factory('Pdo_Mysql', array(
                'host'      => 'localhost',
                'username'  => 'root',
                'password'  => 'root',
                'dbname'    => 'test'
            ));

            $auth = new Zend_Auth_Adapter_DbTable($db);
            $auth->setTableName('users')
                 ->setIdentityColumn('username')
                 ->setCredentialColumn('password')
                 ->setIdentity($username)
                 ->setCredential($password);
            $result = $auth->authenticate();
            if($result->isValid()) {
                $this->_redirect('/secure');
            } else {
                $this->view->loginMessage = "Sorry, your username or password was incorrect: " . $username . "/". $password;

            }

        }

    }

// -------- View -----------
<h2>User Login</h2>
<p>To login to your account please enter your username and password below...</p>
<?php if($this->loginMessage) { ?>
<p><?php echo $this->loginMessage?></p>
<?php } ?>
<form action="login" method="POST" action="">
    <input type="text" name="username" value="" /><br />
    <input type="text" name="password" value="" /><br />
    <input type="submit" value="submit" />
</form>